D.O.D.: Iraq Budget "Wrong" from the Start
In its new budget for fiscal year 2008, the Pentagon says it'll parcel out about $142 billion to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. But the Defense Department doesn't really believe in its own figures, apparently. The number was was calculated before the new 35,00-48,000 troop "surge" plan was put in place, Pentagon comptroller Tina Jonas said in a news conference. So $142 billion is just a "best estimate."
"We know it will be wrong," she added. "Conditions will change, and we'll have to adjust at that point."
The number is also $28 billion dollars less than the $170 billion being spent on Iraq and Afghanistan this year. Does that mean there's some sort of secret plan to start bringing troops home? Hell, no. "White House spokesman Tony Fratto said that fact shouldn't be interpreted as an indication of likely reduction in U.S. troops in Iraq," according to the AP.
There was another item of note from the Pentagon news conference introducing the new budget. Vice Admiral Stephen Stanley, Director for Force Structure, Resources, and Assessment for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, listed a number of major "risks" to the health of the American armed forces. One of the biggest was increased wear and tear that the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq were putting on military gear. Another was the increased "operational tempo" from those wars, which were grinding down our troops. In other words, the wars themselves are a threat to the American military. Interesting to hear that, in a Pentagon briefing.
I understand she is anti war and part of the democrat majority that is controlling the purse strings of Congress. I understand the war may be ended by 2007. She clearly stated that Bush may push to escalate troops before he is out in re-election time. He is at his point where he cannot re-elect this term. She says congress is in obvious meetings over the next 5 days in senate congression meetings that will debate the troops escalation. The congress democrats are to veto this bill passing 20,000 more troops marines in that region. We will see after congressional hearings if htis is so after the vote is really vetoed. It looks like Iran is really more involved with its secret police vesbullah or sf / cia version of spec ops assiting iraqis and arabs in the iranian regions. Pr states we know this but we are not ready to get the navy commited to that region destabalizing our global power if we allot all our troops to that region. I think the hk's need to work overtime. Tracking troop movement is essential. We need more air support and alot more aerial photos whether we invade or not. There is obviously a callusion of espianoge in that region by arabic callusion Iranian or not they are operating out of that region.
Posted by: Max Anderson at February 14, 2007 12:29 AM