Cost of Afghan mission

The Post reports the ongoing cost of the Afghan mission has been withheld from the NDP on the basis of national security. The same numbers were released last year.

Why the change?

Clearly not national security itself.

The Taliban will learn little from a global cost figure.

The best guess is the concern is the growing cost, in large part for soldiers after theatre care, would prove unpopular.

Perhaps the fear is that Afghanistan won't be seen as stimulus spending... .

Truth is, there is a dreadful cost to the mission -- Canadians have a right to know the financial burden as well as the cost in soldiers' lives.