Cost of air conditioning for U.S. troops in MidEast more than NASA budget

[derby378]

Source: Raw Story

The United States spends $20.2 billion annually on air conditioning for troops stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan — more than NASA's entire budget, NPR reported.

In fact, the same amount of money that keeps soldiers cool is the amount the G-8 has committed to helping the fledgling democracies in Tunisia and Egypt.

The necessary cooling costs so much because of the remote locations and danger involved in delivery equipment and fuel, Steven Anderson, a retired logistician who served under Gen. David Petraeus in Iraq.

"When you consider the cost to deliver the fuel to some of the most isolated places in the world — escorting, command and control, medevac support — when you throw all that infrastructure in, we're talking over $20 billion," Anderson told NPR. "You've got risks that are associated with moving the fuel almost every mile of the way."

Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/06/26/cost-of-air-conditioning-for-u-s-troops-in-mideast-more-than-nasa-budget/

[northoftheborder]

1. cooling the soldiers in the desert to the tune of 20 billion is insane. bring them home.

[derby378]

4. I agree...

...especially since our continued occupation of Iraq is ILLEGAL to begin with. Why are we still there? :mad:

[No Elephants]

30. What happened to Dummya Bush's timetable for departure? Are we not still following it?

[Thegonagle]

106. Not since "Mission Accomplished," it would seem.

I thought it was supposed to be "six days, maybe six weeks, I doubt six months."

I want to believe in Hell in the afterlife for those people, but what about the Hell they've created on Earth?

[liberalmike27]

63. Wow

These wars are a representation of the continued corporate dominance over our government, to the detriment both directly, in soldiers and "the enemy" dying, and indirectly, in expense and planet and relationships continually damaged.

Our congress and president both to some extent, continue to work for corporations, who bribe them to do thinks. It isn't a surprise, since military companies are located in 48 of 50 states. Our country is sick, and honestly I do not know how to fix it with normal means.

[ixion]

2. I have no appropriate words to describe the depth of my disgust

and that's saying something. :puke:

[shanti]

15. ita

:(

[defendandprotect]

17. It clearly moves these wars into the criminal column ... and all of those supporting them!!

[ImNotTed]

62. I second that puking

and will spew it on the next fucking moron who bleats about "wasting" money on NASA.

[krabigirl]

102. Same here.

[The Big Vetolski]

3. I don't begrudge the troops air-conditioning, but I do begrudge them

being over there in the first place. GET THEM OUT OF THERE!

[derby378]

5. Fortunes for the occupation, but only pennies for space exploration

Where is Obama's head at? I know Bush tied his hands to a certain extent, but it's been over two years. Come on.

[neverforget]

6. The MIC must be fed. It above all else is sacrosanct. SS, Medicare

Medicaid, meh

[Name removed]

67. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

69. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[izquierdista]

7. I do

I don't believe Gen. Patton had A/C in North Africa, and the soldiers still survived. If the military can create conditions like home, with Burger Kings and A/C and Skype links to home, then it will still be seen as a viable career choice for a 20-somethings. As Gen. Sherman said, "war is hell". It should be hell, so that everyone from privates to generals to politicians has absolutely no desire to engage in it.

[James48]

8. Believe me when I tell you that

Everyone from privates to generals would like nothing better than to come home. They have absolutely no desire to engage in war. No one hates war more than a soldier, for it is the soldier who suffers and pays the price.

Don't even for a minute think that soldiers are in Iraq and other various hell holes of the world because they LIKE it. They are there because they have been ordered to be there. Nothing more.

[harmonicon]

11. I keep forgetting...

that not a single person has joined the military since November 2001 thinking that they could be going to war. I don't know the exact numbers, but I think it's only about 50 or 60 people who have volunteered in the last ten years, and I'm sure they were all PROMISED domestic clerical duty.

[blank space]

56. What ?

seriously ?

You spoken to a modern soldier or is this something from Horatio Hornblowers time. This isn't platoon and conscription. This isn't volunteering for your country - these are xbox warriors, more than half these guys never see the outside of a compound, most never see the outside of the states, remote drone strikes operate out of caravans in nevada !

These guys don't wanna go to work as much as I don't want to go to work.

There are PLENTY who go out there and risk their lives, to be sure, but if you factor the numbers involved and the death rates for total mission numbers you are safer in the military than on an oil rig.

If you are talking purely, and only those, who go on high risk missions - which is ridiculously low numbers considering everything involved, then yeah, maybe your right, but most of these guys are career soldiers and mercs who love it.

The Australians are all career soldiers, they LOVE this shit.

When you have 20 billion in supplying transport, infrastructure, fuel, maintenance, installation JUST FOR AIR CONDITIONING, think about the numbers involved in non combat roles. When you throw in the massive over reliance on drones and remote warfare - things just keep on stacking up against the idea most of these guys are out there staring down snipers from the old bell tower.

[SaveAmerica]

88. This, to me, is such an oversimplification of what's going on in the ME

"safer in the military than on an oil rig"? Wow.

"More than half never see the outside of a compound". You don't think mortars are lobbed into compounds? Are the military magically arriving in the compound? Kind of Jeannie blinked into Baghdad?

I don't know whether you served in Iraq or Afghanistan but it seems to me that if you write these things you add to what looks like a gross disconnect between civilians and the military and their families who have lived through a deployment. Your life can change within minutes of arriving in country, depending on which freak group is in the area when you arrive. That threat changes your perspective and fast, not to mention the cute little mortars that sent your way or IEDs if you're on the road. My husband had crap happen to him inside the compound and while traveling between compounds. You don't have to be 'staring down a sniper from a bell tower' to have your life endangered. Maybe where you were it was cushy, and I can see that - he was in several places and one month was almost a heavenly break from the crazy during his tour - but you don't have to have a combat MOS to have crazy happen to you there.

You and the person you responded to are speaking from 2 different ends of the spectrum but it looks like we all 3 are saying that we need to stop spending lives and trillions on these wars (well that's how I feel). Trapped in the middle of the discussion are the troops; the gung-ho ready to fight troops, the troops who stayed in cause they can't leave their buddies, and those who don't know the reality of what they're getting into.

I apologize if I sound bitchy, that's just where I am. So sick of it all.

[Bandit]

57. Many if not most in the Military vote Republican and hence for more war..

They do indeed like war and the glory that supposedly comes with it...War is the quickest road to promotion for officers...

[dotymed]

68. Well, I don't agree.

I live near Ft. Campbell, Ky. I speak with many soldiers. Usually after their first tour, the majority are eager to return. They like it. They get the extra pay and the camaraderie and living conditions are better than many Americans enjoy. That has been my observation.

I remember living here during the Viet-Nam war. It was much different. Most soldiers after their first, one year deployment, never wanted to return. They lived in hellish conditions unless they were in the DMZ. Of course some did want to return, because while "war is hell", some (not a large percentage) found life preferable in the war to life stateside.

[JonLP24]

83. I buy

the extra pay and camaraderie but the living conditions are FAR from what most Americans enjoy. The only place I ever found a toilet like the ones we got in the US was in Zone 1 in Camp Arifjan. Everywhere else either had an outhouse or port-o-john. Many of the port-o-johns were eastern toilets.

We do have a quite a bit of hard to adjust to life in the states that many do want to return. I know I was like that for awhile.

[dotymed]

86. I am sure there are many hardships and your life is on the line.

IDK the answer, but I have talked with a lot of young people who, when informed of a second tour (especially it seems, in Iraq), are happy. It is confounding. I remember Viet-Nam, 1 year mandatory tours. It was a hell hole (a beautiful place though) and very few wanted to pull more than 1 tour... in this area anyway.

[SaveAmerica]

89. You wanted to return to Afghan. or found it hard to adjust? I think a lot of

times some of those who are ready to return are having a hard time adjusting stateside and they are mentally more comfortable being deployed. Does that make sense?

As for this discussion, you can't really put deployments into any one box. It's such a mix of facilities, locations, and levels of safety it's not easy to paint it with one brushstroke.

Are you in the US now? Are you AD?

[JonLP24]

91. I should point

out I never been to Afghanistan just Iraq. I feel that I fair amount of knowledge what facilities bases have from Kuwait to Iraq because I was a long haul truck driver (like semi trucks in the US but our trailers had an extra axle so it was a "22-wheeler" rather than "18 wheeler") but you're right it is a mix. Some bases had much more than others, Camp Arif Jan in Kuwait is the best when it comes to those kind of things but it is south of Kuwait City which averages 117 in the summertime. It is way hotter than where I live now--Phoenix, Arizona.

What you said makes PERFECT sense. After I came back I was going through alcoholism, depression, anxiety attacks, and started to get into trouble where before I was deployed (and during) I had a spotless record. When we had some new soldiers in the unit and when soldiers who deployed with me pointed out to them about me the new soldiers asked me, "Why? Is it because you don't want to deploy(we had a deployment date but it was relatively far down the road)" I told them no and that I would actually be willing to pack my duffel bags to head out. I can't explain it in a way it makes sense, it is like everything in Iraq made sense while things going on the states didn't.

Yes living in the US now. No longer AD or RA or guard.

[SaveAmerica]

92. Yeah, it's a different reality and I wonder if it messes with your mind more to go back and forth

between the realities like that, up and down, back and forth.

A couple observations; I spoke with a friend who served in Iraq and Afghanistan and even though he was combat in each, came back angrier from his Iraq deployment. Maybe because of the added trauma of constantly watching for years of IED's scattered across the dessert? I don't know, but you were trans and that (in my book) puts you up there with combat troops, you had to watch every inch of everywhere you went to get stuff to our troops. Thank you.

If you haven't already checked in with the VA, give them a shout. It could help you sometime down the road. Find some guys to talk with, so many out there needing to connect. Send me an e-mail if you need to talk, take care.

[boycottfaux]

70. Interesting

Why do most of them re-up and do more than one tour.  Many of
the troops do 3 or 4 tours because when they come home, they
feel they can't fit into their homelife or their community . .

They miss their squad, the action, their guns, the danger . .

I only wish they all get counseling when they decide to remain
stateside . .

[SaveAmerica]

90. What you write is true of some, of course not all. Counseling should be a requirement. This is unlik

any other time in our military's history and I think it's really important that it should be mandatory for everyone returning to have counseling.

So many marriages shattered, so many children's lives changed.

[MiddleFingerMom]

74. !!!

.
.
.
:applause::applause::applause:
.
.
.

[zeemike]

75. Well I can't believe it.

Because I have seen some that love the conflict and the idea of killing people.
It gives them a sense of power and they serve as an example to the rest of what a real soldier should be....a killing machine.
There are sociopaths in the military I am sure...and many of them love it.

[JonLP24]

21. I've been there

Iraq/Kuwait specifically. It was literally the furthest thing from home. However AC was a lifesaver. Ability to get online varies drastically. A few places have free computers set-up where you sign in and wait for an open computer and you get 30 minutes or an hour if somebody is waiting. Most places have very expensive pay internet which only gives a certain amount of time depending on what you buy.

I looked at the BKs as just a place for food. Selection is limited, I remember one time I went to a Popeyes and they didn't have any chicken, only chicken sandwiches. I always preferred to save my money and eat at the DFAC.

on edit-You don't have to worry much about the computers with internet connections. Those are found in MWR buildings which are funded by purchases at AAFES. The pay-as-you-go internet is a separate entity which I forget who the corporation is.

[No Elephants]

31. Not taking sides, but just adding facts. During WWII, you could not even

get an unedited letter from home, or write one to your wife or mom.

There is no doubt things have been made more comfortable.

I don't begrudge that to anyone willing to die to keep me safe. However, I sure as hell do mind the war policies our government makes and sends our troops to implement.

JFK and Poppy Bush were among the few Presidents in recent memory who actually risked their lives in a war. With the volunteer army, it may be a long time before a CIC has any first hand knowledge of combat==or even of living in fear of being drafted.

I'm not sure that's a good thing.

[JonLP24]

79. I'm grateful for that

I'll admit Iraq is probably Disneyland compared to WWII. I know Customs as well as Navy Customs inspected your mail, usually looking for things like alcohol in mouthwash. I know someone who successfully received liquor in hydrogen peroxide bottles. When it came to phones I was told to watch what I say because someone could be listening.

I do agree with you about war policies. There hasn't been a foreign policy decision in the last 10 years I was happy with.

[dotymed]

65. Yes, our troops deserve air-conditioning.

They do not deserve to die for corporations.

Also, this contracting for all of our military logistics is insane. It is just another way to make the wealthy, wealthier, at the expense of our young people in the military.

Depleted Uranium, it is all so insane. I too must :puke:

[The Big Vetolski]

94. Thank you! nt

[Phlem]

9. I half wonder

that the reason they're over there and not home right now might be because they would destroy the unemployment figures. If he's doing some kind of balancing act with the pace of their withdrawal and the pace of the "growing" economy.

Just a thought.

-p

[Plucketeer]

10. There's at least an awareness of your suspicions.

Maybe it was on DU, but somewhere I read that if they ALL came home at once it would create real problems on the job market. Given that, I suppose we can consider our military budget a sort of "stimulus plan"! :rofl:

The whole damned military mightiness is just friggin' INSANE! :crazy: Starve kids and old folks here, but keep them safe from a few boogey-men scurrying thru the poppy fields of a prehistoric wasteland.

[spooked911]

38. the problem is that the military is EXTREMELY in efficient in terms of money to jobs

One soldier in Afghanistan costs $1 million a year.

We could have 20 decent jobs in the US for the same amount of money.

[999998th word]

13. I've said that for a long time.Bring them HOME-

Money could be better spent on quality of life issues here.

[spooked911]

39. abso-friggin-lutely

it's time to protest the insanity:
http://october2011.org/

[defendandprotect]

18. They used to carry miliary personnel as "unemployed" ...

they changed that some while back in gimmicking up the statistics --

you could be right --

As someone noted in September the TEACHERS they've been firing all over the country

will be coming onto the rolls -- and taxpayers will be paying for their benefits --

not corporations!!

[PavePusher]

45. "unemployed"? Got a cite for that, 'cause it sounds screwy as heck....? n/t

[defendandprotect]

96. No -- I don't ... but you could try googling ....

Read about that at some point -- probably something that happened after right

wing started to rise --

HOWEVER, BASED ON THE FACT THAT SOLDIERS USED TO COME HOME AFTER A FEW YEARS LOOKING

FOR JOBS, IT WAS A SENSIBLE THING TO DO.


Now we have perpetual wars and perpetual service in military, it seems!

[No Elephants]

32. Given that troops die, get crippled for life and so on, that's one hell of a callous balancing act

you're positing.

And that's without accounting for those we kill, those who get killed because of us and the anger against Americans we are feeding to new generations and that will most definitely come back to bite us.

[Phlem]

58. huh....

and here I thought sending people to get shot at and killed was more than levels of magnitude beyond callous.

-p

[MindPilot]

53. No, the troops would still be active duty.

They would not turn into civilians just because they are pulled from a combat zone; they would simply be deployed to another duty station.

[plantwomyn]

60. Only if they are active army and airmen.

National Guard units stand down. That's about 7% of the force. So that's still tens of thousands of new unemployed. Perhaps the "trickle down" theory is in the works here. We should be putting these troops to work rebuilding the armament that we are leaving in country. Too many of the states National Guard units have left their equipment in country. to the point where when we need them here they have no transport or equipment for emergencies. They should also be cross trained for the Army corp. of engineers to repair and rebuild our infrastructure. Over 500,000 troopers working all over the country to rebuild HERE. We are already paying these troopers. Let's use them to OUR advantage AND teach them something they can use in the REAL WORLD. Give them tax breaks if they get engineering, science or medical degrees.

[dotymed]

66. That is what happened after WWI and

IMO, helped the "New Deal" get passed. The soldiers were camping out in D.C. demanding the money and benefits that were promised to them. Of course, in steps the treasonous Robber Barons, who hired Smedley Butler to organize the disenfranchised soldiers into a coup.

It would have worked, but Butler was a patriot, especially after his awareness of the corporate beast who he had unknowingly worked for , for so many years. The worst part, IMO, was that FDR did not arrest and put these Robber Barons on trial for treason. If he had, I think we would have a very different (better) country. If he had survived the trial.

I wish our youth were taught actual history in our schools. I think that the standard text for History should be, A PEOPLES HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES, by HOWARD ZINN.

[Blue_Tires]

98. Yeah, opening fire on the "Bonus Army" was a very dark day in our history...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWvCCxOUsM8

[Lorien]

77. They could put them to work building and repairing infrastructure here at home

and helping flood, fire and tornado survivors. There is SO MUCH that could be done in terms of "public works" here in America that that shabby excuse holds no water whatsoever. It's simply that the owners are opposed to helping anyone but themselves. They destroy, they don't build and repair.

[PavePusher]

93. So could anyone on any kind of government assistance/paycheck.

If you know anything about the military, you'd know that even when not at war, we keep pretty busy.

And by the way, disaster relief is pretty much our second specialty. Please pay attention.

[harmonicon]

12. HAHAHAHAHAHA!!! I love LulzGov. They bring the lulz. nt.

[LongTomH]

14. A relevant quote from the late, great Bill Hicks

"Take all that money we spend on weapons and defenses each year and instead spend it feeding and clothing and educating the poor of the world, which it would pay for many times over, not one human being excluded, and we could explore space, together, both inner and outer, forever, in peace."

[spooked911]

40. Exactly! If we just spend half the money we spent for the military on diplomacy, we would have

such a better world.

[defendandprotect]

16. We buying gasoline in Afghanistan from KBR for $1,000 a gallon --

which would keep a helicopter in the air about 1 minute!!

[AtheistCrusader]

19. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.

[nonperson]

27. Lima Oscar Lima.

[Prometheus Bound]

20. That's about half of the entire Chinese military budget.

Or a third, depending on whose figures you use.

That's pretty funny!

[DeSwiss]

22. When you can kill in comfort, wars never end..... K&R - n/t

[Name removed]

46. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[MouseFitzgerald]

23. Stuff like this makes me want to give up

When you read stuff like this, you realize how fucking insane our leaders are. I am done with any democrat who cant unequivocally state that they are anti-war, this shit is never going to end if we keep nominating neo-liberal scumbags who only oppose wars if they are started or escalated by republicans.

[spooked911]

41. I know how you feel! It IS insane. We need massive anti-war protests

http://october2011.org/

[Enthusiast]

24. This is what I'm talkin' about.

Did they have air conditioning in WWII?

[JonLP24]

25. They probably didn't have

level 3 armor either in WW2.

[No Elephants]

33. Probably not, but few homes or other buildings in the U.S. had air conditioning during WW II.

[Joey Liberal]

35. My barracks (Army) had no air conditioning

Just sayin....

[AtheistCrusader]

61. Take away AC at the Capitol Bulding and Pentagon to compensate.

And put the swamp back.

[nonperson]

26. Someone please remind me why we're there

Bring all of the troops home now.

[No Elephants]

34. Oil and money.

[MrMickeysMom]

43. + a jillion

[dotymed]

71. every political speech I have heard says that

our brave soldiers are there protecting us. We all know, that we are there creating more terrorists.

IF you support the troops, you should support bringing them home.

[KansDem]

28. Another Halliburton "no-bid" contract?

Man, someone is making big bucks somewhere!

[kenfrequed]

80. Definitely!

This is the discussion that should be taking place around this issue. Are we being defrauded? I know a lot of servicemen that have had minimal access to air conditioning.

[No Elephants]

29. As home heating fuel subsidies for needy Americans get cut. Love dose priorities, Dems!

[JJW]

36. We spend 40 times more on this than new economy?

O proposes spend $ 500 million us dollars on revitalizing economy and we spend 40 times more on air conditioning in two stupid, missionless, and illegal wars. The insanity needs to end and O needs to go for breaking all his campaign promises.

[Vinca]

37. The Bush/Obama wars are bankrupting us.

It's obscene for them to sit around and threaten to cut grandma's medical care and food budget while this is taking place. Of course, I want our military people to be comfortable, but it would be a whole lot cheaper to accomplish if we brought them home.

[MrMickeysMom]

42. Well, THIS certainly puts it in perspective, doesn't it?

THIS is more important???

I have an idea... Let's take the last of what is left of NASA and go where no (one) has gone before.... Star Fleet Academy. Bet you'd get more than Trek fans like ME to support THAT.

Some of the best minds (before they all die off) enabled us to go where no one has gone before... the moon. Once you get that far out, you start viewing the world a little differently, too.

Live Long, and get all our troops home into some OTHER full-time employment, for fuck's sake.

[RoccoR5955]

44. The military budget MUST BE CUT! n/t

[No DUplicitous DUpe]

47. 55 million a DAY for A/C???

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

[krabigirl]

104. And the emissions it causes must not be too great for the environment.

[w8liftinglady]

48. my son told me it was 109 degrees in Afghanistan Friday.

now...consider the packs the troops carry,and you can imagine how freaking hot it is.
Shit blows up when it gets hot.
Patients don't do so well when they have a closed-head injury and are hot.
Um-yes...bring them home...now....but don't cook them while they are there.

No more talk about baking their asses while they are there.I know too many kids over there because there is nothing for them here.

[slay]

82. I hear ya

we just need to bring everyone home and use the money to start massive jobs and public infrastructure programs - tax the super-rich - and put the war profiteers on trial. Well, that's what we SHOULD do.. :(

i understand the need to stay cool over there - we just need to not be over there. i wish your son and everyone else over there all the best and a SPEEDY return home.

[JonLP24]

85. Bingo

"I know too many kids over there because there is nothing for them here." That was my story.

I do agree with the article suggesting they should move to greener technologies. The problem overseas is everything is powered by generators. Almost everything from AC to lights in the motor pool. And those require regular refills. Not an efficient way but I have no problem with AC. If it wasn't AC are cost of buying bottled water would multiply. I live in AZ and I actually have no AC. I constantly drink water and still find myself dehydrated.

[LeftyMom]

95. It gets that hot here. Hotter, sometimes. A couple of years ago it was 117.

Not everybody has air conditioning, and we're okay. Certainly no shit blowing up that I've noticed.

109? My kid sister used to go to football practice in weather like that, and spend hours running stairs with pads on in full sun. If a chunky twelve year old girl can run full tilt in that for hours, why do a bunch of healthy adults need millions and millions of dollars a day in air conditioning? That's just stupid and wasteful.

[JonLP24]

101. I live in

the Sonoran Desert in a house without a working AC. I have fans blowing actually. I drink lots of water and my urine is still often dark yellow. I sweat heavily and I have trouble sleeping because it is so hot. I also did football practice in the summertime(we did watch film and lift weights in air conditioned buildings), we had regular rest and water breaks but I still hated it. Also we had probably a handful suffer with muscle cramps. Anyways soldiers are already doing PT in heat and doing things outside in full gear.

With all the said either take the troops out from there or try some greener technologies but don't take the AC. Like I said we'd multiply the cost of bottle water plus we already have generators for things like lights around bases--almost everything is powered by generators on bases. I'm not whoever gave info to the article broke it down because it is gas that is being used which is being used for everything.

On edit-Why are we talking about getting rid of AC for known hot places while at the same time not making a peep about AC in cold places such as Ft. Lewis? Every building that I know of in Ft. Lewis has AC.

[krabigirl]

103. What about the people they fight? I guess they do ok without ac. Or even running water most likely.

[nuxvomica]

49. This was posted on "Adult Swim" last night

One of their text bumpers said something like: "The NASA budget is $20B. The DOD spends $20B just to air condition military tents in Afghanistan. This is why we haven't gone to Mars." They must listen to NPR over there.

[paparush]

50. Those damn, greedy teachers!!!!!!!!!!

:sarcasm:

[Thav]

51. How many children could be better educated for that?

Amazing, really amazing.

[YvonneCa]

107. Or at least educated in air-conditioned...

...classrooms.

Many school districts now educate kids for most of the summer...often in un-air conditioned classrooms. I would never oppose air-conditioning for our troops. They deserve it. But do we...do our leaders...ever stop to think about priorities when they make decisions?

One wonders... :patriot:

[sulphurdunn]

52. Political budget priorities.

The projected budget deficits for the 43 states running deficits and the District of Columbia for fiscal year 2011 is projected to be $103 billion. If you cancelled the deferred expiration of the Bush Tax Cuts for top income earners at $102 billion annually you could eliminate the state deficits or cancel proposed federal budget cuts of $100 billion. It's amazing that air conditioners could equal 1/5 the cost of all proposed federal budget cuts. Guess who's getting screwed?

[Blue_Tires]

54. Where are the media-whoring teabag deficit hawks on this?

You know; the ones this very morning squeezing every last nickel out of schools and public services??

[av8rdave]

55. If you're going to fight a war in that area, the cooling is important. BUT that begs the question:

Why would people be outraged over a cost of supporting the troops, but not be outraged over the fact they are still there in the first place?

If we want to reduce the cost of cooling the troops, let's get them out of the sandbox!

[Uncle Joe]

59. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, derby.

[SpankMe]

64. I understand the cost.

It is what it is...I don't begrudge the troops these services because without them there would be large numbers of heat deaths.

But, this unavoidable cost is another data point in the rationale to end the fucking wars and bring the troops home.

It just irks me that Republicans stubbornly refuse to allow taxes to be raised even in the face of increasing costs of doing business. This air conditioning is an unavoidable part of our security. It is an ever-increasing cost, and we must pay for it. It doesn't come for free.

All it would take is allowing certain prior tax cuts to expire for a scant 2-3% of us and we get a trillion more dollars to make ends meet.

[jwirr]

72. I suspect that there would be less soldiers willing to fight these wars

if they did not provide them with all these goodies. Air conditioning is just the beginning. Bases are small towns equipped with McDonalds and anything else they can think of.

[AlbertCat]

78. all these goodies

Yes.
I wonder how much it costs the Taliban & Al Qaeda to air condition their guys?


Like Sherman said: War is hell.... air conditioned hell...

These wars serve no other purpose than to make Government Contractors money.

Bring everybody home now!

[go west young man]

73. Modern day Rome.

It could be easily argued that our troops are indirectly killing our citizens at home. All the money spent on the military
is consuming the social safety net that people have worked for their whole lives. The military has become a paradox.
They are no longer defending the American people. They are destroying them. It may be indirect but the result is the same.
Lives lost at home.

[benld74]

76. F - U - B - A - R

[slay]

81. That's one hell of an A/C bill

n/t other than :puke:

[obxhead]

84. The original mars rover program had a total cost of 820 million.

That was for the building, launching, landing and operating the rovers on the surface for the initial 90 day period. The program was extended several times due to the unexpected durability to the tune of an additional 140 million or so.

For the cost of this AC we could be doing 10 to 20 of these missions every year on all the planets and their moons in our solar system. Obviously killing is more important than knowledge.

[Octafish]

87. How many new technologies have arisen from NASA research?

You're enjoying at least one, and possibly several more than a few, at this moment.

[shanti]

97. someone's raking in the bux

which company would that be?

[burrowowl]

99. K&R

Amazing

[Supply Side Jesus]

100. No pleasure, no rapture, no exquisite sin greater... than central air.

}(

[Yavin4]

105. The Best Way To Air Condition The Service Personnel Is To Bring Them Home

There's your exit excuse. It's too damn hot to fight.