US to spend $45bn on Afghanistan despite Donald Trump calling it a 'complete waste'

Despite Donald Trump describing the war in Afghanistan as a "complete waste" the US looks set to sinking a further $45bn (£32bn) into the conflict.

Officials revealed the figures in Washington to a Senate committee on Tuesday (6 February).

Randall Schriver, the assistant secretary of Defence for Asian and Pacific security affairs explained to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that $13bn would be spent on US forces based in Afghanistan; $5bn for Afghan forces; $780m for economic aid with the rest going to logistical support.

The war, launched in 2001 by George W Bush to prevent groups such as Al-Qaeda and the Taliban has gone on for almost 17 years, with no end in sight.

It was estimated by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in 2017, that the conflict had already cost the US in excess of $840bn as well as the loss of 2,271 military personnel.

Donald Trump revealed last summer that he would be sending more troops to the country as part of plans to help support the local forces.

The current schedule reveals the number of US troops will increase from 8,400 to 14,000.

But senators on the committee complained about the amount of money that was being spent on the war.

Rand Paul, a Republican said that billions was being "thrown down a hatch" with the Afghans seemingly "unable to defend themselves".

"I think there's an argument to be made that our national security is actually made more perilous the more we spend and the longer we stay there ... We're in an impossible situation," Paul said. "I just don't think there is a military solution."

But the committee chair, Bob Corker defended Trump's current strategy, describing it as "better" than Barack Obama's.