The U.S. Department of Defense reported confidential information to Congress revealing that the cost of the war against Iran in just the first six days exceeded $11.3 billion, or about 360 billion baht. Meanwhile, opposition lawmakers have heavily criticized the Trump-led government for being unable to explain why the war was entered and what its end goal is, amid reports of U.S. missiles striking an elementary school in Iran.
The New York Times cited information from U.S. Department of Defense officials who briefed Congress in a closed session on Tuesday, 10 Mar 2020 GMT+7, stating that the military budget spent on operations against Iran during the first six days since attacks began on 28 Feb could be as high as $11.3 billion (about 360 billion baht). This figure is preliminary and does not include costs of troop movements and equipment preparations before the conflict, which are expected to raise the total significantly.
After the meeting, several Democratic lawmakers expressed strong dissatisfaction. Senator Elizabeth Warren stated, "We are entering the second week of the war, yet the Trump administration still cannot explain why we entered this war, what the objectives are, and how we intend to achieve those goals."
Currently, Democrats are pushing for public debate and summoning senior officials to testify, anticipating that the administration will request additional budget approval to support a prolonged conflict, despite last week's efforts to halt the war through a war powers resolution being rejected in both chambers.
Part of the budget difference arises from differing strategies: the U.S. relies on expensive weaponry, while Iran focuses on low-cost but highly damaging "one-way drones." Reports indicate that the U.S. previously rejected Ukraine's offer to help develop drone defense systems but had to urgently seek Ukraine's assistance once the war with Iran erupted.
This war not only drains the military budget but also affects the livelihoods of Americans by driving up oil prices and causing major stock indices to plunge. Surveys show that the majority of Americans do not support this war.
However, President Trump told supporters on Wednesday that the U.S. "has already won" and claimed "the war ended in the first hour," despite previously acknowledging that the conflict could last over a month and might require deploying ground troops.
Beyond budget concerns, the U.S. government is facing a crisis of confidence after reports emerged that the Pentagon internally acknowledged U.S. missiles caused an attack on a girls' elementary school in February, killing over 160 people, contradicting public statements by officials who said the incident was still under investigation.
. SourceThe New York Times