WJ this morning - the cost of the war in Afghanistan

[malaise]

So how come Rethugs who supposedly hate deficits have failed to discuss the cost of sending more troops to Afghanistan?
Why is there all this noise about the cost of health care for American citizens and no outcry from these fugging hypocrites about the cost of these wars?

Good Discussion on Washington Journal this morning - CSpan1
-----------------------------
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/us/politics/15cost.html?_r=1

While President Obama’s decision about sending more troops to Afghanistan is primarily a military one, it also has substantial budget implications that are adding pressure to limit the commitment, senior administration officials say.

The latest internal government estimates place the cost of adding 40,000 American troops and sharply expanding the Afghan security forces, as favored by Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, the top American and allied commander in Afghanistan, at $40 billion to $54 billion a year, the officials said.

Even if fewer troops are sent, or their mission is modified, the rough formula used by the White House, of about $1 million per soldier a year, appears almost constant.

So even if Mr. Obama opts for a lower troop commitment, Afghanistan’s new costs could wash out the projected $26 billion expected to be saved in 2010 from withdrawing troops from Iraq. And the overall military budget could rise to as much as $734 billion, or 10 percent more than the peak of $667 billion under the Bush administration.
-------------
Bring the Troops home.

[KharmaTrain]

1. The Wingnut Chickenhawks Crawl Out Of Their Holes...

Skully lets a shitstain go on and on...claiming "I have two kids in Afghanistan"...yep and I have Prince Albert in a can. :rofl:

I only wish the world were so simple as these asshats like to play it. Just bomb 'em and let 'em sort it all out. No wonder his kid supposedly joined the military...to get away from him :rofl:

Yes...get those troops out...and soon!

:hi:

[malaise]

5. I don't believe he has a single kid

in a war theater. See how nicely he covered his track. He couldn't even say where his son was - too secret what a LIAR. :hi: :rofl:

[saigon68]

2. The present Occupant is in the Pocket of the Military-Industrial Complex

He is there for the rest of his career too.

God I feel safe </sarcasm>

[Gravel Democrat]

3. http://costofwar.com/ says $231,624,372,213

two hundred and thirty one BILLION six hundred and twenty four MILLION dollars

Every citizen in the US could have been given 1 MILLION dollars

and our Military Industrial Congressional Complex would still have been
able to piss away two hundred and thirty one BILLION and 3 hundred MILLION
dollars.

Since we have no money, and we're borrowing this from China, it would be great
if someone, anyone, asked who gets the interest.

We know who will pay, even if we never hear them complain. Because we'll be dead.

Total Cost of Wars Since 2001
931,966,662,522 A TRILLION DOLLARS (almost)


Cost of War in Iraq
700,342,290,310

source in sig

a trillion here and a trillion there,...pretty soon you're talkin real money

[malaise]

12. Absolute madness

isn't it.

[valleywine]

14. The military budget is not subject to 'pay as you go' mantra like health

care is. Hense, congress approved over 6 Hundred billion just a while ago--with little press on it- but health care scrabbles for every dollar!!

[malaise]

15. It should be - it is still tax payers' money

End the wars

[zanne]

4. President Obama is in an impossible position...

He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't. Whatever he does, the fallout will be enormous.

[sattahipdeep]

7. $1 million per soldier a year.

$1 million per soldier a year $1 million per soldier a year $1 million per soldier a year

[zanne]

8. Yes, but if he doesn't send those 40,000 soldiers...

The Right Wing (and the MSM) will have him for breakfast. If he does send 40,000 troops, the Right Wing and the MSM will have him for breakfast. Know what I mean?

[sattahipdeep]

13. Bring the Troops home.

He Wanted The Job~We gave him the job.
40,000 soldiers X $1 million per soldier a year (Our soldiers lives, and our homes are on the line)

Dissenting voice Bring the Troops home.

[unhappycamper]

17. And $400 per gallon of gas in Afghanistan.

It adds up.

[Are_grits_groceries]

6. The cost is way too high whether measured

in people or dollars.

Most people think of the soldiers, but I think even those should thing more about them all. I read this quote in a blog: "it is more a war of cripples and disabilities than it is a war of death."

That stopped me cold. We are bringing back a generation of broken men and women both physically and mentally. We aren't doing enough for them either. All of them are just about invisible.

That cost is unbearable.

[malaise]

10. Absolutely

and that cost is way worse than the treasure but the Rethugs don't give a damn about either as long as they are making money off wars.

[Gravel Democrat]

16. Richard C Blum

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_C._Blum

The Center for Public Integrity has reported that US Senator Dianne Feinstein and her husband, Richard Blum, are making millions of dollars from Iraq and Afghanistan contracts through his company, Perini <3>. Feinstein voted for the resolution. Blum did hold over 111,000 shares of stock in URS Corporation, which is now one of the top defense contractors in the United States. URS bought EG&G, a leading provider of technical services and management to the U.S. military, from The Carlyle Group in 2002. Carlyle's advisers, past and present, include former President George H.W. Bush, James Baker, and ex-SEC Commissioner Arthur Levitt, among other prominent neoconservatives and Washington power brokers.

URS and Blum have since banked on the Iraq war, scoring a $600 million contract through EG&G. As a result, URS has seen its stock price more than triple since the war began in March 2003. Blum has cashed in over $2 million on this venture alone and another $100 million for his investment firm.

"As part of EG&G's sale price," reports the San Francisco Chronicle, "Carlyle acquired a 21.74 percent stake in URS – second only to the 23.7 percent of shares controlled by Blum Capital."

Just one example

The Iraq and Afghanistan wars were approved and are being funded by both Democrats and Republicans.

Key players in both circus tents labeled (R) and (D) are making money off these obscene wars.

I'm betting Pakistan is next, after we establish bases in Afghanistan. And I'm guessing the next target after
Pakistan has already been selected.

Flash from the past: http://newamericancentury.org/balkans.htm

"we" are not leaving there either. In fact, no one cares. It'll be the same for Iraq, Afghanistan etc.

[Echo In Light]

9. Uniquely American

[malaise]

11. Wow Peter Fenn and Pat Buchanan coming up

next.