US$300,000 an hour: The cost of fighting ISIS

[webfact]

$300,000 an Hour: The Cost of Fighting ISIS
What price will the U.S. ultimately pay to neutralize the Islamic State?
URI FRIEDMAN

WASHINGTON: -- It's been 96 days since the United States launched its first airstrikes against ISIS militants in Iraq; 50 since it expanded that campaign into Syria. And on each one of those days, the U.S. government has spent an average of roughly $8 million, or more than $300,000 an hour, on the operation against the Sunni Muslim extremist group, according to Pentagon officials.

That's a trivial sum compared with the more than $200 million the U.S. pours each day into its 13-year war in Afghanistan (the National Priorities Project, which advocates for budget transparency, estimates that the U.S. has now spent more than $1.5 trillion on its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and against ISIS, since 2001). But the bean-counting matters, because the place values and line items offer clues to understanding the military offensive President Obama has committed the country to—and now asked Congress to bless.

On Tuesday, for instance, Defense News reported that most of the $5.6 billion in additional funding that Obama recently requested from Congress to fight ISIS will go toward training and equipping the Iraqi and Kurdish militaries, operating military aircraft over Syria and Iraq, and transporting troops and materiel through the region (last week, the White House doubled the number of American soldiers deployed to Iraq in an advisory role, authorizing as many as 3,100 troops).

Full story: http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/11/300000-an-hour-the-cost-of-fighting-isis/382649/

-- The Atlantic 2014-11-13

[HeijoshinCool]

Shoot, I woulda done it for a hundred bucks an hour. Plus time and a half on weekends and holidays.

[A1Str8]

They've got money for wars but can't feed the poor.

The poorest.

[ABCer]

The total costs of ISIS operations are not even fathomed yet.

Consider escalation factor, consider human loss factor, consider political repercussions etc.

About 2 months ago here on TV I said "Poor Americans". This wasn't meant as a figure of speech.

Some posters show 43% of world arms expenditure is on US. My question then was - against whom?

It appears against the rest of the world.

The wisdom of such extravagance is questionable.

Edited November 13, 2014 by ABCer

[coma]

The US at its best. Pushing sand up a hill. Empower the Syrians you fools.

[samran]

The Thai visa SAS and special forces contingent must be over there, taking a break from their English teaching and helping keep prices low for the U.S. taxpayer!

[neverdie]

The Thai visa SAS and special forces contingent must be over there, taking a break from their English teaching and helping keep prices low for the U.S. taxpayer!

War drives economies.

Build more weapons, it helps the rich get richer and they in turn buy more Ferrari's.

[klauskunkel]

US$300,000 an hour: The cost of fighting ISIS

What's the problem? It's only paper with a value backed by a government promise...print some more.

[kamahele]

They've got money for wars but can't feed the poor.

The poorest.

We've got money to feed the poor but the Republicans won't let us.

[atyclb]

Bob Dylan "Masters of War" with lyrics

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2mabTnMHe8[/media]

[lust]

Best part is that they spent billions already building and sending the vehicles that they are now destroying. Pocket change for the US though.

[toooa]

As I understand, the mujahideen plan has always been provoke, provoke, provoke....until the infidels are broke. The parallel plan is to breed like rabbits try and scare the locals into believing that islam is a solid coherent and blessed faith bestowed with god's favor... ....and that jihad will get you anything but dead.

It would make a world of sense to coodinate with Assad to destroy ISIS. But no, no, noooooo. That's not on the agenda is it now?

I can't wait till they (ISIS) have a crack at Iran....the Iranians won't be the pushovers they've had so far.

If anyone has any responsiblity for creating ISIS, I think the US is pretty high on that list.

Edited November 13, 2014 by toooa

[bartender100]

Its all dropped out of the news headlines a bit recently, still no confirmation they got Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi the ISIS leader the other day.

[toooa]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

They've got money for wars but can't feed the poor.
The poorest.

We've got money to feed the poor but the Republicans won't let us.

Maybe the poor could feed themselves if the Wizards in Washington hadn't gutted the economy. And who has contributed more to the national debt than any other president ever? Is he a Republican?

[Elmer Gantry]

The Thai visa SAS and special forces contingent must be over there, taking a break from their English teaching and helping keep prices low for the U.S. taxpayer!

War drives economies.

Build more weapons, it helps the rich get richer and they in turn buy more Ferrari's.

Correct,that is why all my investments are in armament companies,can't beat a good war for making money.Look at good old Henry Ford and Standard Oil to name but two.

[CapFarmer]

US$300,000 an hour: The cost of fighting ISIS

What's the problem? It's only paper with a value backed by a government promise...print some more.

Most cases, not even paper. Just digits sent on loan electronically to a bank at close to 0% interest. The bank then loans the money back to the U.S. gov't at between 3% -10% interest. The US gov't then uses that loan money to buy arms and take Fallujah, Iraq and then leave. Then come back and take Fallujah, Iraq and then leave. Then, etc... Tax payers repay the loan. Polititians and "too big to fail" industry leaders get rich. Those Nigerian scammers are such amateurs compared to governments.

[Elmer Gantry]

US$300,000 an hour: The cost of fighting ISIS

What's the problem? It's only paper with a value backed by a government promise...print some more.

Most cases, not even paper. Just digits sent on loan electronically to a bank at close to 0% interest. The bank then loans the money back to the U.S. gov't at between 3% -10% interest. The US gov't then uses that loan money to buy arms and take Fallujah, Iraq and then leave. Then come back and take Fallujah, Iraq and then leave. Then, etc... Tax payers repay the loan. Polititians and "too big to fail" industry leaders get rich. Those Nigerian scammers are such amateurs compared to governments.

Have a look at youtube and you will see that the uk is still paying back bonds from 200 years ago.Ignorance is Bliss.No critique of your post intended.

[maoro]

The maths are completey wrong

[Ulic]

Just numbers, no need to worry. The real cost is in the deaths and injuries. The US and the rest of the west

should butt out and let the middle east resolve there own issues. Once the dust has settled make a plan of

action based on the regional winners foreign policies and actions.

[NeverSure]

-snp-

If anyone has any responsiblity for creating ISIS, I think the US is pretty high on that list.

Just which action against Jihad did the US do alone to create ISIS? There were 22 countries involved in the war in Iraq and that included Thailand. How many countries have been in Afghanistan?

I don't approve of many US actions in the ME, but to blame it all on the US is totally unrealistic.

Things like 9/ll and the London Train Bombing were wake up calls. Many of us were happily oblivious to the growing danger until things like that started happening.

[Bakeman]

I'm tired of footing the bill for the U.S. to be the world police. Unfortunately I don't see any other countries willing to pay for it. Sarcastically, maybe the U.S. should just let the world go back to the days of dog eat dog and see who surfaces as the winner?

[ABCer]

 

-snp-

If anyone has any responsiblity for creating ISIS, I think the US is pretty high on that list.

Just which action against Jihad did the US do alone to create ISIS? There were 22 countries involved in the war in Iraq and that included Thailand. How many countries have been in Afghanistan?

I don't approve of many US actions in the ME, but to blame it all on the US is totally unrealistic.

Things like 9/ll and the London Train Bombing were wake up calls. Many of us were happily oblivious to the growing danger until things like that started happening.

 

I gave you a 'like' for the part that US is not the only one to blame.

The 9/11 and London bombings could be a trigger but definitely not a reason.

The real reason is capitulation and loss of a stand against Islam.

It was holding just find and the mutual respect between Religions was always balanced.

Until your stupid Western Liberals (in all countries) invented Multiculturalism, Political Correctness and Criminal Tolerance.

Islam reacted as it should - with expansion and advance. Want examples? I think not.

[ABCer]

 

-snp-

If anyone has any responsiblity for creating ISIS, I think the US is pretty high on that list.

Just which action against Jihad did the US do alone to create ISIS? There were 22 countries involved in the war in Iraq and that included Thailand. How many countries have been in Afghanistan?

I don't approve of many US actions in the ME, but to blame it all on the US is totally unrealistic.

Things like 9/ll and the London Train Bombing were wake up calls. Many of us were happily oblivious to the growing danger until things like that started happening.

 

I gave you a 'like' for the part that US is not the only one to blame.

The 9/11 and London bombings could be a trigger but definitely not a reason.

The real reason is capitulation and loss of a stand against Islam.

It was holding just fine and the mutual respect between Religions was always balanced.

Until your stupid Western Liberals (in all countries) invented Multiculturalism, Political Correctness and Criminal Tolerance.

Islam reacted as it should - with expansion and advance. Want examples? I think not.

If you do not like Isolationism - open a new Crusade Era. BTW isn't it what we are already having?

[LawrenceChee]

Another costly campaign and another one that is doomed for the gutters as a complete waste of money and unfortunately human lives.

[steven100]

Dick Cheney must be feeling pretty happy these days ...... Halliburton here we come. $$$$ more thieving contracts ...

What a waste of taxpayers dollars. An example of the waste and the result of fighting a war ...

Afghanistan, the US implemented an alternative agricultural scheme for afghan farmers where they could utilize money given to them to help offer alternative cropping to help wipe out the opium production.

Millions upon millions of dollars were spent to eradicate the poppy fields in Afghanistan. Army personnel were used to cut & destroy thousand of hectares of poppy fields. This lasted for several years and cost billions.

2014 : Afghanistan's poppy field harvest recorded a record harvest for the current year. Way up on the previous 10 years.

So much for all that money being spent to alleviate the opium production.

This ISIS battle is very complex with so many factions fighting for power ... It's not just ISIS but the Sunni's, Kurd's, Al Quada, Syria's Assad regime and so on .... there is so much more than just an Iraq war ..

I believe this war will never be solved or won by any group .. it's just too big and complicated ..

I believe for the western world would be to pack up and move out of all the Middle East & Arab states and let them just carry on. It's there countries that have the problem so let them fight until there's no one left.

This would save $8,000,000 a day for the US .........

Wait .... but then Dick Cheney wouldn't make billions in profit ... oh George wouldn't like that either !!

Just my opinion ...

Edited November 14, 2014 by steven100

[maidee]

one little bomb costing a million dollar or more ... what a waiste of time... and tax payers money