Article

2008-09-19 Afghanistan

US wants NATO to ante up: $20bn to fund Afghanistan effort

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Posted by Steve White 2008-09-19 00:00|| || Front Page|| [2 views ] Top

#1 Add another bil or two to buy up the poppies while you're at it. Or Afgh farmers could sell their harvest to the global pharma companies.

Posted by tep 2008-09-19 03:09|| 2008-09-19 03:09|| Front Page Top

#2 I dunno. Using a calculator, the cost of Afghani troops = $300,000 each. Just for the new ones. Sounds high to me. Let us open the books.

Posted by Vanc 2008-09-19 03:45|| 2008-09-19 03:45|| Front Page Top

#3 Wouldn't the 300,000 also cover the cost of the trainers and equipment? It may not be THAT high... I don't know.

Posted by Free Radical">Free Radical 2008-09-19 07:12|| 2008-09-19 07:12|| Front Page Top

#4 I've a better idea. Britain could start a program of enlisting its overcrowded prisons as "noncombatant" and unarmed soldiers in Afghanistan. Your basic labor battalions. And if they wanted to desert and join the Taliban, well, wouldn't that be a shame?

A win-win.

Posted by Anonymoose 2008-09-19 10:30|| 2008-09-19 10:30|| Front Page Top

#5 I had no idea flaming turbans was that high. My brother and I should start a business of it and put in a low-ball bid. Anyone else want in on this?

Posted by bigjim-ky 2008-09-19 14:29|| 2008-09-19 14:29|| Front Page Top

#6 Admiral Michael Mullen told the US congress last week he was "not convinced we're winning it in Afghanistan".

Seems like one should say what is required to win and then go about getting this and then go about winning.

Posted by JohnQC 2008-09-19 14:41|| 2008-09-19 14:41|| Front Page Top

#7 I dunno. Using a calculator, the cost of Afghani troops = $300,000 each. Just for the new ones. Sounds high to me. Let us open the books.

Are you taking into consideration officer training(academy/local)?

Senior-officer training?

How about training NCOs and SNCOs?

Technical training?

Continuing-training of troops?

Posted by Pappy 2008-09-19 15:37|| 2008-09-19 15:37|| Front Page Top

#8 Admiral Michael Mullen told the US congress last week he was "not convinced we're winning it in Afghanistan".

Ok, and what part of Afghanistan has a shoreline?

Then what exactly is the good Admiral's opinion worth again?

Posted by DLR 2008-09-19 16:09|| http://www.geocraft.com/WVFossils/ice_ages.html]">[http://www.geocraft.com/WVFossils/ice_ages.html] 2008-09-19 16:09|| Front Page Top

#9 Ok, and what part of Afghanistan has a shoreline? Then what exactly is the good Admiral's opinion worth again?

Admiral Mullen is the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

The JCS is responsible for ensuring personnel readiness, policy, planning and training of their respective military services. The JCS also act as military advisors to the President and the Secretary of Defense.

As such, Admiral Mullen is working within his capacity as senior military advisor and his opinion matters.

Posted by Pappy 2008-09-19 17:01|| 2008-09-19 17:01|| Front Page Top

#10 Not to mention the fact that supplies don't just show up at the ports in Pakistan out of thin air ....

Posted by lotp 2008-09-19 19:52|| 2008-09-19 19:52|| Front Page Top

#11 I see the $ sign but wouldn't they be paying in euros? ha!

As to Adm Mullen, we should hang on every word or haven't you noticed - the Dept of the Navy is methodically taking over the world. Not really a bad thing IMHO. ;~)

Posted by Last Breath Farm Resident 2008-09-19 22:40|| 2008-09-19 22:40|| Front Page Top

#12 might not need all that cash if a neighboring barbarian area was modified to glassland.

Posted by 3dc 2008-09-19 22:44|| 2008-09-19 22:44|| Front Page Top