Afghan War May Sock Us With Surtax

Any change in Afghan strategy that involves spending more money needs to come with a strategy to pay for it, warn House Democrats. Influential committee chairs are calling for a 1% surtax on incomes under $150,000 beginning in 2011 to pay for the war. Their proposed bill would impose a bigger surtax on higher incomes and exempt veterans who served after September 11, the Los Angeles Times reports.

"There is serious unrest in our caucus" over whether the US can afford the future cost of the war, said Nancy Pelosi. "We have to look at that war with a green eyeshade on." Few expect a surtax bill to be passed any time soon, however. White House officials say President Obama will count the cost of the war before making a decision, although he's not choosing strategies based on their price tags.
(More Afghanistan war stories.)