Posted on 04/11/2011 9:24:34 AM PDT by quesney
WASHINGTON – The Pentagon said Monday the military intervention in Libya cost the U.S. an extra $608 million in the first few of weeks of the operation. Spending is down significantly, though not as much as expected. Defense Department spokeswoman Navy Cmdr. Kathleen Kesler said it will take several weeks to tally exactly how much has been spent. But $608 million is the price tag officials have estimated through April 4 — or for 17 days of the mission, the most recent figures available. The estimate shows a large drop from what the U.S. spent in the early days of the multinational operation that started March 19 — roughly $55 million a day in the first 10 days, then about $8.3 million a day in the seven that followed.
Still, very rough projections late last month estimated costs would decline even more than that as the U.S. handed lead of the operation to NATO. The alliance would also conduct most of the bombing missions. Officials didn't explain what caused the higher-than-expected rate of spending. It's possible at least part is due to the fact that the full transition to NATO went a little slower than expected.
It is the second time the Pentagon has released costs for setting up the no-fly zone in the North African nation and protecting civilians from strongman Moammar Gadhafi as he resists a movement to oust him.
Officials late last month said the added spending from March 19 through March 28, the first 10 days of the intervention, was $550 million. About 60 percent was for munitions. The remaining costs were for "higher operating tempo" of U.S. forces and of getting them there.
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(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
What a damn waste, this gets up there with Ryans and Cantors TARP vote for a waste of tax payers money. Hell it is only debt.
More lies. Try close to 2 billion already, and counting.
I think that is a low ball number you don’t get much kma for less than a billion
The list, ping
Let me know if you would like to be on or off the ping list
I can think of a lot better uses for the money spent.
There is hardly any kind comments for Dear Leader following that article.
Yes Virginia, Obama sucks.
Good God what a waste!
Obama could have used that money for two whole vacations!
“Days not weeks”..isn’t that right Barry?
“Days not weeks”..isn’t that right Barry?
just wait until the real humanitarian mission begins. libya will seem like the 51st state once the liberals really get going . . .
Or a couple racks o' ribs for the missus.
print money faster
Stop Gadhafi at any cost...to the American taxpayer.
What part of ObamaCare does this operation fall under? Nazi Pelousy said they had to pass it to find out what’s in it. The Lybia op must be in there somewhere. The Brown Clown is killing this once great country.
The comments there are pretty scathing, things you would expect on FR.
The Gadaffi side wants a cease fire. The rebel side says, “No thanks, we’re digging our new proxy air force. Plus regardless of what the US said about protecting civilians, we all know it’s about regime change dummy!”
“You’re sure this telephone can’t be tapped? OK. Mallomar, or whatever your name is, we can do this the easy way and you send us two suitcases full of $100 bills for the Democrat party, or we can do it the hard way, at which point the cruise missiles start coming. Which is it?”
Tomahawk missiles cost about 1% of what you listed.
Yup, and Yahoo used to be a real zero cheerleader. I'm loving it.
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