The current cost to station U.S. troops in Afghanistan is about US$1 million per year per man (ching ching)...and there are currently 100,000 troops in Afghanistan, with an exit date of 2014. That would therefore be approximately US$100,000,000 per year to keep troops there.

The cost breaks-down as follows-

49% (Operations)- transporting soldiers and eguipment to, and around Afghanistan.

12.5% (Worn-out Gear)- overhaul or replacement of damaged gear.

11.9% (Protective Material)- Armour and equipment.

11.4% (Training Afghans)- also providing them with infrastructure and arms.

5.75% (Intelligence)- airbourne sensors and surveillance.

3.98% (Construction)- civil and humanitarian projects.

2.87% (Coalition Support)- reimbursement for operational and logistical support by cooperating nations.

1.2% (Research)- development of technology to combat improvised explosive devices.

1.1% (Training Pakistanis)- financial support for Pakistan to secure borders and fight insurgents.

So wars are extreamly expensive for the US...but we see no end in sight...with possible future wars being Iran, Syria or North Korea.

Perhaps this should have reached George Bush's attention before he decided to carry out his family's personal vendetta in Iraq. The Afghanistan operation atleast had legitimate ties to 9/11. There simply was no legitimate reason for the Iraq invsasion, which has devastated the U.S. economy.

"1pawndown", I agree with you...it amounted to an invasion of Iraq under false pretenses...the elusive weapons of mass destruction.

The real shock factor is to realise that the Afghan war began in 2001...that would be a great many "ching chings" indeed.

Personally, I believe it is time for the US to trim it's war efforts to some manageable proportions...she is fighting on too many fronts, and the local US Economy is suffering for it.

wats the point of fighting?

For our freedom; If they don't fight, then we lose our right to complain about fighting.