30,000 troops, $1 mil per troop per year, for 3 years: $90 billion.

[midnight armadillo]

Can anyone think of better ways to spend $90 billion dollars?

[valerief]

1. And how much for the extra mercenaries? nt

[mullard12ax7]

13. There is roughly 1 merc per soldier so double the amount and add

the additional cost of protection for the mercs themselves, including protected living environments.

[high density]

22. Err... don't you think the $1 million per soldier already includes that number?

Or do you think the soldiers make $1 million per year?

[goldcanyonaz]

2. That's what you voted for. You did, of course, vote, right?

[dhpgetsit]

4. I still consider Obama / Biden a much better choice than McCain / Palin

Do you feel otherwise?

[bigjohn16]

5. He was wrong during the campaign and he's wrong now. nt

[dhpgetsit]

3. Yes.

We should "surge" into Afghanistan with things like sheep, chickens, greenhouses, seeds, tractors, irrigation equipment, building supplies, and enough money for the villagers that they don't need to take up arms on behalf of the various warring factions just to put food on the table. Most of the Afghans we are holding in prisons over there were hired to fight for about $5/day.

[HughMoran]

6. Yes, when Obama talked about the cost and used the $30B number

I knew he really meant $90B :think:

[avaistheone1]

7. I can. Pour those dollars into health care, our infrastructure, the environment, greening our homes

and education here at home.

We have a hungry nation with a serious homeless problem in America. Not to mention 44,000 people a year who die because can not afford health insurance.

[midnight armadillo]

11. It would cost less to cover those 44,000

Let's see...insurance is what $7000/yr? $90 billion could cover about 4 million people per year with zero health care reform.

[avaistheone1]

12. It would also create thousands of jobs in health care by doing so.

[LittleBlue]

8. Sounds like a good portion of the money we need for real healthcare reform

Ho hum, I guess that's not important.

[DJ13]

9. Increased costs of Veteran care in the future:Billions & billions

Having Rove congratulate you on your warrior ways: Priceless

[AndyA]

10. Well, as long as it's for something important like war, death, and destruction.

It's not like there are people dying here at home because they can't afford medical care...

Oh wait...

[dred654321]

14. USA USA USA!

more money for war escalation! more for faith based garbage! more money for wall street criminals!

Silence, unwashed peasant! After all, Obama has a D after his name. That makes him a Democrat! USA USA!

sickening.....

[Golden Raisin]

15. Education right here at home

for the great numbers of young Americans who couldn't identify Afghanistan on a map of the world if their lives depended on it (and some of their lives will now depend on it). Also corroding/failing/antiquated infrastructure at home. Oh yeah, and any American children who go to bed hungry at night.

[jeanpalmer]

16. During the health care debate

at a townhall meeting, Obama said that medicare was the driver of the deficit, even though it almost pays its way as of now. But it will be harder to make that statement with this escalation. The $30 billion per year is 10x the $4 billion medicare deficit. None of the war speeches, by W or Obama, ever mention the costs. Seem to me if you're going to be upfront with people, that ought to be mentioned and discussed. After all, he was seeking our approval. Then give us the whole story.

[boppers]

17. 30,000 troops, $10 mil per troop per year, for 3 years: $900 billion.

Can anyone think of better ways to spend $900 billion dollars?

How about:
30,000 troops, $100,000 per troop per year, for 3 years: $9 billion.

Can anyone think of better ways to spend $9 billion dollars?

Ooh, math games are fun!

[boppers]

19. LOL, was just watching FOX.

Guess where the Million per-troop, per year, math talking point comes from?

No, really, guess.

*sigh*

[chill_wind]

20. Robert Gibbs?

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gaT1hvI3grcrrBSrtvRqCZlJWlmw

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/11/26/news/news-us-afghanistan-usa.html

No. Really.

[boppers]

26. First place I saw it was RW media.

Mea culpa, and thanks for the correction.

[midnight armadillo]

25. The WHITE HOUSE says $1 million per troop per year

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/15/us/politics/15cost.html

Even if fewer troops are sent, or their mission is modified, the rough formula used by the White House, of about $1 million per soldier a year, appears almost constant.

But one should never allow facts to prevent one from making specious claims to avoid discussing uncomfortable topics. Carry on.

[boppers]

27. See #26 eom

[European Socialist]

18. A small price to pay--Our guy is a wartime prez.

[bdamomma]

21. yes, use that money in our own backyard.

[chill_wind]

23. $3 plus billion a month.

(...)

The average monthly cost of Afghan operations comes to more than three billion and will continue to grow as more troops pour in.

Moving soldiers and supplies across the rugged Afghan landscape costs more than in Iraq, with the military consuming 83 liters or 22 gallons of fuel per soldier per day.

War spending will feed a ballooning deficit that some analysts fear could undermine the fragile US economy, while liberals in Congress worry the costly mission will wipe out prospects for Obama's bold domestic reform agenda.

The president faces the task of convincing skeptical Americans that the war is worth more sacrifices in blood and treasure.

(...)

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gaT1hvI3grcrrBSrtvRqCZlJWlmw

""VERY, VERY, VERY EXPENSIVE" (Gibbs)

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2009/11/26/news/news-us-afghanistan-usa.html



Tradeoffs: Costs so far:

http://www.nationalpriorities.org/tradeoffs

http://costofwar.com/

[RoadRage]

24. So, appx. 1/10th the cost to end this then what we've committed so far...

I'll take it. Thanks.