'War on Terror' has cost US a whopping $1.7tn until now

Afghan War — A US soldier shields himself from dust as a US helicopter takes off after a ceremony handing over the Bagram prison to Afghan authorities, at the US airbase in Bagram. Reuters

The US has spent a massive amount on its "War on Terror", amounting to more than the 2013 gross domestic product of Australia.

By fiscal year 2014, the world's largest economy has spent a whopping $1.7tn on anti-terrorist operations including both Afghanistan and Iraq, according to data compiled by the MercatusCenter, citing the Congressional Research Service.

Taking war funding approved by Congress for fiscal year 2015 into account, the total amount will rise to $1.7tn.

Of the total spending, $686bn was for Afghanistan and other counter-terror operations, while the country spent $815bn on the war against Iraq.

The vast majority of the amount, about $1.562tn, has been allocated to the Department of Defense, with the rest spent on war aid and medical needs.

Putting the cost of the "War on Terror" into perspective, the Vietnam War is estimated to have cost $686bn when adjusted for inflation.

A chart produced by Statista detailing the US war expenses is given below.

Infographic: The War On Terror Has Cost American Taxpayers Nearly $1.7 Trillion | Statista

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