The Costs of War: $20 Billion Per Year for A.C.

[Trench]

Among The Costs Of War: Billions A Year In A.C.?

by NPR Staff

Listen: http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=137414737&m=137420858

June 25, 2011

The amount the U.S. military spends annually on air conditioning in Iraq and Afghanistan: $20.2 billion, according to a former Pentagon official.

That's more than NASA's budget. It's more than BP has paid so far for damage from the Gulf oil spill. It's what the G-8 has pledged to help foster new democracies in Egypt and Tunisia.

"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," Steven Anderson tells weekends on All Things Considered guest host Rachel Martin. He's a retired brigadier general who served as chief logistician for Gen. David Petraeus in Iraq. He's now in the private sector, selling technologies branded as energy-efficient to the Defense Department.

http://www.npr.org/2011/06/25/137414737/among-the-costs-of-war-20b-in-air-conditioning?ps=cprs

_______________________________________________

Could someone remind me again why we're over there?

:0corn

 

[StevieD]

What a disgrace. And for what?

 

[Trampled Underfoot]

What a disgrace. And for what?

Well some people are making money off of us. :shrug:

Why else do we fight these wars? It's not for freedom. :facepalm:

 

[Duff Miver]

Marine will be along to explain just why we need to flush thousands of men and trillions of dollars down this sewer.

 

[Trampled Underfoot]

Marine will be along to explain just why we need to flush thousands of men and trillions of dollars down this sewer.

Well he wants that bonus! :facepalm:

 

[Trench]

It's only fitting that NPR's reporting this since John Boehner and his fellow Republican chuckleheads saved the economy by cutting NPR's funding.

It's not that I have a problem with trying to keep our troops comfortable in 125 degree temperatures. God knows they've earned it. But once again it reveals the bipolar mentality of neoconservatives, who believe that ANY military spending is justified, but the $5 million in public funding for NPR was a budget killer.

I hope NPR makes exposing the fleecing of America a mission of theirs.

 

[Duff Miver]

It's only fitting that NPR's reporting this since John Boehner and his fellow Republican chuckleheads saved the economy by cutting NPR's funding.

It's not that I have a problem with trying to keep our troops comfortable in 125 degree temperatures. God knows they've earned it. But once again it reveals the bipolar mentality of neoconservatives, who believe that ANY military spending is justified, but the $5 million in public funding for NPR was a budget killer.

I hope NPR makes exposing the fleecing of America a mission of theirs.

Yep, John Boehner & Co. certainly know how to save money. Defunding NPR saved less than 2 cents per citizen.

Hell, that's less than Boehner's liquor bill.

 

[The Sponge]

i wonder if the Iraqi's see one cent of this money. Hilarious that we are supposed to be protecting them and we have to pay this bill. Why do i think halliburton gets a portion of this money?

 

[Turfgrass]

Come on guys...blame it on "AC"...really?

"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,"

I guess you could apply it to food too...or anything for that matter (Bombs or Bullets), seems like quite a stretch.

 

[WhatsHisNuts]

Come on guys...blame it on "AC"...really?

"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,"

I guess you could apply it to food too...or anything for that matter (Bombs or Bullets), seems like quite a stretch.

Well, when the total cost gets brought up, the right wing, war lovers brush it off. Maybe pointing out the line item expenses will get your attention. Looks like it kind of did.

 

[Turfgrass]

Well, when the total cost gets brought up, the right wing, war lovers brush it off. Maybe pointing out the line item expenses will get your attention. Looks like it kind of did.

So let me get this straight...if we don't provide air conditioning we can save 20 BILLION right off the top of the cost of being there?

Dumbest thing I have ever read. :facepalm:

 

[WhatsHisNuts]

So let me get this straight...if we don't provide air conditioning we can save 20 BILLION right off the top of the cost of being there?

Dumbest thing I have ever read. :facepalm:

No, that is an example of the types of costs that roll up into the ENORMOUS figure that we spend to be there. We shouldn't be there, period. With the technology we have already invested in, there is no fucking reason we should be spending money to fucking live there.

 

[Turfgrass]

No, that is an example of the types of costs that roll up into the ENORMOUS figure that we spend to be there. We shouldn't be there, period. With the technology we have already invested in, there is no fucking reason we should be spending money to fucking live there.

Oh, I get it...so it doesn't "really" cost 20 Billion to run a few air conditioners, it's all the costs that roll up into the ENORMOUS figure that we spend to be there. Well, I'm glad we can agree on that.

Sorry, I thought this was a story about air conditioning. My mistake.

Carry on.
:0003

 

[WhatsHisNuts]

Oh, I get it...so it doesn't "really" cost 20 Billion to run a few air conditioners, it's all the costs that roll up into the ENORMOUS figure that we spend to be there. Well, I'm glad we can agree on that.

Sorry, I thought this was a story about air conditioning. My mistake.

Carry on.
:0003

Apparently you do not get it. According to this article, it really does cost $20 Billion for air conditioning.

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.costofwar.com/costofwar-embed.js"></script>Here's the ENORMOUS figure I was referring to:
<style type="text/css"> #costOfWarTotal { text-align: center; width: 270px; font-weight: bold; } #costOfWarTotal_Total { font-size: 1.3em; font-weight: bold; color: #990000; } #costOfWarTotal_Link { font-size: .7em; } </style><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.costofwar.com/costofwar-embed.js"></script>
<style type="text/css"> #costOfWarTotal { text-align: center; width: 270px; font-weight: bold; } #costOfWarTotal_Total { font-size: 1.3em; font-weight: bold; color: #990000; } #costOfWarTotal_Link { font-size: .7em; } </style>
<div id="costOfWarTotal"> <script language="JavaScript"> initCostOfTotal(); updateCostOfTotal(100); </script> </div>
<script language="JavaScript"> initCostOfTotal(); updateCostOfTotal(100); </script>

 

[Trench]

Oh, I get it...so it doesn't "really" cost 20 Billion to run a few air conditioners, it's all the costs that roll up into the ENORMOUS figure that we spend to be there. Well, I'm glad we can agree on that.

Sorry, I thought this was a story about air conditioning. My mistake.

Carry on.
:0003

Are you serious? You really don't get this? Are you calling the former Brigadier General in charge of logistics for Gen. Patreaus a liar?

As Gary said, the $20 billion per year we spend on air conditioning our troops illustrates the insanity of our presence there.

 

[Turfgrass]

Apparently you do not get it. According to this article, it really does cost $20 Billion for air conditioning.

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.costofwar.com/costofwar-embed.js"></script>Here's the ENORMOUS figure I was referring to:
<style type="text/css"> #costOfWarTotal { text-align: center; width: 270px; font-weight: bold; } #costOfWarTotal_Total { font-size: 1.3em; font-weight: bold; color: #990000; } #costOfWarTotal_Link { font-size: .7em; } </style><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.costofwar.com/costofwar-embed.js"></script>
<style type="text/css"> #costOfWarTotal { text-align: center; width: 270px; font-weight: bold; } #costOfWarTotal_Total { font-size: 1.3em; font-weight: bold; color: #990000; } #costOfWarTotal_Link { font-size: .7em; } </style>
<div id="costOfWarTotal"> <script language="JavaScript"> initCostOfTotal(); updateCostOfTotal(100); </script> </div>
<script language="JavaScript"> initCostOfTotal(); updateCostOfTotal(100); </script>

I'm sorry I thought we had this cleared up...

I asked you, "if we don't provide air conditioning we can save 20 BILLION right off the top of the cost of being there?"

To that you said No.

Then you said, "According to this article, it really does cost $20 Billion for air conditioning."

So I'll ask you again, if we don't provide air conditioning we can save 20 BILLION right off the top of the cost of being there?


opcorn2

 

[Turfgrass]

Are you serious? You really don't get this? Are you calling the former Brigadier General in charge of logistics for Gen. Patreaus a liar?

As Gary said, the $20 billion per year we spend on air conditioning our troops illustrates the insanity of our presence there.

Yes, I think the dear Brigadier General in charge of logistics is being disingenuous at the very least.

20 BILLION is an astronomical number. Once you grab that concept you have to ask yourself, "How much does an air conditioner cost?" because aside from that?all the other costs incurred would have been incurred anyway.

---"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,"---

They still have to deliver food, fuel, and ammunition?therefore the infrastructure still exists. Hence it does not cost 20 BILLION for air conditioning.

You excel in telling everyone how brainless and dumb they are, and here you are taking the word of this one man as if it were the word of Al Gore.

:0003

 

[WhatsHisNuts]

I'm sorry I thought we had this cleared up...

I asked you, "if we don't provide air conditioning we can save 20 BILLION right off the top of the cost of being there?"

To that you said No.

Then you said, "According to this article, it really does cost $20 Billion for air conditioning."

So I'll ask you again, if we don't provide air conditioning we can save 20 BILLION right off the top of the cost of being there?


opcorn2

Exactly! I said we should cut costs by turning off the air conditioning, which would save 20 Billion! Actually, wait, I never said that. I said this is one of the expensive line item costs of having our military stationed in a place they should not be. Get them the hell out of there and we won't have to worry about costs like this. The price tag on this war is killing our country.

Feverishly anticipating your next ignorant response. :0003

 

[WhatsHisNuts]

Yes, I think the dear Brigadier General in charge of logistics is being disingenuous at the very least.

20 BILLION is an astronomical number. Once you grab that concept you have to ask yourself, "How much does an air conditioner cost?" because aside from that?all the other costs incurred would have been incurred anyway.

---"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,"---

They still have to deliver food, fuel, and ammunition?therefore the infrastructure still exists. Hence it does not cost 20 BILLION for air conditioning.

You excel in telling everyone how brainless and dumb they are, and here you are taking the word of this one man as if it were the word of Al Gore.

:0003

You're probably right. There are some shared expenses. Let's cut the number in half to $10B and see if that makes us all feel better.......Nope. I still think we should get the fuck out now.

 

[Turfgrass]

Exactly! I said we should cut costs by turning off the air conditioning, which would save 20 Billion! Actually, wait, I never said that. I said this is one of the expensive line item costs of having our military stationed in a place they should not be. Get them the hell out of there and we won't have to worry about costs like this. The price tag on this war is killing our country.

Feverishly anticipating your next ignorant response. :0003

I can't argue with such sound logic. You humble me and my meager intelligence. I am but a dim bulb blinded by your masterful response.

:0008