WashingtonThe Pentagon never answered the budget office’s questions.
That silence means the $38 billion war-cost estimate is a floor, not a ceiling.
The Congressional Budget Office also found 2027 inflation will run a half-point higher, mostly from fuel costs.
Base-damage costs excluded from the estimate could push the true total past $200 billion.
How each outlet framed it
- Responsible Statecraft leans critical
- maps war cost: CBO forecasts 0.5% inflation spike in 2027 from oil shocks; undisclosed base repairs may exceed $200B
Sources: Responsible Statecraft