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Author: TriSec    Date: 10/14/2014 10:24:35

Good Morning.

Today is our 4,755th day in Afghanistan, and our 117th day back in Iraq.

We'll start this morning as we always do; with the latest casualty figures from our ongoing wars, courtesy of Antiwar.com:

US Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 2,347
Other Military Deaths - Afghanistan: 1,127
Since our return to Iraq - 1

We find today's Cost of War passing through:

$ 1, 572, 509, 900, 000 .00



We're going to stick with the cost of war today. I'll start with something you may have heard from the good Dr. Maddow. Airplanes are expensive to buy and maintain, but they are also full of aluminium, steel, electronics, and rare earths, too. An enterprising salvager can often make some money cutting them up for scrap. But when it's essentially brand-new aircraft being sent to the scrapheap, somebody is coming out of this at a loss. Unfortunately, it's the American taxpayer.


Sixteen unusable transport aircraft that the U.S. government bought for the Afghan Air Force have been scrapped for pennies on the dollar, according to the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.

All told, the Defense Department spent $486 million for 20 G222 planes, of which 16 were sold as scrap to an Afghan construction company for about $32,000, the office announced Thursday in a news release. The remaining four planes are being stored at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

The Air Force let the contract for the planes — designated as C-27As by the U.S. government — with Alenia Aermacchi North America expire in March 2013 because the planes were often grounded due to a lack of spare parts.

After flight operations ended, the 16 planes in Afghanistan sat on the tarmac at Kabul International Airport until they were recently scrapped by the Defense Logistics Agency and sold for 6 cents per pound of scrapped material, wrote John F. Sopko, Special Inspector General for Afghan Reconstruction, in an Oct. 3 letter to Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James.

“I am concerned that officials responsible for planning and executing the scrapping the planes may not have considered other possible alternatives in order to salvage taxpayer dollars,” Sopko wrote.

Sopko has requested from the Air Force all documentation related to the decision to scrap the planes, including whether any alternatives were considered and what will happen to the four remaining planes. He also wants to know if the Air Force has taken any action against the companies responsible for building and maintaining the planes and if the service made any efforts to return the planes for a refund.

The 16 G222 aircraft were scrapped “to minimize impact on drawdown of U.S. forces in Afghanistan,” a Defense Department spokesman said.

“The Department of Defense and U.S. Air Force will consider plans for the remaining four aircraft and associated items located in Germany consistent with existing disposition procedures, to include screening for outside interest,” the spokesman said in an email. “The Department of Defense (DoD) strives to ensure every reconstruction project is executed in a manner that demonstrates responsible stewardship of taxpayers' dollars.”


But that's just equipment. Since we're back in an actual shooting war again, it's worth looking at the day-to-day operations. Top of the line fighter and attack aircraft aren't cheap - they cost millions to manufacture, and most of them cost many thousands of dollar per hour to fly on fuel costs alone. Then there's the maintenance costs, personnel to support them, and of course weapons, which are essentially expendable. It all adds up.


On Saturday, Oct. 4, Day 58 of the American campaign against the Islamic State, U.S. aircraft carried out nine strikes inside Iraq and Syria, destroying two tanks, three Humvees, one bulldozer and an unidentified vehicle. The strikes also hit several teams of Islamic State fighters and destroyed six of their firing positions.

At first glance, that might seem like a lot of damage. Leaving aside the significance of killing Islamic State militants and only looking at equipment, the tanks were worth an estimated $4.5 to $6.5 million apiece and each Humvee cost $150,000 to $250,000, bringing the total value of the equipment destroyed to somewhere between $9.5 and $13.8 million.

But that’s less impressive when one considers that each U.S. “strike” against the self-proclaimed Islamic State can involve several aircraft and munitions and cost up to $500,000, according to Todd Harrison, an expert with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, a Washington-based defense think tank.

Harrison said the cheapest possible strike could cost roughly $50,000 — assuming a single plane dropping one of the cheaper types of bombs. But the majority of airstrikes cost much more, involving F-15s, F-16s, F-22s and other aircraft that cost $9,000 to upward of $20,000 per hour to operate and explosives that cost tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Harrison noted that each strike’s price “depends on the distance to the target site, how long it may need to loiter, what type of aircraft is used, and whether it needs aerial refueling (and how many times).”

But using his $500,000 upper estimate, last Saturday’s strike missions alone cost as much as $4.5 million. And those figures don’t even include the intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance flights necessary to scope out targets ahead of strikes, which have helped make even the low-level campaign against the Islamic State hugely expensive. The Pentagon revealed on Monday that it has spent as much as $1.1 billion on military operations against the Islamic State since June.

Even more disheartening, most, if not all, of the equipment being destroyed originally came from the United States — which is why we’re able to estimate its worth. It was given to the Iraqi army ahead of the U.S. military’s withdrawal in 2011 and captured by the Islamic State when it advanced into Iraq earlier this year. That means Washington is now spending hundreds of millions of dollars from the U.S. Treasury to destroy Humvees, tanks and other weapons that American taxpayers purchased. The situation has led some observers to joke that the Pentagon should christen the mission “Operation Hey, That’s My Humvee.”

Last Saturday’s strikes are indicative of a key complexity of the U.S.-led campaign in Iraq and Syria: In throwing its hugely expensive 21st-century weaponry at a band of insurgents, the Pentagon is using planes that can cost nearly $200 million apiece against pickup trucks costing virtually pennies in comparison.

That’s not a new problem for the United States. In the aftermath of the Sept. 11 attacks, President George W. Bush famously told four senators that he wasn’t “going to fire a $2 million missile at a $10 empty tent and hit a camel in the butt.”

Just one Tomahawk cruise missile costs more than $1 million. The United States launched at least 47 last month, though many of them reportedly targeted the mysterious Khorasan Group, and not the Islamic State.


But of course, we're not the only ones in Iraq and Afghanistan. I'm sure other countries are also having some trouble with fraud, waste, and abuse....but after reading our lead stories, I'm just stunned by the audacity and hypocrisy of this story. Glass House, you know?


UNITED NATIONS — The congressionally created watchdog responsible for monitoring U.S. reconstruction funds in Afghanistan blasted the United Nations' chief development agency for exercising a "baffling" lack of oversight of a fraud-tainted, multibillion-dollar program that funds the payroll of the Afghan police.

The Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, or SIGAR, on Monday disclosed a series of letter exchanges with Helen Clark, the administrator of the U.N. Development Program (UNDP), detailing the allegations.

The accusations could prove particularly awkward for Clark, a former prime minister of New Zealand who is believed to be a likely candidate to succeed Ban Ki-moon as U.N. secretary-general when the former South Korean foreign minister steps down in December 2016.

Clark has sought to cultivate a reputation in recent months as a reformer, with a series of budget-cutting measures that threatened layoffs at the U.N.'s chief development agency. In July, UNDP announced a plan to eliminate 10 percent of its 1,700 staffers at its New York headquarters and regional hubs in order to "produce a leaner organization, eliminating areas of duplication and relocating more staff" to the field. The charges leveled by the American watchdog, however, could tarnish that record.

John Sopko, the special inspector general, is investigating whether the UNDP-administered Law and Order Trust Fund for Afghanistan may have misspent hundreds of millions of dollars. The fund, also known as LOTFA, has received about $3.17 billion in donations from foreign donors, including $1.2 billion from the United States, since its establishment in 2002. The money pays the salaries and pensions of Afghan national police and other officials.

In a Sept. 12 letter to Clark, Sopko said he is looking into allegations that the Afghan interior ministry may have pocketed more than $200 million in so-called "deductions" over the past decade. He also voiced concern about the Afghan government's payment of inflated salaries, and payments to "ghost employees" who never worked. Sopko said international concern about the possible misuse of funds was running particularly high among European donors, who told him during a recent visit to Afghanistan that the European Union intends to condition more than 30 percent of its future financial contributions to LOTFA to a commitment by Afghan authorities to step up "cooperation and transparency." That could potentially hold up tens of millions of dollars in funding.

A separate audit by the Pentagon's inspector general also uncovered irregularities in the program, including allegations that Afghanistan's interior ministry could not account for $17.4 million in pension withholdings and nearly $10 million in additional payroll deductions during 2013.

But when the Defense Department auditors pressed officials in the Afghan defense ministry to explain the irregularities, "they were warned that if they continued" the inquiry, "their lives may be in jeopardy."


We lost any credibility in critiquing this war long ago; perhaps even the day we invaded in the first place.
 

41 comments (Latest Comment: 10/15/2014 02:21:18 by Scoopster)
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Comment by Mondobubba on 10/14/2014 12:59:08
Good morning? :tumble weeds:




Comment by wickedpam on 10/14/2014 13:01:26
Morning

Comment by velveeta jones on 10/14/2014 13:02:37
Good morning peeps! Spending the morning at the computer..... at least until the weather knocks out power, wi-fi, etc....

Until then

Comment by velveeta jones on 10/14/2014 13:18:40
Oh, and I just found the chat room. But my ... it moves way too fast for this old gal.

Comment by Scoopster on 10/14/2014 13:52:43
Good mornin' mon peeps!

Ugh.. Had a major ad snafu on the website when I arrived today but now it's fixed.

Comment by Mondobubba on 10/14/2014 14:01:23
My general misanthropy is cranked to 11 today. Talk me down.

Comment by Raine on 10/14/2014 14:39:50
Quote by Mondobubba:
My general misanthropy is cranked to 11 today. Talk me down.
The Dr. is in. Tell me what is going on….

Good morning! Sister love and fan just left.

Comment by Scoopster on 10/14/2014 14:40:12
My throat is killin me - I have some kind of upper respiratory mess goin on.

And I have a cramp on the top of my foot. Like really? My body hates me today.

Comment by Raine on 10/14/2014 14:40:30
Quote by velveeta jones:
Good morning peeps! Spending the morning at the computer..... at least until the weather knocks out power, wi-fi, etc....

Until then
Glad to hear you still have power.


Comment by Mondobubba on 10/14/2014 14:52:42
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Mondobubba:
My general misanthropy is cranked to 11 today. Talk me down.
The Dr. is in. Tell me what is going on….

Good morning! Sister love and fan just left.



My normal free floating dislike of most of humanity has been cranked. But then a lovely woman said something mildly naughty to me. I am better now.

Comment by TriSec on 10/14/2014 14:56:42
Morning, comrades. Here is your alarmist Trisec:

Did you hear about the Ebola scare at Logan yesterday? A planeful of pilgrims just back from Mecca. The Hajj is just over- think of thousands of pilgrims living in primitive conditioins for a week. There's an awful lot of Muslims in Nigeria, some of which likely made the trip.

If there's a tipping point, this is it.

Comment by Mondobubba on 10/14/2014 15:01:58
Quote by TriSec:
Morning, comrades. Here is your alarmist Trisec:

Did you hear about the Ebola scare at Logan yesterday? A planeful of pilgrims just back from Mecca. The Hajj is just over- think of thousands of pilgrims living in primitive conditioins for a week. There's an awful lot of Muslims in Nigeria, some of which likely made the trip.

If there's a tipping point, this is it.


Get a grip man, you sould like Fox News.

Comment by TriSec on 10/14/2014 15:26:27
Nah, just doing the math. ( or meth). I don't touch anyone else's poop, so I have nothing to be afraid of, right?

Comment by Raine on 10/14/2014 16:14:12
SO I hope everyone got to see the tons of pictures my sister took over the weekend! They were amazing shots.

Comment by Will in Chicago on 10/14/2014 16:15:10
Hello, bloggers!

My sister-in-law is sick as is my brother. So, I get to play caretaker while job hunting. Sadly, no word from the charter schools that called me lately.


Comment by Scoopster on 10/14/2014 16:32:19
<- tea, earl grey, hot.

Comment by Will in Chicago on 10/14/2014 17:10:11
I may have forget to mention it, but on Sunday, several houses across the street from my sister's apartment caught fire. Two firefighters were hurt and are recovering.

Comment by Raine on 10/14/2014 17:13:16
Quote by Will in Chicago:
I may have forget to mention it, but on Sunday, several houses across the street from my sister's apartment caught fire. Two firefighters were hurt and are recovering.
That sucks. Are the families displaced?

Comment by Will in Chicago on 10/14/2014 17:45:27
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Will in Chicago:
I may have forget to mention it, but on Sunday, several houses across the street from my sister's apartment caught fire. Two firefighters were hurt and are recovering.
That sucks. Are the families displaced?



The Red Cross had to help 10 people find housing. When I talked to my Mom (who lives with my sister), she said that the buildings were being boarded up. My sister and a few other people heard an explosion.

Comment by Will in Chicago on 10/14/2014 17:48:30
Here is a link to the story from WGN-TV.

Comment by Scoopster on 10/14/2014 17:53:29
I'm feeling really dizzy all of a sudden.

Comment by Will in Chicago on 10/14/2014 18:01:08
Quote by Scoopster:
I'm feeling really dizzy all of a sudden.



Drink some water and see if the feeling continues. If you do not feel better, see a doctor.


Comment by Raine on 10/14/2014 18:02:29
Quote by Scoopster:
I'm feeling really dizzy all of a sudden.
have you eaten anything? Are you hungry?


Comment by Scoopster on 10/14/2014 18:08:44
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Scoopster:
I'm feeling really dizzy all of a sudden.
have you eaten anything? Are you hungry?

I had a breakfast sandwich on the way in and since then just a couple handfuls of almonds & some tea (w/ sugar) for my sore throat.

Comment by Will in Chicago on 10/14/2014 18:09:37
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Scoopster:
I'm feeling really dizzy all of a sudden.
have you eaten anything? Are you hungry?

I had a breakfast sandwich on the way in and since then just a couple handfuls of almonds & some tea (w/ sugar) for my sore throat.


I believe that lunch would be a good idea for you. Go get something or ask someone to bring you lunch.


Comment by Raine on 10/14/2014 18:14:14
Comment by wickedpam on 10/14/2014 18:16:35
Quote by Raine:
The DSCC are idiots.



Comment by Raine on 10/14/2014 18:38:56
Comment by Raine on 10/14/2014 18:39:53
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
The DSCC are idiots.

I don't get this. She is so damn close in the polls. EVen friggin Bill CLinton went down there to campaign for her.

Foot meet bullet.




Comment by wickedpam on 10/14/2014 18:44:37
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
The DSCC are idiots.

I don't get this. She is so damn close in the polls. EVen friggin Bill CLinton went down there to campaign for her.

Foot meet bullet.




IKR! Makes me think maybe some deal was made.


Comment by Will in Chicago on 10/14/2014 18:45:04
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
The DSCC are idiots.

I don't get this. She is so damn close in the polls. EVen friggin Bill CLinton went down there to campaign for her.

Foot meet bullet.




This is idiotic, but I have so little faith in the current leadership of the Democratic Party. I fear that their inner warriors resemble the Smurfs. I fear that the poor leadership may get us a Senate that is under the control of Mitch McConnell.

Actions like this alienate Democrats and make us wonder who is running the party.


Comment by Scoopster on 10/14/2014 18:47:00
Quote by Will in Chicago:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
The DSCC are idiots.

I don't get this. She is so damn close in the polls. EVen friggin Bill CLinton went down there to campaign for her.

Foot meet bullet.




This is idiotic, but I have so little faith in the current leadership of the Democratic Party. I fear that their inner warriors resemble the Smurfs. I fear that the poor leadership may get us a Senate that is under the control of Mitch McConnell.

Actions like this alienate Democrats and make us wonder who is running the party.

It's not like they don't have the money either.. they've been outraising the NRSC big time (but that's mostly because all the big donors give to the Kock-run SuperPACs now).

Comment by Raine on 10/14/2014 18:50:30
I guess the DSCC really does want to get money out of politics….

Comment by Raine on 10/14/2014 18:54:21
A case happening in Alexandria US district court.

No one in congress has called for any investigation. The pentagon has been very very quiet about this.




Comment by livingonli on 10/14/2014 18:56:53
It sounds like the DSCC wants to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory since that seat could be flipped since Mitch isn't so popular either, but no surprise here since Howard Dean stepped down it's been back to the stupid moves.

Comment by Will in Chicago on 10/14/2014 18:57:50
Quote by Scoopster:
Quote by Will in Chicago:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
The DSCC are idiots.

I don't get this. She is so damn close in the polls. EVen friggin Bill CLinton went down there to campaign for her.

Foot meet bullet.




This is idiotic, but I have so little faith in the current leadership of the Democratic Party. I fear that their inner warriors resemble the Smurfs. I fear that the poor leadership may get us a Senate that is under the control of Mitch McConnell.

Actions like this alienate Democrats and make us wonder who is running the party.

It's not like they don't have the money either.. they've been outraising the NRSC big time (but that's mostly because all the big donors give to the Kock-run SuperPACs now).


I have learned that you have to take chances in order to win. Unfortunately, I fear that our Democratic party leaders are afraid of risks.


Comment by Mondobubba on 10/14/2014 19:01:48
Quote by Raine:
A case happening in Alexandria US district court.

No one in congress has called for any investigation. The pentagon has been very very quiet about this.





Like they were fitted with a


wait for it
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
A silencer?


:rimshot:





Comment by Mondobubba on 10/14/2014 19:05:40
Comment by Mondobubba on 10/14/2014 19:15:18
Comment by Raine on 10/14/2014 19:39:30
I can't say I disagree.

FFS, Go for the neck!


Comment by Scoopster on 10/15/2014 02:21:18
Just picked up the new Prince albums, first one playing now as I pump out the heavy black mage damage. It's pretty decent so far.