Hidden cost of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq 'is twice what Bush claims'

[cal04]

By Leonard Doyle in Washington

The total cost of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan is expected to be $1.6 trillion (£770bn) – double the amount President George Bush says it will cost.

A report entitled The Hidden Costs of the Iraq War says the true cost of the wars is almost double the $804bn the White House has requested for military operations in 2008.

The report, prepared by Democrats in Congress, says an average American family of four has already paid more than $20,000 to fund the President's military adventures.

The Democratic majority in Congress will this week make another – probably doomed – attempt to force Mr Bush to withdraw US troops from Iraq, before providing him with the $50bn he has requested to keep the war going.

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/article3157770.ece

[C_U_L8R]

1. That's why he's leaving it for the next "prez" to clean up

Monkey fling poo around cage.