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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009
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Afghan War Costs US $3.6B Per Month

Figure will go even higher if more troops are sent

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(Newser) – Waging a war in Afghanistan ain’t cheap. The US is spending roughly $3.6 billion a month there, according to data from the Congressional Research Service, and that number is likely to rise precipitously as the Obama administration sends more troops. That estimate is based on 51,000 troops; Obama is already planning to bump that to 68,000, and is considering General McChrystal’s request for up to 40,000 more.

Every soldier sent to Afghanistan costs roughly $1 million a year, one CRS specialist tells the Hill, while an Afghan soldier costs just $12,000. The Obama administration has been using similar figures.

A special operations plane sits on the tarmac as it is readied to fly a re-supply mission to Special Forces soldiers at a fire base in Afghanistan Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009.
A special operations plane sits on the tarmac as it is readied to fly a re-supply mission to Special Forces soldiers at a fire base in Afghanistan Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Inside the cargo hold of a special operations plane, a U.S Air Force captain checks the load of supplies for a re-supply air drop to a Special Forces fire base in Afghanistan Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009.
Inside the cargo hold of a special operations plane, a U.S Air Force captain checks the load of supplies for a re-supply air drop to a Special Forces fire base in Afghanistan Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
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14 comments
VIEWING:
 
Fondue
Oct 15, 09 10:00 AM CDT
$3.6 Billion/ month, but no universal single-payer health care. Reply
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+12
IN RESPONSE:
Wonka
Oct 15, 09 10:07 AM CDT
Fondue: My thinking exactly. And somehow we have the funds to send even more troops.
Vote up! Vote down!
+4
IN RESPONSE:
JonmarkP
Oct 15, 09 1:54 PM CDT
This is corporate welfare to war-profiteer campaign donors, so it's worth it. Single-payer healthcare does not reap obscene profits for campaign donors, so it's not worth it. Not very complicated, and the public is catching on.
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0
thephat
Oct 15, 09 10:08 AM CDT
I am as scared of the Christians and Jews as I am of the Muslims. I am also afraid of the profiteers on both sides. I also know that both sides are scared of guys like me. They are the past, and if they don't blow this shit up too much, we may be the future. Our minds are not clouded with religious fear and hate. We are not spoiled by oil money from daddy. I feel that Obama could be above all of this, but so far, he is not acting like it. Reply
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+3
alkaseltzersammich
Oct 15, 09 10:37 AM CDT
I hope it's worth it to the war mongers. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
+3

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