US to spend $1.3 billion on Afghanistan bases

[Hannah Bell]

The Washington Post reported Monday that the US Congress is preparing to pass legislation providing “$1.3 billion in additional fiscal 2011 funds for multiyear construction of military facilities in Afghanistan”. These funds would cover, in part, $100 million expansions for each of three major US air bases in different parts of the country.

These projects, the Post stated, are indicative of plans “to support increased US military operations well into the future.”

A notice seeking contractor bids placed on a US government web site:

https://www.fbo.gov/index?s=opportunity&mode=form&id=4fe0c1e4d8c4a3c727aed2bde8201824&tab=core&tabmode=list&=

last week maps out plans for the expansion of one of these US bases in Shindand, an airfield in western Afghanistan that had been used by the Soviet Army during its occupation of Afghanistan more than two decades ago.

The project is to include new runways, hangars, barracks, storage areas, a “weapons arming area” and other facilities. They are being built to accommodate the Special Operations troops used by Washington to carry out “targeted killings,” i.e., assassinations, which have become a key component of the US war. They will also house a unit operating pilotless drone aircraft for purposes of “Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance” as well as missile attacks.

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2010/aug2010/afgh-a24.shtml

[grahamhgreen]

1. Obama's Vietnam. NT

[spanone]

2. the military owns our foreign policy. the military perpetual motion machine.

[Kringle]

3. is there a way for cash-strapped US cities to get in on some of this?

Detroit needs to start an insurgency

[gateley]

4. Of course we are. Sigh. At least they're soliciting bids, that's new. nt

[dipsydoodle]

5. Permanent bases in both Afghanistan and Iraq

were the aim of both occupations. Looks like initial mission successful as part of something like a 50 year plan.

[Angry Dragon]

6. More like the second 100 Year War