U.S. President Barack Obama's decision to redeploy 33,000 troops from Afghanistan by summer next year could save the Pentagon billions of dollars in operating costs in 2012 and beyond.
In all, the troop reductions could save the U.S. Defense Department up to $17 billion in 2012 alone, according to Todd Harrison, an analyst with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.
The Pentagon had budgeted for about 98,000 U.S. troops in Afghanistan throughout fiscal year 2012, which runs from Oct. 1, 2011, through Sept. 30, 2112, according to Harrison.
Under the schedule laid out by the president, roughly 68,000 troops would be left in Afghanistan after the 33,000 surge troops leave by next summer, a senior administration official said Wednesday.