September 22, 2006: Congressional Budget Office Report Points to Lack of Accountability by US Executive Branch of Government

A Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimate based on a Congressional Research Service Report states that total funding for Iraq and the Global War on Terror could reach $808 billion by 2016. The report also states problems with oversight in that the Department of Defense has not provided Congress with the individual costs of each operation. The report begins by stating the administration has not answered frequently asked questions such as:
How much has Congress appropriated for each of the three missions since the 9/11 attacks—Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF, Afghanistan and other “Global War on Terror” operations), and Operation Noble Eagle (enhanced security for defense bases) for defense, foreign operations, and related VA medical care?
How much has the Pentagon obligated on average per month for each of the three missions each year?
What do trends in costs tell us about likely spending levels in the future?
It continues by outlining major unknowns which Congress may wish to pursue for accountability in government:
What is the estimated cost to reset—repair and replace war-worn equipment—and how might that funding affect the Pentagon’s regular or baseline budget?
How are some types of war costs affected by policy and contracting decisions as well as operational needs and troop levels?
How have deployed troop levels changed since the 9/11 attacks and how could Congress get accurate information on past and future troop levels?
What is the average cost per deployed troop for OIF and OEF, and how might that cost affect future war costs?
What are the estimates of future war costs? [Congressional Budget Office, 9/22/2006, pp. 1-3 ]