(The Center Square) – Congress never approved a dollar specifically for the war with Iran. Yet the Pentagon's inspector general says Operation Epic Fury has cost at least $33.4 billion, paid for out of accounts meant to train and maintain the military.

The $33.4 billion figure, disclosed in the first inspector general report on the operation, covers the period through June 30 and excludes infrastructure repairs and economic fallout. A separate estimate released Tuesday by the Congressional Budget Office put the Pentagon's cost at $38.1 billion through Aug. 1, and found the war is running $2 billion to $3 billion a month as it continues. Both figures are below the $67.1 billion in supplemental funding the White House requested for the Department of War, although CBO found only $42.3 billion of that request was directly related to the conflict.

Originally published on thecentersquare.com, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.

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