Operation In Libya Costs US Military Hundreds Of Millions And Price Tag Could Rise

[Purveyor]

Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS

By Associated Press, Wednesday, March 23, 12:26 PM

WASHINGTON — Stretched thin by two wars, the U.S. military is spending upward of $1 billion in an international assault to destroy Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s air defenses and save rebels from likely defeat, according to analysts and a rough calculation of the military operation so far.

Missiles fired from submarines in the Mediterranean, bombs dropped by B-2 stealth bombers and an array of warplanes launching air strikes over the northern portion of Libya easily total hundreds of millions of dollars. The campaign entered its fifth day on Wednesday.

The Obama administration isn’t talking overall cost, but the magnitude of the military campaign, the warships and aircraft deployed and the munitions used provide some information to estimate the growing price tag.

As of Tuesday, the coalition had fired at least 162 sea-launched Tomahawk missiles priced at $1 million to $1.5 million apiece and dispatched B-2 stealth bombers — round-trip from Missouri — to drop 2,000-pound bombs on Libyan sites.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/us-military-operation-in-libya-costs-hundreds-of-millions-and-price-tag-could-rise/2011/03/23/ABkfHzGB_story.html

[lob1]

1. Then news said the Stealth bombers dropped

50,000 pounds worth of bombs the first day.

[ixion]

2. Money is no object when we're gettin' our war on

:puke:

[nonoxy9]

3. Should read "costs US TAXPAYERS" Hundreds of millions!

[chill_wind]

4. K & R. n/t

[russspeakeasy]

5. What else were we suppose to do with that money?

Feed people and shit like that? There will always be plenty of
money for war. It's how our political system stays alive.

[cottonseed]

6. Newsflash. Jets, ships, and missiles cost money.

What's with all the cost shit being reported for this Libya thing?

[Poll_Blind]

11. !

:rofl:

PB

[dipsydoodle]

7. Don't worry about it

the "opposition" can sort out a refund using Libya's $150 billion reserves.

I am of course assuming they didn't think this was all free because there's no reason in the world I can think why it should be so.

[City Lights]

8. Guess we're not broke after all!

We always seem to have money for war. :-(

[julian09]

10. Pales in comparison to Iraq & Afghan wars

What are we to do save the missiles forever or save 700,000 lives. The ships are on the move anyway, some are off japanese shores on another kind of humanitarian mission. Bombs are well spent on soldiers that kill there own people.

[SpankMe]

9. Fox is all over it

Earlier his morning on Foxnews.com, in "Politics" this story was high on the list. Though largely derived from the AP version of the story, this Fox version *still* seems to be emphasizing the high cost of the Libya intervention.

It took a Democratic president to finally convince Fox that wars are expensive.

And during this same period earlier today, the death of Elizabeth Taylor was nowhere to be found on the Fox News main page. It was a line item in their entertainment section.

And - though unrelated - Fox uses the word "Obamacare" in most headlines and news stories about the 1-year anniversary of the passing of the health care bill. This is hardly a neutral term; it's intended to be derisive.

Fair and balanced!!!