Kristof: 1 Soldier Or 20 Schools In Afghanistan?

nytimes.com:

The war in Afghanistan will consume more money this year alone than we spent on the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Civil War and the Spanish-American War -- combined.

Read the whole story: nytimes.com

Comments

[henrypapillon]

04:22 AM on 07/30/2010

We're wasting money in

afghanistan? WOW! What a piece of investigative reporting! I'll bet Newsweek will have this on the cover next week. Next revolutionary investigative fact, Lincoln shot at FORD'S Theater.

[Aerows]

12:31 AM on 07/30/2010

This just in: water is wet.

[henrypapillon]

04:23 AM on 07/30/2010

fanned.Really, that is about my reaction.

[MajorMalfunction]

04:36 PM on 07/29/2010

The US has plenty of money for Israel and building schools and hospitals in Afghanistan for the Taliban to blow up. But no money for jobs to help Americans keep their homes or for the elderly to retire, etc. No change here, keep moving.

[Core-Sample]

04:30 PM on 07/29/2010

We've wasted money and are still wasting money and lives plus creating enemies. Oh, and arming future Afghans to fight us again one day.

[The Scientist]

04:26 PM on 07/29/2010

The war is a huge drain on the US coffers, unless or until there's another terrorist attack on US soil. At which point, it becomes a matter of utmost national security.

Depending on your perspective, and perhaps your paranoia, you either support the war whose stated goal is to kill al Qaeda, or you withdraw, save your pennies, and live to fight the next war.

As sure as there's a buck to be made, fanatics to be assuaged, resources to be grabbed, or another madman at the helm of some ship of state, there will always be another war to fight.

[TEHelms]

04:13 PM on 07/29/2010

"War! What is it good for? Absolutely Nothin'! Woah, woah, wo oh...War! What is it good for? Say it again..Absolutely nothin'"

[mendelcrosses]

03:42 PM on 07/29/2010

Would that be the explanation of why soldiers arent very well educated themselves?

[vulpecula762mm]

05:00 PM on 07/29/2010

Careful there buddy.

[SECT Dem]

03:38 PM on 07/29/2010

We could build 20 schools for the cost of 1 soldier in Afghanistan, but without our soldiers there the Taliban wouldn't let anyone attend them, especially girls.

[DoTheOpposite]

03:46 PM on 07/29/2010

We are talking schools in the USA.

America has no business being in Iraq OR Afghanistan ...PERIOD.

Imbeciles and murderers thinking they own the world.

Karma won't be kind to the USA.............the retribution is already starting in myriad ways.

[bill123456]

03:26 PM on 07/29/2010

.....wow, now that is news !!!!!!!!!.............

[mrJJ]

03:25 PM on 07/29/2010

Nearly 6 in 10 Pakistanis view US as enemy

By ROBERT BURNS (AP) – 44 minutes ago

WASHINGTON — Despite billions in aid from Washington and a shared threat from extremists, Pakistanis have an overwhelmingly negative view of the United States, according to results of a Pew Research Center poll released Thursday.

The survey also found that Pakistanis have grown less fearful of extremists seizing control of their country, perhaps reflecting gains that government troops have made against militants since early 2009.

read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ixrZW8sn1EDe82amVKRoungNdldgD9H8SJSG1

[TEHelms]

04:18 PM on 07/29/2010

The Pakistanis' opinions of the US were basically formed during the Reagan administration when we backed the Zia military government because they were against the USSR. They were reinforced during the Bush administration and have hardly improved since. They were convinced then we were for killing Muslims and we have proven them right despite our efforts to change their minds. We just cannot look at ourselves from their perspective and get it. When we back dictators, kings and killers, we are not upholding American values....

[toritto]

03:23 PM on 07/29/2010

When the DOD budget was signed on October 28, 2009, the final size of the Department of Defense's budget was $680 billion - more than the next 15 nations combined..

The total Defense related spending in the budget is worse than that...it's closer to $ 1 trillion per YEAR. The defense budget excludes the Nuclear arsenal and nuclear bomb development budgets under Department of Energy. The DoD budget also excludes the budget for the VA hospitals.

The invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan were largely funded through supplementary spending bills outside the Federal Budget, so they are NOT included in the military budget figures listed.

Add another trillion.

So, tell me again - who and where is the enemy?”

We have 11 nuclear aircraft carriers + conventional carriers.

We have a fleet of Ohio class nuclear subs carrying nuclear missles with multiple warheads.

We have an entire fleet of B-1 bombers - with no mission.

We have nukes in silos in Montana.

We have troops in Germany, Japan and Italy and 100+ other countries.

Meanwhile the guys dressed in rags have our guys slogging around the mountains - and losing.- at the cost of a borrowed trillion dollars.

Our infrastructure falls apart. We have no money for schools, medical care, unemployment insurance. We rail that the unemployed need to go and get non-existent jobs.

Exxon made $19 billion in profits in 2007 and paid no taxes.

The future's so bright I gotta wear shades......

[TEHelms]

04:20 PM on 07/29/2010

Let's not forget that our military budget is more than the other major military powers combined. Eisenhower warned us about the military/industrial complex and now they control us.

[MajorMalfunction]

04:36 PM on 07/29/2010

The enemy is the US taxpayer. Any questions?

[Earl]

02:51 PM on 07/29/2010

I think Obama's plan is to have us on the way out by November 2012 and will campaign on "finishing the job" a la Nixon's winning re-election strategy of 1972.

[MajorMalfunction]

04:41 PM on 07/29/2010

Obama is "brilliant" unlike those who voted for him.

[Earl]

09:49 PM on 07/29/2010

Better that than what we had with Bush.

[RudyHaugeneder]

02:44 PM on 07/29/2010

Combine all the police forces and thousands upon thousands of homeland "top secret" spooks with a well-trained and non-thinking professional military that will do whatever, and I mean whatever, it is ordered to do, and the American government has the forces to prevent its own people from forcefully (civil disobedience) speaking out.
And look at the uniforms these government people wear -- complete with Nazi-type helmets.
America today resembles what other totalitarian leaders can only dream about -- on demand and totally obedient storm troopers.
It costs an unholy fortune to keep the voices of dissent and freedom quiet, with the rest of the population brainwashed into applauding and supporting this state of affairs.

[plumbergirl]

02:44 PM on 07/29/2010

Waist of lives, waist of money.

[DoTheOpposite]

03:47 PM on 07/29/2010

Waste.................you need more good schools or people with an IQ over room temp.

[MajorMalfunction]

04:37 PM on 07/29/2010

No money for US schools, remember?

[henrypapillon]

04:26 AM on 07/30/2010

Waist of fat, waste of money.

[plumbergirl]

11:17 PM on 08/04/2010

10 points you got it.

[Earl]

02:39 PM on 07/29/2010

Great message...eight years too late.