A government report released Thursday said the cost of Canada's military involvement in Afghanistan could eventually hit C$18.1 billion (US$15.7 billion) by 2011, a much higher price tag than the government had announced in the past.
Parliament's budget officer Kevin Page estimated that Canada is spending as much as C$200 million (US$174 million) per month in Afghanistan since the country went to war in 2001.
The mission, which involves 2,500 troops in the Kandahar region, has already cost up to C$10.5 billion ($9.1 billion) and has taken the lives of 100 Canadian soldiers.
Canada's Conservative government had pegged the cost of the war at up to C$8 billion (US$7 billion), but that didn't include many longer-term and related items.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper, who is campaigning ahead of a federal election Oct. 14, dismissed suggestions Thursday that the government estimate was way off. The latest findings might hurt the prime minister in his attempts to move from a minority to a majority government in the upcoming elections.
"Look, we've been clear that the cost is high. We are doing important work there as part of the international effort, (and) we're certainly not alone spending money," he said.
Liberal Leader Stephane Dion, who supported Harper's bid to extend the combat mission until 2011, accused the prime minister of trying to hide the real cost of the war.
"Stephen Harper failed again to be transparent and accountable to Canadians," he told reporters on the campaign trail in Halifax.
New Democrat Leader Jack Layton said the Liberals and the Tories should be held jointly responsible for the failure to consider the cost.
Page said the C$18 billion figure was only "incremental costs" so it did not include money the military would have spent even if it was not in Afghanistan.
Page's forecast is based on the assumption that the current deployment of 2,500 troops and support staff remains the same. If the mission expands, so will the costs.
The military indicated last summer that its numbers of ground troops will go up by at least 350 when it deploys battlefield helicopters and leased unmanned aerial vehicles early next year. The report does not include the nearly C$500 million (US$433 million) cost of those items.
Page said the final total may not be known for decades because the costs of caring for wounded Afghan veterans and victims of post-traumatic stress disorder can't be accurately calculated.
The report also laid out detailed projections on casualties, both wounded and killed, using three different scenarios.
As many as 108 more soldiers could lose their lives between now and 2011, if troop levels remain the same, Page suggested. The figure could go as high as 150 if Ottawa deploys another 1,000 troops.
No comments:
Post a Comment