How do we spend $1 million dollars per soldier in Afghanistan??

[kentuck]

That means the 30,000 additional troops cost us $30 billion dollars. What could we have done with that money that would have been more worthwhile? Almost anything, I would guess?

How much unemployment could we pay with the cost of one soldier? How many foodstamps could we provide hungry families with the cost of that one soldier? How many sick children could be seen by a doctor with the cost of one soldier? How many people could be educated with the cost of that one soldier?

We have to prioritize in our lives. Why shouldn't the military have to prioritize also? We know that Afghanistan is important in our fight against terrorism. But, we simply cannot afford it. When will our Congress and President come to their senses?

They need to stop buying into the Republican defense "philosophy" and do what is best for our country. What is best is to get out of Afghanistan and spend that money on something that is more needed at this time. Just as they need to stop the taxcuts for the millionaires and put that money somewhere else in our economy. We need to think differently.

[HopeHoops]

1. Halliburton, or whatever the fuck it calls itself now, just skims most of it right off the top.

[bherrera]

2. You don't KNOW that a fight in Afghanistan is important

I am not sure if you really know that having an occupation army in Afghanistan is really that important to you guys. I know it is not important at all to European nations, and this is why we leave Afghanistan.

If Americans put the things in the right priority, the most important thing they can do to reduce terrorism by Al Qaida is: Stop giving aid to Israel and helping them abuse human rights. 2) Bring invasion forces from Iraq and Afghanistan. 3) Stop islamophobia in the USA, which reaches a level similar to the racism of the KKK.

[kentuck]

3. Yes, you are correct.

Many Americans do not think the fight in Afghanistan is "important". I was being facetious. :-)

[valerief]

4. That's how money is stolen from the Treasury. That's what WAR is for. nt

[hedgehog]

5. Surely it would be more cost effective to locate the 20 odd

Taliban/ AlQuaeda guys we're trying to kill and bribe them instead.

[SOS]

6. Army private pay is $18,000

But when Halliburton overcharges $186 million for meals, it starts to add up.

[dogday]

9. And don't forget laundry at $100.00 per load...

:hi:

[Greyhound]

7. The how is easy. Our corporate welfare system has gone completely out of control.

The military is the single largest source of corporate welfare, and without our corporate welfare state none of these huge corporations could even exist.

The whole thing has gone so horribly wrong and on such a scale that fixing it will be a major disruption to, and reordering of, just about everything in our society, not to mention the world. And that's why nobody that matters will even talk about it.

[unblock]

8. in dollar terms, we deploy far more equipment and supplies than personnel

defense contractors feed at the trough.
military personnel gets a small bonus for hazard pay.