RE: http://www.military.com/NewsContent/0,13319,154752,00.html

Hi guys--back after ten days soaking up the sun in Northern Italy. I hate going first, but I'll risk the hate mail by saying I'd have to agree with the Speaker of the House on this one, "the depth of the tragedy is stunning. . ." And the American people and the British people are going to be paying for it for years and years and years. The oil may, in the long run bring some benefits, but I can't see how those are going to outweigh the cost in lives and hard cash. And before you shout at me, I'm glad things seem to be settling down alittle, but I'm not counting on it lasting, though I hope it does. And it's interesting that now the powers that be are talking about an on-going occupation, though they're not putting it in quite those terms y'all can see where it's going. Will it be worth it? Your guess is as good as mine, but it's interesting that nobody, and I mean nobody is talking now about a pull out anytime soon.

2.4 Trillion is a SMALL price to pay for Freedom. Raise military budget... Drops politicians Pay.

The article said..."According to analysis, the U.S. has spent about $604 billion on the wars, including $39 billion in diplomatic operations and foreign aid."

39 billion for 'diplomatic operations'???
The 'inmates have finally taken over the asylum!

I have only one question to ask those who still cling to the belief this war is worth it. For god sakes, please tell me what in hell we are getting in return for 2.4 trillion dollars. Hey, in case some of you may have forgotten, it is US, "We the People" that have to pay for this chit! That means we have to get up, go to WORK, to pay for this insane war, with no end in sight, and for WHAT? Someone please tell me, what in hell we are paying for?

I dont' want to hear about the lies from this administration that we are spreading demoracy, or to liberate a people, or none of that crazy chit! I'm sick to death of hearing that pack of lies. The truth is, these politician's that started this war did so to line their pockets at our expense. "Expense" is defined as the price we've paid in the loss of our children and in dollars and cents! And just what are we getting in return, Iraq just gave over a billion dollars in contracts to the Chinese, after "We the People" just paid over 600 billion dollars to free them? Someone really needs to get a grip on reality, namely the American Public, more specifically my brother's that want to continue to support this president and his lunatic staff that continue to throw the lives away of our kids and our money away! I'm sick of this chit.

I am neither a Dem or Rep, I'm an American, and I've had it with this lunacy. We better all of us get a true picture about what is going on here, because we need to put an end to this. We borrow money from China to fight a war that has nothing in it for us? How damn stupid is that? And we support a president that does this to our country? Phooey! Let the word go out, "I here by withdraw my support from this president, his administration, and from all politician's that have even thought this war was a good idea!

quote:

Originally posted by BadTofusRevenge:
2.4 Trillion is a SMALL price to pay for Freedom. Raise military budget... Drops politicians Pay.

Who's Freedom are we talking about? But I do agree That Iraq should pick up the tab its thier freedom were fighting for.

The dollar cost is just a part of the 'cost' of any war.

The first priority is to consider our warriors, their families, loved ones and their communities. That is something that we can all do to help them in any way that we can.

The politics of a war is something we can chew over and over again. But we can help support our people here and now.

BTW: These figures are probably low. The last Civil War benefit was paid just a couple of years ago.

quote:

Originally posted by BadTofusRevenge:
2.4 Trillion is a SMALL price to pay for Freedom. Raise military budget... Drops politicians Pay.

2.4 trillion an interesting figure, Exactly the amount unaccounted for from the defense budget. Now if we could only find that 2.4 trillion and get Iraq to pay for this war we might even stave off insolvency in the future considering Bushes day are numbered.

I think it is time we make a decision to start down scaling our position in Iraq. Al-Maliki wants to run the show. He has had plenty of time to get his government and army together. We have freed them from Saddam and if they work it right they could be a free nation (?).
Start withdrawing from Iraq and support or finish our mission in Afgan.. and bring the troops home. I still support the mission and we have to support the troops but it has come a time that our mission is ending in this country.

This is perverse! This bill will never get paid. Certainly not by the people who are driving this war!

The invasions and occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan are the most unnecessary and pointless wars America has ever fought. It is fitting punishment that they be the most expensive.

OldAFcop: Your point is well-taken. But the "masters of war" are taking advantage of the good Americans, who feel a sense of duty to the servicemen invloved in policing the Moslem world. They are the ones who hold our military men in utmost contempt, when they suggest that the President would just leave our troops deployed and unsupplied, should the People's Congress withold funding for future operations.

quote:

BTW: These figures are probably low. The last Civil War benefit was paid just a couple of years ago.

That's absolutely right Ford, and if this thing runs like I think it's going to run, well, our great, great, great grandchildren will be paying . . . And you know, even the cheap oil ain't going to benefit ordinary people. It will however benefit the people who sell it from well to refinery to the gas pump.

2.4 Trillion, that is about $8,000.00 extra taxes for each man, woman and child.

Republicans, conservatives and those ever present rightie tighties toe-tappin' evangelicals who are so cheap they won't even support health care for children are going to pay through the nose. Mighty strange.......

Its enough to make one a liberal.

quote:

I still support the mission and we have to support the troops but it has come a time that our mission is ending in this country.

Our mission JM is on going and will be on going just forever. We're not going to abandon those expensive bases and all those oil wells and just move out. The oil and the bases is why we went in the first place. If we can't secure those the whole operation will have been a waste of lives, money and time . . . We can only hope to settle the situation down to the point where Iraq becomes alittle safer place for our troops to post, because they're going to be deploying there when your grandkids are old . . .

Anyone here ever fight a war on the cheap? Doesn't work to well.

Remember you always get what you pay for, buy a cheap part, you will replace it over and over. Buy a more expensive part and it will last you a long time. (more then likely)

The only problem here, Is the government purchase's a contract and gets cheap work, why, low bidder! (or a rig bidder).

quote:

Originally posted by TPCAT:

quote:

I still support the mission and we have to support the troops but it has come a time that our mission is ending in this country.

Our mission JM is on going and will be on going just forever. We're not going to abandon those expensive bases and all those oil wells and just move out. The oil and the bases is why we went in the first place. If we can't secure those the whole operation will have been a waste of lives, money and time . . . We can only hope to settle the situation down to the point where Iraq becomes a little safer place for our troops to post, because they're going to be deploying there when your grandkids are old . . .

TPCAT is right. Not because staying in Iraq is so great, but because the "cut and run" alternative is worse. It's mighty tempting to conclude the war Nixon-style:

• claim to have a "plan",
• get elected,
• then quietly "cut-and-run".

Blame the Iraqis and/or the "liberals" and/or "Karl Rove" and/or "big oil" and/or "the neocons", and don't talk about it for twenty years.

Any politician, in either party, who goes down Nixon's path, is contemptible IMHO.

Afternoon Tpcat.
Been a while.

Here's an idea: Draft all the Blackwater and all of the other dirty money-grabbing guns-for-hire mercenary thugs now in Iraq..... Do it now and think how much cheaper it would all be.

quote:

Originally posted by TPCAT:

quote:

BTW: These figures are probably low. The last Civil War benefit was paid just a couple of years ago.

That's absolutely right Ford, and if this thing runs like I think it's going to run, well, our great, great, great grandchildren will be paying . . . And you know, even the cheap oil ain't going to benefit ordinary people. It will however benefit the people who sell it from well to refinery to the gas pump.

BINGO, you got it! The rich get richer by throwing away the lives of our children to get more money for them and we are DUMB enough to support their addiction to money!

Is there such a thing as a 6 star cluster_f?

Maybe Iraq and Afganistan together? No. That would be a 10 star one.

hmmm being there is like 10 trillion in oil there they gould sell and then pay us back....

quote:

Originally posted by BadTofusRevenge:
2.4 Trillion is a SMALL price to pay for Freedom. Raise military budget... Drops politicians Pay.

"Drop Politicians Pay"?

Where will the rest of the 2.3999999999 Trillion Come From?

A Small price to pay for Platitudes.

Turn the MISInformation that got us into this debacle in the first place into Capital and there's your financing for this MisAdventure.

We'd have enough leftover to address other pressing issues.

quote:

Originally posted by BadTofusRevenge:
2.4 Trillion is a SMALL price to pay for Freedom. Raise military budget... Drops politicians Pay.

Comments like this just amaze me to no end. I think some people fail to realize or comprehend how much a trillion dollars really is!!!

Since the figure given equates to about $8,000 for every man, woman, and child in the U.S. I suggest you pony up your share first and then see how much you support this misadventure in Iraq. Since I have a wife and 2 kids it may take me awhile to cough up my share of $32,000. But then again....I never supported this mess fromt the start.

We have already invested wayyyy wayyy too much money to pull out now. Anybody who has been to Iraq knows of the huge billion dollar bases there such as Spiker,Taji,TQ,Anaconda,Tal Afar,ETC i can guarentee we are not handing those FOBS over to the Iraqi's until they pay us what they owe us and then some with their oil We have traveled well beyond the line of "cut and run".
Its too late now we have already lost too many brothers in arms and invested way too much money to let it all be in Vain.