🕷️ Crawler Inspector

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Raw Queries and Responses

1. Shard Calculation

Query:

Response:

Calculated Shard: 79 (from laksa075)

2. Crawled Status Check

Query:

curl -X POST \
  'http://laksa079.int.ahrefs:8124/' \
  -H 'Content-Type: text/plain' \
  -H 'X-ClickHouse-Database: crawler3' \
  -H 'Authorization: Basic YXBpOg==' \
  -d 'SELECT getAhrefsURLFromUnparsed(src_unparsed) AS found_url, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(download_stamp), 0) AS crawl_time, ifNull(toUnixTimestamp(props_url_first_seen), 0) AS first_indexed_time, download_http_code AS http_code, src_unparsed AS src_unparsed, src_root_hash AS src_root_hash, history_drop_reason AS history_drop_reason, meta_title AS meta_title, meta_descriptions AS meta_descriptions, attrs_boilerpipe_text AS attrs_boilerpipe_text, attrs_markdown AS attrs_markdown, attrs_readable_markdown AS attrs_readable_markdown, meta_canonical AS meta_canonical FROM crawler3.page_info_local FINAL PREWHERE (src_root_hash, src_unparsed) IN ((getAhrefsRootHashFromUnparsed(getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://fortune.com/2021/08/17/what-war-afghanistan-cost-lives-money-biden-bush-obama-trump/\')), getAhrefsUnparsedNoserviceFromURL(\'https://fortune.com/2021/08/17/what-war-afghanistan-cost-lives-money-biden-bush-obama-trump/\'))) FORMAT JSONEachRow'

Response:

{"found_url":"https:\/\/fortune.com\/2021\/08\/17\/what-war-afghanistan-cost-lives-money-biden-bush-obama-trump\/","crawl_time":1775834314,"first_indexed_time":1629205531,"http_code":200,"src_unparsed":"com,fortune!\/2021\/08\/17\/what-war-afghanistan-cost-lives-money-biden-bush-obama-trump\/ s443","src_root_hash":"13809836321913650279","history_drop_reason":null,"meta_title":"Here's how much the war in Afghanistan cost—in lives and money | Fortune","meta_descriptions":["Nearly 200,000 recorded deaths. Trillions of dollars to pay for it. The cost of the war in Afghanistan will be felt for generations."],"attrs_boilerpipe_text":"At just short of 20 years, the now-ending U.S. combat mission in Afghanistan was America’s longest war. Ordinary Americans tended to forget about it, and it received measurably less oversight from Congress than the Vietnam War did. But its death toll is in the many tens of thousands. And because the U.S. borrowed most of the money to pay for it, generations of Americans will be burdened by the cost of paying it off.\nHere’s a look at the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, by the numbers, as the \nTaliban in a lightning offensive\n take over much of the country before the United States’ Aug. 31 deadline for ending its combat role and as the \nU.S. speeds up American and Afghan evacuations.\nMuch of the data below is from Linda Bilmes of Harvard University’s Kennedy School and from the Brown University Costs of War project. Because the United States between 2003 and 2011 fought the Afghanistan and Iraq wars simultaneously, and many American troops served tours in both wars, some figures as noted cover both post-9\/11 U.S. wars.\nThe longest war\nPercentage of U.S. population born since the 2001 attacks plotted by al-Qaida leaders who were sheltering in Afghanistan: \nRoughly one out of every four\n.\nThe human cost:\nAmerican service members killed in Afghanistan through April: 2,448.\nU.S. contractors: 3,846.\nAfghan national military and police: 66,000.\nOther allied service members, including from other NATO member states: 1,144.\nAfghan civilians: 47,245.\nTaliban and other opposition fighters: 51,191.\nAid workers: 444.\nJournalists: 72.\nAfghanistan after nearly 20 years of U.S. occupation\nPercentage drop in infant mortality rate since U.S., Afghan and other allied forces overthrew the Taliban government, which had sought to restrict women and girls to the home: \nAbout 50.\nPercentage of Afghan teenage \ngirls able to read\n today: 37.\nOversight by Congress:\nDate Congress authorized U.S. forces to go after culprits in Sept. 11, 2001, attacks: Sept. 18, 2001.\nNumber of times U.S. lawmakers have voted to declare war in Afghanistan: 0.\nNumber of times lawmakers on Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee addressed costs of Vietnam War, during that conflict: 42\nNumber of times lawmakers in same subcommittee have mentioned costs of Afghanistan and Iraq wars, through mid-summer 2021: 5.\nNumber of times lawmakers on Senate Finance Committee have mentioned costs of Afghanistan and Iraq wars since Sept. 11, 2001, through mid-summer 2021: 1.\nPaying for a war on credit, not in cash\nAmount President Harry Truman temporarily raised top tax rates to pay for Korean War: 92%.\nAmount President Lyndon Johnson temporarily raised top tax rates to pay for Vietnam War: 77%.\nAmount President George W. Bush cut tax rates for the wealthiest, rather than raise them, at outset of Afghanistan and Iraq wars: At least 8%.\nEstimated amount of direct Afghanistan and Iraq war costs that the United States has debt-financed as of 2020: $2 trillion.\nEstimated interest costs by 2050: \nUp to $6.5 trillion.\nThe wars end. The cost don’t\nAmount Bilmes estimates the United States has committed to pay in health care, disability, burial and other costs for roughly 4 million Afghanistan and Iraq veterans: more than $2 trillion.\nPeriod those costs will peak: after 2048.\nMore\npolitics coverage\nfrom\nFortune\n:\nThese companies are among the country’s largest contributors to climate change—and\na new bill aims to make them pay for it\nCuomo leaves Kathy Hochul, New York’s first woman governor,\nholding some heavy baggage\nCommentary: The infrastructure bill is\na coming-of-age moment for crypto\n10 million poised to lose unemployment benefits\nby early September\nCommentary: We need to\nbuild infrastructure for our grandkids\n, not our grandparents","attrs_markdown":"Search\n\n[Subscribe for \\$1Subscribe for \\$1](https:\/\/fortune.com\/subscribe\/?itm_source=Site_0_HCL_NAV_CTA_0_2025_ZZ&redirect=%2F2021%2F08%2F17%2Fwhat-war-afghanistan-cost-lives-money-biden-bush-obama-trump%2F)\n\n[Sign in](https:\/\/fortune.com\/signin\/?signin_redirect=%2F2021%2F08%2F17%2Fwhat-war-afghanistan-cost-lives-money-biden-bush-obama-trump%2F)\n\n- [Home](https:\/\/fortune.com\/)\n- [Latest](https:\/\/fortune.com\/section\/latest\/)\n- [Fortune 500](https:\/\/fortune.com\/section\/fortune-500\/)\n- [Finance](https:\/\/fortune.com\/section\/finance\/)\n- [Tech](https:\/\/fortune.com\/section\/tech\/)\n- [Leadership](https:\/\/fortune.com\/section\/leadership\/)\n- [Lifestyle](https:\/\/fortune.com\/section\/lifestyle\/)\n- [Rankings](https:\/\/fortune.com\/ranking\/)\n- [Multimedia](https:\/\/fortune.com\/2021\/08\/17\/what-war-afghanistan-cost-lives-money-biden-bush-obama-trump\/)\n\n[Politics](https:\/\/fortune.com\/section\/politics\/)\n\n[Afghanistan](https:\/\/fortune.com\/tag\/afghanistan\/)\n# Here’s how much the war in Afghanistan cost—in lives and money\n\nBy\n\n[Ellen Knickmeyer](https:\/\/fortune.com\/author\/ellen-knickmeyer\/)\n\nEllen Knickmeyer\n\nand\n\n[The Associated Press](https:\/\/fortune.com\/author\/associated-press\/)\n\nThe Associated Press\n\nBy\n\n[Ellen Knickmeyer](https:\/\/fortune.com\/author\/ellen-knickmeyer\/)\n\nEllen Knickmeyer\n\nand\n\n[The Associated Press](https:\/\/fortune.com\/author\/associated-press\/)\n\nThe Associated Press\n\nAugust 17, 2021, 7:02 AM ET\n\nAdd us on\n\nAt just short of 20 years, the now-ending U.S. combat mission in Afghanistan was America’s longest war. Ordinary Americans tended to forget about it, and it received measurably less oversight from Congress than the Vietnam War did. But its death toll is in the many tens of thousands. And because the U.S. borrowed most of the money to pay for it, generations of Americans will be burdened by the cost of paying it off.\n\nHere’s a look at the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, by the numbers, as the [Taliban in a lightning offensive](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/joe-biden-business-taliban-f600d6faf28e9c2ccb454ad176987b19) take over much of the country before the United States’ Aug. 31 deadline for ending its combat role and as the [U.S. speeds up American and Afghan evacuations.](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/lifestyle-joe-biden-middle-east-evacuations-kabul-8ec855b3f943dafe80d3d3ca6b0953f2)\n\nMuch of the data below is from Linda Bilmes of Harvard University’s Kennedy School and from the Brown University Costs of War project. Because the United States between 2003 and 2011 fought the Afghanistan and Iraq wars simultaneously, and many American troops served tours in both wars, some figures as noted cover both post-9\/11 U.S. wars.\n\n## The longest war\nPercentage of U.S. population born since the 2001 attacks plotted by al-Qaida leaders who were sheltering in Afghanistan: [Roughly one out of every four](https:\/\/www.census.gov\/quickfacts\/fact\/table\/US\/PST045219).\n\n[The human cost:](https:\/\/watson.brown.edu\/costsofwar\/figures\/2021\/human-and-budgetary-costs-date-us-war-afghanistan-2001-2021)\n\nAmerican service members killed in Afghanistan through April: 2,448.\n\nU.S. contractors: 3,846.\n\nAfghan national military and police: 66,000.\n\nOther allied service members, including from other NATO member states: 1,144.\n\nAfghan civilians: 47,245.\n\nTaliban and other opposition fighters: 51,191.\n\nAid workers: 444.\n\nJournalists: 72.\n\n## Afghanistan after nearly 20 years of U.S. occupation\nPercentage drop in infant mortality rate since U.S., Afghan and other allied forces overthrew the Taliban government, which had sought to restrict women and girls to the home: [About 50.](https:\/\/www.harvardunicef.org\/blog\/the-infant-mortality-rate-what-it-says-about-afghanistans-health-system)\n\nPercentage of Afghan teenage [girls able to read](https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2017\/10\/17\/afghanistan-girls-struggle-education) today: 37.\n\n[Oversight by Congress:](https:\/\/watson.brown.edu\/costsofwar\/files\/cow\/imce\/papers\/2017\/Linda%20J%20Bilmes%20_Credit%20Card%20Wars%20FINAL.pdf)\n\nDate Congress authorized U.S. forces to go after culprits in Sept. 11, 2001, attacks: Sept. 18, 2001.\n\nNumber of times U.S. lawmakers have voted to declare war in Afghanistan: 0.\n\nNumber of times lawmakers on Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee addressed costs of Vietnam War, during that conflict: 42\n\nNumber of times lawmakers in same subcommittee have mentioned costs of Afghanistan and Iraq wars, through mid-summer 2021: 5.\n\nNumber of times lawmakers on Senate Finance Committee have mentioned costs of Afghanistan and Iraq wars since Sept. 11, 2001, through mid-summer 2021: 1.\n\n## Paying for a war on credit, not in cash\nAmount President Harry Truman temporarily raised top tax rates to pay for Korean War: 92%.\n\nAmount President Lyndon Johnson temporarily raised top tax rates to pay for Vietnam War: 77%.\n\nAmount President George W. Bush cut tax rates for the wealthiest, rather than raise them, at outset of Afghanistan and Iraq wars: At least 8%.\n\nEstimated amount of direct Afghanistan and Iraq war costs that the United States has debt-financed as of 2020: \\$2 trillion.\n\nEstimated interest costs by 2050: [Up to \\$6.5 trillion.](https:\/\/watson.brown.edu\/costsofwar\/files\/cow\/imce\/papers\/2020\/Peltier%202020%20-%20The%20Cost%20of%20Debt-financed%20War.pdf)\n\n## The wars end. The cost don’t\nAmount Bilmes estimates the United States has committed to pay in health care, disability, burial and other costs for roughly 4 million Afghanistan and Iraq veterans: more than \\$2 trillion.\n\nPeriod those costs will peak: after 2048.\n\n### More [politics coverage](https:\/\/fortune.com\/section\/politics\/) from *Fortune*:\n- These companies are among the country’s largest contributors to climate change—and [a new bill aims to make them pay for it](https:\/\/fortune.com\/2021\/08\/11\/oil-gas-companies-contributing-most-to-climate-change-exxon-mobil-chevron-bp-shell-ipcc-report-congress-democrats-polluters-pay-climate-fund-act-of-2021\/)\n- Cuomo leaves Kathy Hochul, New York’s first woman governor, [holding some heavy baggage](https:\/\/fortune.com\/2021\/08\/10\/cuomo-leaves-kathy-hochul-new-yorks-first-woman-governor-holding-some-heavy-baggage\/)\n- Commentary: The infrastructure bill is [a coming-of-age moment for crypto](https:\/\/fortune.com\/2021\/08\/10\/infrastructure-bill-crypto-amendment-regulation-coming-of-age\/)\n- [10 million poised to lose unemployment benefits](https:\/\/fortune.com\/2021\/08\/02\/unemployment-benefits-ending-reduced-crisis\/) by early September\n- Commentary: We need to [build infrastructure for our grandkids](https:\/\/fortune.com\/2021\/08\/09\/infrastructure-bill-resilience-green-energy-broadband\/), not our grandparents\n\n[Subscribe to Fortune Daily](https:\/\/mynewsletters.fortune.com\/fortune-daily) to get essential business stories straight to your inbox each morning.\n\nAbout the Authors\n\nBy [Ellen Knickmeyer](https:\/\/fortune.com\/author\/ellen-knickmeyer\/)\n\n[See full bio](https:\/\/fortune.com\/author\/ellen-knickmeyer\/)\n\nBy [The Associated Press](https:\/\/fortune.com\/author\/associated-press\/)\n\n[See full bio](https:\/\/fortune.com\/author\/associated-press\/)\n\n***\nLatest in Politics\n***\n***\n\n[![Ukraine will have the most important 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All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our [Terms of Use](https:\/\/fortune.com\/terms-of-use\/) and [Privacy Policy](https:\/\/fortune.com\/privacy-policy\/) \\| [CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice](https:\/\/fortune.com\/california-privacy-policy\/#notice) \\| [Do Not Sell\/Share My Personal Information]()  \n FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.\n\n[search by queryly](https:\/\/www.queryly.com\/)\n\n[Advanced Search]()\n\n![close](https:\/\/www.queryly.com\/images\/whitecloseicon.png)","attrs_readable_markdown":"At just short of 20 years, the now-ending U.S. combat mission in Afghanistan was America’s longest war. Ordinary Americans tended to forget about it, and it received measurably less oversight from Congress than the Vietnam War did. But its death toll is in the many tens of thousands. And because the U.S. borrowed most of the money to pay for it, generations of Americans will be burdened by the cost of paying it off.\n\nHere’s a look at the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, by the numbers, as the [Taliban in a lightning offensive](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/joe-biden-business-taliban-f600d6faf28e9c2ccb454ad176987b19) take over much of the country before the United States’ Aug. 31 deadline for ending its combat role and as the [U.S. speeds up American and Afghan evacuations.](https:\/\/apnews.com\/article\/lifestyle-joe-biden-middle-east-evacuations-kabul-8ec855b3f943dafe80d3d3ca6b0953f2)\n\nMuch of the data below is from Linda Bilmes of Harvard University’s Kennedy School and from the Brown University Costs of War project. Because the United States between 2003 and 2011 fought the Afghanistan and Iraq wars simultaneously, and many American troops served tours in both wars, some figures as noted cover both post-9\/11 U.S. wars.\n\n## The longest war\nPercentage of U.S. population born since the 2001 attacks plotted by al-Qaida leaders who were sheltering in Afghanistan: [Roughly one out of every four](https:\/\/www.census.gov\/quickfacts\/fact\/table\/US\/PST045219).\n\n[The human cost:](https:\/\/watson.brown.edu\/costsofwar\/figures\/2021\/human-and-budgetary-costs-date-us-war-afghanistan-2001-2021)\n\nAmerican service members killed in Afghanistan through April: 2,448.\n\nU.S. contractors: 3,846.\n\nAfghan national military and police: 66,000.\n\nOther allied service members, including from other NATO member states: 1,144.\n\nAfghan civilians: 47,245.\n\nTaliban and other opposition fighters: 51,191.\n\nAid workers: 444.\n\nJournalists: 72.\n\n## Afghanistan after nearly 20 years of U.S. occupation\nPercentage drop in infant mortality rate since U.S., Afghan and other allied forces overthrew the Taliban government, which had sought to restrict women and girls to the home: [About 50.](https:\/\/www.harvardunicef.org\/blog\/the-infant-mortality-rate-what-it-says-about-afghanistans-health-system)\n\nPercentage of Afghan teenage [girls able to read](https:\/\/www.hrw.org\/news\/2017\/10\/17\/afghanistan-girls-struggle-education) today: 37.\n\n[Oversight by Congress:](https:\/\/watson.brown.edu\/costsofwar\/files\/cow\/imce\/papers\/2017\/Linda%20J%20Bilmes%20_Credit%20Card%20Wars%20FINAL.pdf)\n\nDate Congress authorized U.S. forces to go after culprits in Sept. 11, 2001, attacks: Sept. 18, 2001.\n\nNumber of times U.S. lawmakers have voted to declare war in Afghanistan: 0.\n\nNumber of times lawmakers on Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee addressed costs of Vietnam War, during that conflict: 42\n\nNumber of times lawmakers in same subcommittee have mentioned costs of Afghanistan and Iraq wars, through mid-summer 2021: 5.\n\nNumber of times lawmakers on Senate Finance Committee have mentioned costs of Afghanistan and Iraq wars since Sept. 11, 2001, through mid-summer 2021: 1.\n\n## Paying for a war on credit, not in cash\nAmount President Harry Truman temporarily raised top tax rates to pay for Korean War: 92%.\n\nAmount President Lyndon Johnson temporarily raised top tax rates to pay for Vietnam War: 77%.\n\nAmount President George W. Bush cut tax rates for the wealthiest, rather than raise them, at outset of Afghanistan and Iraq wars: At least 8%.\n\nEstimated amount of direct Afghanistan and Iraq war costs that the United States has debt-financed as of 2020: \\$2 trillion.\n\nEstimated interest costs by 2050: [Up to \\$6.5 trillion.](https:\/\/watson.brown.edu\/costsofwar\/files\/cow\/imce\/papers\/2020\/Peltier%202020%20-%20The%20Cost%20of%20Debt-financed%20War.pdf)\n\n## The wars end. The cost don’t\nAmount Bilmes estimates the United States has committed to pay in health care, disability, burial and other costs for roughly 4 million Afghanistan and Iraq veterans: more than \\$2 trillion.\n\nPeriod those costs will peak: after 2048.\n\n### More [politics coverage](https:\/\/fortune.com\/section\/politics\/) from *Fortune*:\n- These companies are among the country’s largest contributors to climate change—and [a new bill aims to make them pay for it](https:\/\/fortune.com\/2021\/08\/11\/oil-gas-companies-contributing-most-to-climate-change-exxon-mobil-chevron-bp-shell-ipcc-report-congress-democrats-polluters-pay-climate-fund-act-of-2021\/)\n- Cuomo leaves Kathy Hochul, New York’s first woman governor, [holding some heavy baggage](https:\/\/fortune.com\/2021\/08\/10\/cuomo-leaves-kathy-hochul-new-yorks-first-woman-governor-holding-some-heavy-baggage\/)\n- Commentary: The infrastructure bill is [a coming-of-age moment for crypto](https:\/\/fortune.com\/2021\/08\/10\/infrastructure-bill-crypto-amendment-regulation-coming-of-age\/)\n- [10 million poised to lose unemployment benefits](https:\/\/fortune.com\/2021\/08\/02\/unemployment-benefits-ending-reduced-crisis\/) by early September\n- Commentary: We need to [build infrastructure for our grandkids](https:\/\/fortune.com\/2021\/08\/09\/infrastructure-bill-resilience-green-energy-broadband\/), not our grandparents","meta_canonical":null}

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URL	https://fortune.com/2021/08/17/what-war-afghanistan-cost-lives-money-biden-bush-obama-trump/
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Boilerpipe Text	At just short of 20 years, the now-ending U.S. combat mission in Afghanistan was America’s longest war. Ordinary Americans tended to forget about it, and it received measurably less oversight from Congress than the Vietnam War did. But its death toll is in the many tens of thousands. And because the U.S. borrowed most of the money to pay for it, generations of Americans will be burdened by the cost of paying it off. Here’s a look at the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, by the numbers, as the Taliban in a lightning offensive take over much of the country before the United States’ Aug. 31 deadline for ending its combat role and as the U.S. speeds up American and Afghan evacuations. Much of the data below is from Linda Bilmes of Harvard University’s Kennedy School and from the Brown University Costs of War project. Because the United States between 2003 and 2011 fought the Afghanistan and Iraq wars simultaneously, and many American troops served tours in both wars, some figures as noted cover both post-9/11 U.S. wars. The longest war Percentage of U.S. population born since the 2001 attacks plotted by al-Qaida leaders who were sheltering in Afghanistan: Roughly one out of every four . The human cost: American service members killed in Afghanistan through April: 2,448. U.S. contractors: 3,846. Afghan national military and police: 66,000. Other allied service members, including from other NATO member states: 1,144. Afghan civilians: 47,245. Taliban and other opposition fighters: 51,191. Aid workers: 444. Journalists: 72. Afghanistan after nearly 20 years of U.S. occupation Percentage drop in infant mortality rate since U.S., Afghan and other allied forces overthrew the Taliban government, which had sought to restrict women and girls to the home: About 50. Percentage of Afghan teenage girls able to read today: 37. Oversight by Congress: Date Congress authorized U.S. forces to go after culprits in Sept. 11, 2001, attacks: Sept. 18, 2001. Number of times U.S. lawmakers have voted to declare war in Afghanistan: 0. Number of times lawmakers on Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee addressed costs of Vietnam War, during that conflict: 42 Number of times lawmakers in same subcommittee have mentioned costs of Afghanistan and Iraq wars, through mid-summer 2021: 5. Number of times lawmakers on Senate Finance Committee have mentioned costs of Afghanistan and Iraq wars since Sept. 11, 2001, through mid-summer 2021: 1. Paying for a war on credit, not in cash Amount President Harry Truman temporarily raised top tax rates to pay for Korean War: 92%. Amount President Lyndon Johnson temporarily raised top tax rates to pay for Vietnam War: 77%. Amount President George W. Bush cut tax rates for the wealthiest, rather than raise them, at outset of Afghanistan and Iraq wars: At least 8%. Estimated amount of direct Afghanistan and Iraq war costs that the United States has debt-financed as of 2020: $2 trillion. Estimated interest costs by 2050: Up to $6.5 trillion. The wars end. The cost don’t Amount Bilmes estimates the United States has committed to pay in health care, disability, burial and other costs for roughly 4 million Afghanistan and Iraq veterans: more than $2 trillion. Period those costs will peak: after 2048. More politics coverage from Fortune : These companies are among the country’s largest contributors to climate change—and a new bill aims to make them pay for it Cuomo leaves Kathy Hochul, New York’s first woman governor, holding some heavy baggage Commentary: The infrastructure bill is a coming-of-age moment for crypto 10 million poised to lose unemployment benefits by early September Commentary: We need to build infrastructure for our grandkids , not our grandparents
Markdown	Search [Subscribe for \$1Subscribe for \$1](https://fortune.com/subscribe/?itm_source=Site_0_HCL_NAV_CTA_0_2025_ZZ&redirect=%2F2021%2F08%2F17%2Fwhat-war-afghanistan-cost-lives-money-biden-bush-obama-trump%2F) [Sign in](https://fortune.com/signin/?signin_redirect=%2F2021%2F08%2F17%2Fwhat-war-afghanistan-cost-lives-money-biden-bush-obama-trump%2F) - [Home](https://fortune.com/) - [Latest](https://fortune.com/section/latest/) - [Fortune 500](https://fortune.com/section/fortune-500/) - [Finance](https://fortune.com/section/finance/) - [Tech](https://fortune.com/section/tech/) - [Leadership](https://fortune.com/section/leadership/) - [Lifestyle](https://fortune.com/section/lifestyle/) - [Rankings](https://fortune.com/ranking/) - [Multimedia](https://fortune.com/2021/08/17/what-war-afghanistan-cost-lives-money-biden-bush-obama-trump/) [Politics](https://fortune.com/section/politics/) [Afghanistan](https://fortune.com/tag/afghanistan/) # Here’s how much the war in Afghanistan cost—in lives and money By [Ellen Knickmeyer](https://fortune.com/author/ellen-knickmeyer/) Ellen Knickmeyer and [The Associated Press](https://fortune.com/author/associated-press/) The Associated Press By [Ellen Knickmeyer](https://fortune.com/author/ellen-knickmeyer/) Ellen Knickmeyer and [The Associated Press](https://fortune.com/author/associated-press/) The Associated Press August 17, 2021, 7:02 AM ET Add us on At just short of 20 years, the now-ending U.S. combat mission in Afghanistan was America’s longest war. Ordinary Americans tended to forget about it, and it received measurably less oversight from Congress than the Vietnam War did. But its death toll is in the many tens of thousands. And because the U.S. borrowed most of the money to pay for it, generations of Americans will be burdened by the cost of paying it off. Here’s a look at the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, by the numbers, as the [Taliban in a lightning offensive](https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-taliban-f600d6faf28e9c2ccb454ad176987b19) take over much of the country before the United States’ Aug. 31 deadline for ending its combat role and as the [U.S. speeds up American and Afghan evacuations.](https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-joe-biden-middle-east-evacuations-kabul-8ec855b3f943dafe80d3d3ca6b0953f2) Much of the data below is from Linda Bilmes of Harvard University’s Kennedy School and from the Brown University Costs of War project. Because the United States between 2003 and 2011 fought the Afghanistan and Iraq wars simultaneously, and many American troops served tours in both wars, some figures as noted cover both post-9/11 U.S. wars. ## The longest war Percentage of U.S. population born since the 2001 attacks plotted by al-Qaida leaders who were sheltering in Afghanistan: [Roughly one out of every four](https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045219). [The human cost:](https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/figures/2021/human-and-budgetary-costs-date-us-war-afghanistan-2001-2021) American service members killed in Afghanistan through April: 2,448. U.S. contractors: 3,846. Afghan national military and police: 66,000. Other allied service members, including from other NATO member states: 1,144. Afghan civilians: 47,245. Taliban and other opposition fighters: 51,191. Aid workers: 444. Journalists: 72. ## Afghanistan after nearly 20 years of U.S. occupation Percentage drop in infant mortality rate since U.S., Afghan and other allied forces overthrew the Taliban government, which had sought to restrict women and girls to the home: [About 50.](https://www.harvardunicef.org/blog/the-infant-mortality-rate-what-it-says-about-afghanistans-health-system) Percentage of Afghan teenage [girls able to read](https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/10/17/afghanistan-girls-struggle-education) today: 37. [Oversight by Congress:](https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/files/cow/imce/papers/2017/Linda%20J%20Bilmes%20_Credit%20Card%20Wars%20FINAL.pdf) Date Congress authorized U.S. forces to go after culprits in Sept. 11, 2001, attacks: Sept. 18, 2001. Number of times U.S. lawmakers have voted to declare war in Afghanistan: 0. Number of times lawmakers on Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee addressed costs of Vietnam War, during that conflict: 42 Number of times lawmakers in same subcommittee have mentioned costs of Afghanistan and Iraq wars, through mid-summer 2021: 5. Number of times lawmakers on Senate Finance Committee have mentioned costs of Afghanistan and Iraq wars since Sept. 11, 2001, through mid-summer 2021: 1. ## Paying for a war on credit, not in cash Amount President Harry Truman temporarily raised top tax rates to pay for Korean War: 92%. Amount President Lyndon Johnson temporarily raised top tax rates to pay for Vietnam War: 77%. Amount President George W. Bush cut tax rates for the wealthiest, rather than raise them, at outset of Afghanistan and Iraq wars: At least 8%. Estimated amount of direct Afghanistan and Iraq war costs that the United States has debt-financed as of 2020: \$2 trillion. Estimated interest costs by 2050: [Up to \$6.5 trillion.](https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/files/cow/imce/papers/2020/Peltier%202020%20-%20The%20Cost%20of%20Debt-financed%20War.pdf) ## The wars end. The cost don’t Amount Bilmes estimates the United States has committed to pay in health care, disability, burial and other costs for roughly 4 million Afghanistan and Iraq veterans: more than \$2 trillion. Period those costs will peak: after 2048. ### More [politics coverage](https://fortune.com/section/politics/) from Fortune: - These companies are among the country’s largest contributors to climate change—and [a new bill aims to make them pay for it](https://fortune.com/2021/08/11/oil-gas-companies-contributing-most-to-climate-change-exxon-mobil-chevron-bp-shell-ipcc-report-congress-democrats-polluters-pay-climate-fund-act-of-2021/) - Cuomo leaves Kathy Hochul, New York’s first woman governor, [holding some heavy baggage](https://fortune.com/2021/08/10/cuomo-leaves-kathy-hochul-new-yorks-first-woman-governor-holding-some-heavy-baggage/) - Commentary: The infrastructure bill is [a coming-of-age moment for crypto](https://fortune.com/2021/08/10/infrastructure-bill-crypto-amendment-regulation-coming-of-age/) - [10 million poised to lose unemployment benefits](https://fortune.com/2021/08/02/unemployment-benefits-ending-reduced-crisis/) by early September - Commentary: We need to [build infrastructure for our grandkids](https://fortune.com/2021/08/09/infrastructure-bill-resilience-green-energy-broadband/), not our grandparents [Subscribe to Fortune Daily](https://mynewsletters.fortune.com/fortune-daily) to get essential business stories straight to your inbox each morning. 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Readable Markdown	At just short of 20 years, the now-ending U.S. combat mission in Afghanistan was America’s longest war. Ordinary Americans tended to forget about it, and it received measurably less oversight from Congress than the Vietnam War did. But its death toll is in the many tens of thousands. And because the U.S. borrowed most of the money to pay for it, generations of Americans will be burdened by the cost of paying it off. Here’s a look at the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan, by the numbers, as the [Taliban in a lightning offensive](https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-taliban-f600d6faf28e9c2ccb454ad176987b19) take over much of the country before the United States’ Aug. 31 deadline for ending its combat role and as the [U.S. speeds up American and Afghan evacuations.](https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-joe-biden-middle-east-evacuations-kabul-8ec855b3f943dafe80d3d3ca6b0953f2) Much of the data below is from Linda Bilmes of Harvard University’s Kennedy School and from the Brown University Costs of War project. Because the United States between 2003 and 2011 fought the Afghanistan and Iraq wars simultaneously, and many American troops served tours in both wars, some figures as noted cover both post-9/11 U.S. wars. ## The longest war Percentage of U.S. population born since the 2001 attacks plotted by al-Qaida leaders who were sheltering in Afghanistan: [Roughly one out of every four](https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/PST045219). [The human cost:](https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/figures/2021/human-and-budgetary-costs-date-us-war-afghanistan-2001-2021) American service members killed in Afghanistan through April: 2,448. U.S. contractors: 3,846. Afghan national military and police: 66,000. Other allied service members, including from other NATO member states: 1,144. Afghan civilians: 47,245. Taliban and other opposition fighters: 51,191. Aid workers: 444. Journalists: 72. ## Afghanistan after nearly 20 years of U.S. occupation Percentage drop in infant mortality rate since U.S., Afghan and other allied forces overthrew the Taliban government, which had sought to restrict women and girls to the home: [About 50.](https://www.harvardunicef.org/blog/the-infant-mortality-rate-what-it-says-about-afghanistans-health-system) Percentage of Afghan teenage [girls able to read](https://www.hrw.org/news/2017/10/17/afghanistan-girls-struggle-education) today: 37. [Oversight by Congress:](https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/files/cow/imce/papers/2017/Linda%20J%20Bilmes%20_Credit%20Card%20Wars%20FINAL.pdf) Date Congress authorized U.S. forces to go after culprits in Sept. 11, 2001, attacks: Sept. 18, 2001. Number of times U.S. lawmakers have voted to declare war in Afghanistan: 0. Number of times lawmakers on Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee addressed costs of Vietnam War, during that conflict: 42 Number of times lawmakers in same subcommittee have mentioned costs of Afghanistan and Iraq wars, through mid-summer 2021: 5. Number of times lawmakers on Senate Finance Committee have mentioned costs of Afghanistan and Iraq wars since Sept. 11, 2001, through mid-summer 2021: 1. ## Paying for a war on credit, not in cash Amount President Harry Truman temporarily raised top tax rates to pay for Korean War: 92%. Amount President Lyndon Johnson temporarily raised top tax rates to pay for Vietnam War: 77%. Amount President George W. Bush cut tax rates for the wealthiest, rather than raise them, at outset of Afghanistan and Iraq wars: At least 8%. Estimated amount of direct Afghanistan and Iraq war costs that the United States has debt-financed as of 2020: \$2 trillion. Estimated interest costs by 2050: [Up to \$6.5 trillion.](https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/files/cow/imce/papers/2020/Peltier%202020%20-%20The%20Cost%20of%20Debt-financed%20War.pdf) ## The wars end. The cost don’t Amount Bilmes estimates the United States has committed to pay in health care, disability, burial and other costs for roughly 4 million Afghanistan and Iraq veterans: more than \$2 trillion. 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