US House passes $636 billion military spending bill

[Hannah Bell]

With overwhelming bipartisan support, the United States House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a massive $636 billion military appropriations bill for 2010.

The bill includes some $128 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, but it does not fully fund the Obama administration’s escalation in Afghanistan, making likely further appropriations for war spending next year...

All told, US military spending in 2010 will be close to $700 billion. If one adds the hundreds of billions of dollars in military-related spending included in the budgets of other departments, the total is as much as $1 trillion.

The overwhelming support for the bill, which passed 395-34, demonstrates the bipartisan agreement in Washington on the war policy of the Obama administration. The vote comes shortly after President Barack Obama’s Nobel Prize speech, in which he outlined an expansion of US militarism.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2009/dec2009/mili-d18.shtml

[Fumesucker]

1. K&R Thanks for posting..

[leftstreet]

2. The Obama Administration needs Credit Counseling

He just got on the teevee yesterday and said the Govt would go bankrupt if we didn't agree to buy insurance!

[Ichingcarpenter]

3. That's a lot of money to support our heroin addiction

of empire... Gee.... what could that have bought instead?

I think the answer is obvious

[readmoreoften]

4. Seems like everything is rosy here: can't think of anything better to spend our cash on

than stopping a group of bat-shit crazy religious fanatics in Afghanistan so that violent, child-raping drug lords can rule instead.

A wise investment indeed.

[Ildem09]

5. The MiC has total control and its insane!

The fact that we spend roughly 60% more than then next five nations military budgets combined says something. We should model our military off that of the Swedish model. a unified combatant command. No separate navy, air force or marines. there are still special forces we could reduce force numbers etc. i cold go on and go on lol

[girl gone mad]

6. Wheee. free wars for everyone!

You get a free war! And you get a free war! And you get a free war! And you...

[Dragonfli]

7. The most important thing according to our leaders is that big expenditures be budget neutral...

I know this because all they talk about at times is the absolute need for budget neutrality, they insist it's why we can't do much to help the actual people in this country with things like jobs programs, mortgage help and health care.

I can only assume then that because of their dedication to this all important principle, the war budget is paid for by tax increases or by cutting some other corner of the military's overall budget to pay for it.

There is nothing more important to them lately than budget neutrality, even the lives and health of the citizens take a back seat to this principle so I am sure they are paying for it somehow. Right?

[amborin]

8. to be squandered in Afghanistan

[GeorgeGist]

9. * Batteries not included.

[nightrain]

10. knr.

[Hannah Bell]

11. kick

[Romulox]

12. Our country is NOT a democracy. This is not what the people want, need...nt

[dana_b]

15. you got that right!

lots of money for wars that many to most do not support but little to no money for jobs, people in foreclosures or a decent health care system.

[Blue_In_AK]

13. There's always money for war.

What a sad state of affairs.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

14. They vote, I vote. And, I don't vote for wars. K&R

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. All I can say is

:banghead:

[G_j]

17. better to kill people, than save people

:sarcasm:

[Hannah Bell]

18. kick