Figuring the costs of Iraq...help!

[tedzbear]

The U.S. Iraq war budget was around $80 billion and the occupation is costing roughly $4 billion a month.

I am confused to how they arrive at these costs. Since most of the military costs are salaries and upkeep that would occur even if they had never left the United States, what the hell is costing the extra $80 billion?
The only added expense I can think of is the transportation costs to ship everything over there, and the replacement value of the weapons dropped on the Iraqis's heads. What am I missing???

[flyingfish]

1. Look at this

www.costofwar.com

[Randi_Listener]

2. Suffice it to say...

...it's a shitload.

[Jacobin]

3. Hmm

Fuel (fighter jets, aircraft carriers, humvees, tanks, helicopters etc).
Ammunition and "smart" bombs
combat pay

Bribes to foreign governments to "support" the invasion.

Payment to foreign governments for their "troops".

Bounties on Hussein clan.

[cthrumatrix]

4. answer: they don't want you to know details...harder to "blackhole"

funds if you have to account. I had the same question.