UK intervention in Iraq and Afghanistan: more than £4 billion
The House of Commons must approve the winter budget amendment on the UK's external operational commitments. The commitment exceeds £4 billion (£4,142 or approximately 4,450 billion euros).
Admittedly, the projected costs of engagement in Iraq are falling more rapidly than expected this year: we have thus gone from a projected budget of £877 million to £388 million. But the commitment in Afghanistan is still just as substantial. Compared to the provisional budget for 2009-2010 (voted in July in the United Kingdom), the costs are still climbing: from £3,5 billion (3,495) to £3,75 billion (3,754). The announced deployment of 500 additional troops is expected to cost £45 million (i.e. around £90.000 per soldier deployed or £2.465 per soldier/day).
Comparative costs of UK operations in Iraq and Afghanistan from 2006 to 2010 © NGV
Budgets must therefore be tightened elsewhere: on equipment (this is still under discussion) and on research and development. This budget amendment thus provides for a reduction in the "Science Innovation Technology" budget of £55 million (from £519 million to £462 million). A number of research projects are seeing their budget reduced: weapons, ballistic defense missiles, climate research... and especially the C4ISTAR program. What the British elected officials complain about, considering this military intelligence program vital for the conduct of operations.
(NVP)
