US Military Intervention in Libya Cost At Least $896 Million

[PoliticAverse]

Source: ABC News

ABC News’ Luis Martinez (@LMartinezABC) reports: The cost of U.S. military intervention in Libya has cost American taxpayers an estimated $896 million through July 31, the Pentagon said today.

The price tag includes the amounts for daily military operations, munitions used in the operation and humanitarian assistance for the Libyan people.

The U.S. has also promised $25 million in non-lethal aid to the Libyan Transitional National Council, half of which the Defense Department has already on MRE’s (military lingo for Meals, Ready to Eat).


Read more: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2011/08/us-military-intervention-in-libya-cost-at-least-896-million-.html

[EarlG]

1. Less than $1 billion?

Hmm.

At the outset of the Iraq war, the Bush administration predicted that it would cost $50 billion to $60 billion to oust Saddam Hussein, restore order and install a new government.

Five years in, the Pentagon tags the cost of the Iraq war at roughly $600 billion and counting.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/19/washington/19cost.html

[pinboy3niner]

12. FTW

Thanks for putting things in perspective. It's also worth mentioning that the NATO mission in Libya will come to an end VERY soon--unlike U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan...

[Historic NY]

2. But it will pay dividends in lowering our price at the pump...

every cent gas goes down put more that a billion into the economy every year.

[Amonester]

3. "The e-mail said there was in “excess of $29.7 Billion — yes, that’s a B.”

http://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/sanctions-in-72-hours-how-the-us-pulled-off-a-major-freeze-of-libyan-assets/2011/03/11/ABBckxJB_story.html

> The Treasury Department team had been working nonstop on a plan to freeze Libyan assets in U.S. banks, hoping they might snare $100 million or more and prevent Moammar Gaddafi from tapping it as he unleashed deadly attacks against protesters who wanted him gone.

Now, at 2:22 Friday afternoon, Feb. 25, an e-mail arrived from a Treasury official with startling news. Their $100 million estimate was off — orders of magnitude off.

The e-mail said there was in “excess of $29.7 Billion — yes, that’s a B.”

And most of the money was at one bank. <

[Major Hogwash]

23. Wow, with a "B".

Billions of dollars.

[Fearless]

4. Through July 31st... this is August 22nd.

[hulka38]

5. There's a lot of "black gold" under that soil.

[EFerrari]

7. And water. n/t

[bhikkhu]

8. The new Libyan government says it will honor the old contracts

...so everything goes back the way it was under Gadhafi, as far as who is involved in the oil industry there. Just the checks will go to the government the people establish (which so far sounds like it will be admirably liberal, in the best European sense), instead of the old "ruling family".

[hulka38]

20. Like they have a choice.

The reality is the Western powers continue to reinforce who's oil that is. The message has been sent loud and clear.

[bhikkhu]

6. A billion was about the predicted amount

...not inconsequential, of course, but it is nice to hope that something will work as the president said it would, and then see it do just that, again.

[Kennah]

9. Lame-O! That's not even a week in Iraq.

:sarcasm:

[HuckleB]

10. Is there a division of those costs?

OK. Military operations vs. munitions. vs humanitarian assistance?

And then vs. what day-to-day costs for military operations and munitions would have been anyway.

I'm not pro or anti anything here. I just want a figure that actually makes sense, and allows real discussion.

[Amonester]

11. It's too early to say (or I only 'saw' some rather approx, estimations so far)

Also, a lot of the necessary funds 'may' come directly from the dicktator's $29.7 Billion frozen a$$ets themselves.

Imagine that 'maybe' the dick's own effin piggybank 'may' be actually used to send him to where he belongs... - (magic wand) ;)

Genius is what genius do!

[cutlassmama]

13. We could have used that money to feed the hungry people in our

nation without jobs instead of using it to get oil and gold.

[harun]

14. Wonder what budget this comes out of?

Sorry state of affairs when we have the budget to spend 1 billion in Libya without Congressional approval meanwhile at home our Congress is playing games with the debt ceiling to tank our own economy for political purposes.

[Vinca]

15. Hmm. They could have picked him up in New York City the last time

he was in town for a U.N. meeting. Didn't he have his tents set up on Trump property?

[PoliticAverse]

17. He tried to errect a tent...

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/donald-trump-piles-it-on-now-claims-he-gave-gaddafi-tent-rent-money-to-charity/

[dipsydoodle]

16. Can be paid by the "rebels"

using funds located in the US and kept under wraps for now. Same applies to UK and France etc.

Nothing's free in this world.

[On the Road]

18. Good Deal --

Effective, casualty-free, and cheap at twice the price.

[sarcasmo]

19. Plenty of money for war, social programs sorry about your luck.

[unkachuck]

21. "$896 Million"

....chump change for the Pentagon; they probably spend more than that in a year for toilet paper....

....gaddafi is gone and here's where our interest and the corporate military interest diverge....as much as possible, we need to strongly support the new Libyan government if they structure themselves to reflect the diversity, interests and will of the Libyan people, not Western corporations....

....under no circumstances should ours or Europes' oil cartels dictate what we do in Libya, a country that has the largest oil reserves in Africa....but people revolutions must be supported and encouraged, it's benefits all of us in the long run....

[KoKo]

22. No Social Programs for you American Citizen Scum...We have WARS TO WAGE...and places to Conquer!