U.S.Rep. Spratt: Iraq costs underestimated

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 (UPI) -- Rep. John Spratt, D-S.C., released a report Tuesday saying the cost of the U.S. military operations in Iraq might climb to $646 billion.

The report says through 2015 the cost -- including interest on the debt assumed -- could reach $461 billion if U.S. forces are withdrawn from the country by 2008, as Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld recently suggested was possible.

The larger number is the estimate if U.S. troops are reduced by only 40,000 in number by 2010.

The estimates from the House Budget Committee's ranking Democrat were based on Congressional Budget Office data and compiled by Democratic aides.

The CBO has estimated Iraq and Afghanistan military operation costs through 2014 would be $458 billion. That is on top of the $201.2 billion in funding approved since Sept. 11, 2001.

Spratt said the Democratic estimates demonstrate the larger budget problems faced in bringing down the federal deficit when President George Bush does not include Iraq war or other important costs in his 2006 budget.

"The President says his budget ... will lead to the deficit being cut in half in four years," Spratt told UPI in a briefing for reporters. "We're saying once you recognize these spending cuts (spending not included in the full 2006 budget)...there is no way the deficit is going to be halved."