As combat wanes, the Pentagon's war budget explodes 38%
The number of U.S. troops deployed in battle zones is at its lowest level since before the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Still, Congress has authorized a 38 percent increase in the war budget over last year.
The contradiction is the legacy of an emergency war fund, started in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, that has become a favorite Washington way to sidestep the impact of fiscal constraints on military spending.
The Overseas Contingency Operations account, or OCO, has been tapped to fund tens of billions of dollars in programs with questionable links, or none, to wars, according to current and former U.S. officials, analysts and budget documents.
The mutation of the fund's original purpose has long been tolerated by Republican and Democrats. But its central role in a looming U.S. government budget showdown has brought fresh focus to the war fund, which is little known outside Washington.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/31/us-usa-defense-budget-insight-idUSKCN0Q50CQ20150731
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