U.S. Congress needs to act accordingly over cost of wars: The Hill

NEW YORK, Sept. 11 (Xinhua) -- Over the past two decades, U.S. involvement in conflicts including Iraq and Afghanistan has rung up an unimaginably high toll, with the cost of the so-called Global War on Terror (GWOT) reaching over 5.8 trillion U.S. dollars, reported The Hill on Saturday.

"It's not simply the direct cost of executing war. It's the cost affecting the fabric of our communities for generations after decades of war," said the report.

The cost of care for post-9/11 veterans is estimated to soar up to an astonishing 2.5 trillion dollars by 2050, it said.

Post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injuries are the defining injuries of these wars, leading to stunningly high suicide rates, drug use and homelessness, it said, noting that estimates suggest four times more GWOT veterans have died of suicide than died in combat.

"Like Americans always do, we've risen to the challenge to care for veterans and meet their needs," it added, urging members of Congress to reclaim their constitutional responsibility, especially as they will soon take up votes on repealing outdated authorizations for use of military force.