"Wars Force Army Equipment Costs to Triple"

[GreenPartyVoter]

WASHINGTON (AP) - The annual cost of replacing, repairing and upgrading Army equipment in Iraq and Afghanistan is expected to more than triple next year to more than $17 billion, according to Army documents obtained by the Associated Press.

From 2002 to 2006, the Army spent an average of $4 billion a year in annual equipment costs. But as the war takes a harder toll on the military, that number is projected to balloon to more than $12 billion for the federal budget year that starts next Oct. 1, the documents show.

The $17 billion also includes an additional $5 billion in equipment expenses that the Army requested in previous years but has not yet been provided.

The latest costs include the transfer of more than 1,200 2 1/2-ton trucks, nearly 1,100 Humvees and $8.8 million in other equipment from the U.S. Army to the Iraqi security forces.

http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20060627/D8IGMQOO0.html

[Warren DeMontague]

1. Where's Dom DeLouise when you need him!?

TREASURE BATH! TREASURE BATH! TREASURE BATH!

[tridim]

2. Transferring 2,300 heavy vehicles to Iraq huh..

We're not ever leaving.

[dipsydoodle]

3. A lot of that is to do with the fact

that sand f*cks most things were were not designed for that environment.

[Sherman A1]

4. More for the

Military Industrial complex! AKA Corporate welfare!!! At least the discussion is about such things as trucks and humvees (which do wear out and I.E.D's take a toll along the sand) and not razzle dazzle high tech stuff like our really unneeded F22 Raptor and such. Had an LTTE published today in the St. Louis Post -Dispatch on the GAO report on the Raptor, if anyone is interested.....