U.S. War Spending to Rise 44% to $9.8 Bln a Month, Report Says

[kpete]

BLOOMBERG



U.S. War Spending to Rise 44% to $9.8 Bln a Month, Report Says
March 17 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. military spending in Iraq and Afghanistan will average 44 percent more in the current fiscal year than in fiscal 2005, the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service said.

Spending will rise to $9.8 billion a month from the $6.8 billion a month the Pentagon said it spent last year, the research service said. The group's March 10 report cites ``substantial'' expenses to replace or repair damaged weapons, aircraft, vehicles, radios and spare parts.

It also figures in costs for health care, fuel, national intelligence and the training of Iraqi and Afghan security forces -- ``now a substantial expense,'' it said.

The research service said it considers ``all war and occupation costs,'' while the Pentagon counts just the cost of personnel, maintenance and operations.

The House approved emergency funding that includes the military spending last night by a vote of 348-71. The measure authorizes $72 billion for war costs and almost $20 billion for hurricane relief. The Senate is expected to pass it next month.

Congress already has approved $50 billion in supplemental war funding for the current fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30, after spending $100 billion last year. To date, Congress has approved about $337 billion for the wars since Sept. 11, 2001.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000087&sid=ak3gHkUGPtpY&refer=top_world_news

[rodeodance]

1. beyond the pale

[jimshoes]

2. That works out to like

$40.00 a month for every man woman and child in the US.

P.S. While you fat cat politicians are divvying up all that money, since my car is 15 years old, would you guys mind just cutting me a check for a new work van. Thanks in advance.

[mediaman007]

3. But listen to the FR's complain about welfare cheats and the

high cost of education. We're mad because Bush* started this war. The Freepers should be mad because the military can't end the damn thing. They probably would come down heavy on Bush* if it didn't mean that they would agree with us.

Edit: spelling

[Old and In the Way]

5. They are totally hypocritical. If this was a Democratic administration,

they'd be demanding impeachment. Because they ID with Republicans, their principles don't mean shit.

[NJCher]

4. won't be long now, everyone

bush's illegal, immoral war is eating us alive.




Cher

[Old and In the Way]

7. This is how the Soviet Union went bust.

Their war in Afghanistan killed their economy. Seems like Bush and the Republican hardliners here are doing pretty much the same thing to us.

[mediaman007]

10. Bingo!

[DrDebug]

6. DuPont, Boeing, Halliburton and the rest of the ...

military industrial congressional complex can be pleased.

[Kurovski]

8. What's the problem?

Iraqi oil will pay for it, our fearless leaders told us so. :sarcasm:

[Carla in Ca]

11. Too many fell for that one, Kurovski

Remember the bold promises?

“Iraq has oil,” Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told Fortune magazine in 2002, discussing the potential cost of an Iraq invasion and how it would be met. “They have financial resources.”

Paul Wolfowitz, formerly Rumsfeld’s deputy, was bolder: “The oil revenues of that country could bring in between $50 (billion) and $100 billion over the course of the next two or three years,” he told Congress as the war began. “We are dealing with a country that can really finance its own reconstruction.” For his economic acumen, Wolfowitz was rewarded with the presidency of the World Bank.

God help us.

[progressoid]

12. And for that dumbass statement he got a promotion.

[teryang]

9. Cost effectiveness analysis completely absent = failure

Just what do we get for the 44 percent increase? This is the accounting failure pointed out be Stiglitz in his 1 Trillion dollar plus analysis for Iraqi war costs.

Believe it or not, this potential dictatorship is just getting started.

[SammyWinstonJack]

13. What crap! I don't even have words for this.

:grr: