A. About the same is not correct.

The United States' annual outlays for the United Nations — including budget support for the Secretariat and all other UN agencies and operations, including peacekeeping contributions — are considerably lower than the amount the country spends in Afghanistan in a year.

However, developed countries together spend about $130 billion on net official development aid annually to support developing countries around the globe. As large as that amount is, it is only slightly more than what the United States spends on military operations in one single country, Afghanistan, in one year.

B. About one-quarter as much is not correct.

As of 2011, the entire GDP of Afghanistan amounts to about $30 billion (adjusted for purchasing power), giving it the world's 106th largest economy. Its GDP is very small, considering that the country has over 30 million people. Indeed, Afghanistan's GDP is equal to only about one-quarter the amount the United States spends on Afghanistan per year.

Coincidentally, the net amount the United States spends annually on official development aid to all developing countries around the world is also about $30 billion (according to the OECD).

Because Afghanistan is the source of over 90% of the world's opium production, the opium trade remains a major factor in the Afghan economy. While not officially counted as part of the country's economy, it is estimated to be equal to roughly one-third of measured GDP. Another important component of Afghanistan's economy is foreign aid — which is estimated to be equal to anywhere from about half to over 90% of the country's GDP.

C. About one-twentieth as much is correct.

The entire annual contribution from the United States to the United Nations amounts to only $6.4 billion (as of 2009), according to the U.S. Office of Management and Budget.

In other words, the United States spends nearly 20 times more in Afghanistan in a year than it does on the United Nations, in all its aspects and functions.