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Why We Spend $400 per Gallon of Gas in Afghanistan

Danger to convoys forcing military to rely on pricey airlifts

By Rob Quinn, Newser Staff

Posted Dec 6, 2011 3:36 AM CST

(Newser) – By the time it reaches remote military bases in Afghanistan, gasoline costs the US military as much per gallon as Dom Perignon champagne, the Wall Street Journal finds. Moving fuel and other supplies by road in Afghanistan has become so dangerous that the Air Force has increased the amount of supplies it air drops to bases 50-fold since 2005, despite the $400-per-gallon cost—and the technical difficulty of dropping pallets of fuel in rugged terrain.

Even before Pakistan closed the border to NATO fuel convoys following last month's deadly air strike on its troops, the Pentagon was working to overhaul fuel use at remote bases. But for now, air crews will continue working around the clock to bring supplies to thousands of troops in remote outposts. "If you want us to drop something on a postage stamp, by God we'll do it," a C-17 pilot says. "But there's only so many crews."

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A US Army Chinook helicopter carrying sling-loaded cargo flies to a forward base in Afghanistan. (Getty Images)

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We're going to burn a lot of gas to drop a lot of gas. - Capt. Zack Albaugh, a pilot in the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 28 comments

Dave99

Dec 6, 2011 9:45 AM CST

We pay that much and then we lose on top of it. And on top of that we lose to third world countries. Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon, Iraq, Afghanistan. The US military is the definition of lame and stupid.

Moon

Dec 6, 2011 9:02 AM CST

You gotta love the Air Force guys: "We can drop that sucker on a dime!" And then they go out and do it. Over and over again.

StationaryMan

Dec 6, 2011 8:19 AM CST

There is no real useful information in this article, what it is, is a series of excuses. In other words the price is going to go up. Tell us how much each contractor makes along the way, that's what we need. That's the information the pentagon uses but I guess that information is classified.

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Why We Spend $400 per Gallon of Gas in Afghanistan

Danger to convoys forcing military to rely on pricey airlifts

[Images (1)]

[Quotes (1)]

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Afghanistan • US military • military bases • Afghanistan war • gasoline

MOST POPULAR STORIES

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More Newser Stories

Taliban Claim Victory as US Quits Base

Insurgents take control of remote outpost where 8 troops were killed last week

2 US Troops Killed in Attack on Afghan Base

30 Taliban killed in gun battle at base near Pakistan border

Afghan Soldier Kills US Marine

Another Marine wounded in Helmand province attack

Pentagon Condemns 'Repugnant' Afghan Photos

Analysts fear leadership is breaking down at small-unit level

Afghan Massacre Survivor: I Saw Up to 20 Soldiers

First Western journalist visits Afghan village where 17 died

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