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"According to CNN, the Pentagon comptroller said during a congressional budget meeting that it cost "about $850,000 per soldier" per year in Afghanistan. Meanwhile, the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments reached a more expensive conclusion: $1.2 million per soldier per year. The estimate is supposed to increase for 2012. "
I was 'stunned' to see we are spending $1M per soldier - no wonder our economy is going bankrupt with increasing deficit every year and there is no clear plan on paying down national debt
I remember hearing when this war begun that their real plan was to lure us into what we are doing now and defeat us by draining our money out. Now if that was common knowledge why why why are we doing exactly what they wanted? It was on tv, they said knowing aobut our past reactions to things like vietnam etc we get entrenched in stuff like this and an attack on our soil would make us react and get into it and not only drain us financially but bring money into that region. That whole crowd is pretty smart, they went to college, and sit around figuring out how to win a war. I think they might have succeeded.
I remember hearing when this war begun that their real plan was to lure us into what we are doing now and defeat us by draining our money out. Now if that was common knowledge why why why are we doing exactly what they wanted? It was on tv, they said knowing aobut our past reactions to things like vietnam etc we get entrenched in stuff like this and an attack on our soil would make us react and get into it and not only drain us financially but bring money into that region. That whole crowd is pretty smart, they went to college, and sit around figuring out how to win a war. I think they might have succeeded.
It's a nice conspiracy theory, and I could definitely see the strategy of a "weaker" opponent seeking to essentially tire us out over time. It's certainly sucking a heckuvalot of money out of our economy that could be put to much better use, but the lobbyists for defense contractors would disagree with me.
I'm not surprised or shocked. Afghanistan is one of the worst case supply chain scenarios that anyone could every imagine for long term US military involvement. It is almost exactly on the opposite side of the planet from the USA (East or West coast, about the same distance). None of the neighboring lands of Afghanistan are true friends or trusted allies of the US, and the biggest neighbor to the west (Iran) is the most hostile nation to the US that I can think of. The US has to bribe Pakistan and back pedal every which way in order to use the port of Karachi for shipments of supplies to Afghanistan, but it does not get there cheaply from Karachi. The 800+ mile land route from Karachi to Afghanistan is over trecherous and dangerous roads. Guard rails on the tight curve above a half mile tall cliff? Who needs guard rails?
Pakastani trucking companies are getting top dollar for those truck trips. I would not be surprised if the Taliban owns some of those trucking companies, to help finance the Taliban. US trucking companies would drool at the cost per kilometer that the US military is paying for trucks to deliver to Afghanistan. Of course, US trucking companies don't need heavily armed convoys to accompany the typical semi tractor trailer along the US interstate highway system.
It's easily over 1 million. It costs so much because the US has essentially contracted out this war. The guy who preps my food is not some PFC on KP its an India national who is paid about 2.80 an hour. Its not just laundry and other menial jobs it's also the mechanics who do up armor who are, to the max extent possible Third Country Nationals (TCNs) the cost of all these services are wrapped in in the cost to arrive at the 1 million dollar fiqure.
Lets not forget our solders, I know this may sound like blastphemy but think about it we take a 18 Yo with no skills, train them and after 4 years they are getting housing, medical and 24K a year (E4) and officer with the same time in (Captain) makes 60K.
If they stay until retirement they get 2.5% of high 3 in pension for the rest of their lives 100% indexed to inflation. Compare that to the nearest comp - a Federal employee with 'generous' pension at 1% partially indexed to inflation which can't be drawn to 60 under most circumstances. Both pay 100% social security. A somewhat specialized US expat contractor makes 120K/year of which the first 90K is tax free. Very specialized takes in 230K/yr, no pension though.
This statistic is nothing new and rises all the time. War can sometimes help boost an economy, as WWII did in the 1940s, but this war is just a waste (similar to Vietnam) in my opinion.
Ever wonder why we've been fighting the bad guys over in Afghanistan when Mexicans are freely walking across the southern border.
Couldn't they just walk across?
Two planes. Three buildings down.
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- no wonder our economy is going bankrupt with increasing deficit every year and there is no clear plan on paying down national debt 
