FUBAR: The war in Afghanistan winds down...

[glasseye]

... to the everlasting pain of the American People, er taxpayers.


Seven billion dollars worth of equipment -- about 20% of what the U.S. sent in to that distant land -- is simply being torn up, chopped down, split, shredded, stomped, and, when possible, sold off for scrap at pennies a pound. Toughest to break up are the weighty MRAPs. Introduced in 2007 at a cost of $1 million apiece to counteract deadly roadside bombs, they were later discovered to be no better at protecting American soldiers than the cheaper vehicles they replaced. Of the 11,000 shipped to Afghanistan, 2,000 are on the chopping block, leaving a mere 9,000 to be flown to Kuwait, four at a time, and shipped home or “repositioned” elsewhere to await some future enemy.


The military is not exaggerating when it calls this colossal destruction of surplus equipment historic. A disposal effort on this scale is unprecedented in the annals of the Pentagon. The centerpiece of this demolition derby may be the brand-new, 64,000-square-foot, $34-million, state-of-the art command center completed in Helmand Province just as most U.S. troops left, and now likely to be demolished. Or the new $45 million facility in Kandahar built as a repair center for armored vehicles, now used for their demolition, and probably destined to follow them. Taxpayers may one day want to ask some questions about such profligate and historic waste, but it’s sure to keep arms manufacturers happy, resupplying the military until we can get ourselves into another full-scale war.

Holy shit, boys. These wars are costing you big. Better you should build Space Stations. They're WAY cheaper and WAY more fun.

http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/19165 ... emory-hole

[Amskeptic]

Holy shit, boys. These wars are costing you big. Better you should build Space Stations. They're WAY cheaper and WAY more fun.

Space stations, how about nice inner city grocery stores?

The obscenity, the sheer profane obscenity . . . .
Colin

[Lanval]

Too often, the difference between what we say our country/people are about, and what we're actually doing, is greater than any other country/civilization, ever.

Sheesh. When I consider how easily we as a country signed off on trillions for Iraq/Afghanistan, while arguing endlessly about the much cheaper, and far more valuable health insurance mandate, I want to cry. Or laugh. Or Craugh.

(Note: I deliberately attached neither of the above to either political party; it takes 'two to tango' ~ the American people can take the blame for both issues being problematic)

[glasseye]

Too often, the difference between what we say our country/people are about, and what we're actually doing, is greater than any other country/civilization, ever.

Yup. I think I said it here before: America's interests and her principles are misaligned.

At least we're honest. "Sell everything in Canada to anyone with money"

Including OUR principles.