DEFENSE!

Post by **Freakzilla** » 09 Apr 2009 14:56

Obama to seek $83.4 billion for Iraq, Afghan wars

By ANDREW TAYLOR, Associated Press Writer Andrew Taylor, Associated Press Writer – 11 mins ago

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama is seeking $83.4 billion for U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, pressing for a war supplemental spending bill like the ones he sometimes opposed when he was senator and George W. Bush was president.

Obama's request, including money to increase U.S. troops in Afghanistan, would push the costs of the two wars to almost $1 trillion since the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, according to the Congressional Research Service. The additional money would cover operations into the fall.

Budget office spokesman Tom Gavin said the White House would send an official request to Congress Thursday afternoon. Congressional aides who had been briefed on the request revealed its overall cost in advance.

Obama was a harsh critic of the Iraq war as a presidential candidate, a stance that attracted support from the Democratic Party's liberal base and helped him secure his party's nomination. He opposed two infusions of war funding in 2007 after Bush used a veto to force Congress to remove a withdrawal timeline from the $99 billion measure.

But he supported a war funding bill last year that also included about $25 billion for domestic programs. Obama also voted for war funding in 2006, before he announced his candidacy for president.

The upcoming request will include $75.8 billion for the military and more than $7 billion in foreign aid. Pakistan, a key ally in the fight against al-Qaida, would receive $1.8 billion in aid.

The measure would also pay for Obama's recently announced plan to boost troop levels in Afghanistan.

The White House wants the bill for the president's signature by Memorial Day, said a House Democratic aide.

Obama announced plans in February to withdraw U.S. troops from Iraq on a 19-month timetable.

His new request would push the war money approved for 2009 to about $150 billion. The totals were $171 billion for 2007 and $188 billion for 2008, the year Bush increased the tempo of military operations in a generally successful effort to quell the Iraq insurgency.

SandRider · Post by **SandRider** » 09 Apr 2009 15:38

dang.

I knew you'd get around to posting about this,
but I was hoping you'd take the FOX News
line of bullshit about the "slashed defense budget"
(lots of bullshit Dr. Strangelove useless projects
got the axe, like the fucking "laser plane")
to which I was going to point out that this budget
is a 4% increase over last years defense budget
in total spending.

BTW, Andrew Taylor of the vaunted AP is WAY off
on all his quotes of total spending in the last sentence.
WAY the fuck off. If I've got time, I'll find some real
numbers, or y'all can look for yourselves (always the
best bet) (the AP has always been good at breaking
news as it happens, but fucking sucks when it comes
to background research. Their editors should go work
for Keith & Tor.)

Post by **Freakzilla** » 09 Apr 2009 15:49

I've been keeping my eye on my American Legion weekly newsletter, if he'd made any serious defense cuts they'd be raising hell.

I can't really blame him for cutting the F-22, even though it effects thousands that live near me. I don't see who we'd use it against and it's way too expensive anyway.

I'm glad to see he's taking Afghanastan seriously, maybe we'll be able to get the job done and leave there with honor.

Post by **Omphalos** » 09 Apr 2009 15:54

I liked the idea of the F-22; a multi-use plane that we could easily sell to other countries (and put remote off-switeches into - hehe!). But maybe when things turn around.

Crysknife · Post by **Crysknife** » 09 Apr 2009 15:56

Iraq is just a damn quagmire. Obama voted to stay out of that war in the first place, which we should have done. All he's doing now is trying to focus on the war we should have been more involved in from day one....Afghanistan.

I don't see a problem here. Now that he's President, he's stuck with the mess of cleaning it up.

Post by **Freakzilla** » 09 Apr 2009 15:59

Omphalos wrote:I liked the idea of the F-22; a multi-use plane that we could easily sell to other countries (and put remote off-switeches into - hehe!). But maybe when things turn around.

You're thinking of the F-35 Lightening II Joint Strike Fighter, it's still a go, I believe.

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/products/f35/

The F-22 was a pure air superiority stealth fighter.

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/products/f22/

[edit]Lockheed is advertizing the F-22 as air-to-ground capable too.[/edit]

A Thing of Eternity · Post by **A Thing of Eternity** » 09 Apr 2009 16:02

Freakzilla wrote:I've been keeping my eye on my American Legion weekly newsletter, if he'd made any serious defense cuts they'd be raising hell.

I can't really blame him for cutting the F-22, even though it effects thousands that live near me. I don't see who we'd use it against and it's way too expensive anyway.

I'm glad to see he's taking Afghanastan seriously, maybe we'll be able to get the job done and leave there with honor.

Word.

Hopefully the country I live in can keep doing what it's been doing there and doesn't pull out like a bunch of chumps. It'd be an insult to everyone who's had their country destroyed because we had a beef with their government if we left before they're fixed up, and it'd an insult to all our soldiers who went over and faught and died believing it was for a good cause, and most importantly leaving now would just be laying the (100% justified) foundation of hatred for the next generation of terrorists.

EDIT TO ADD: They cancelled the super laser plane?

I know it was a waste of money, but what an amazingly cool waste of money.

SandRider · Post by **SandRider** » 09 Apr 2009 16:55

yeah, all the "kool-ass" super-dooper weapons systems in development
got canned; the money was diverted to body armor, armored HUMVEEs,
unmanned drones & the VA.

and the F-22 was in fact a beautiful plane - but designed to combat
whatever Breshnev could throw at us (thanks, John Stewart !)

it has little revelance in today's air wars.

SwordMaster · Post by **SwordMaster** » 09 Apr 2009 19:39

Michelle looks great though.

Post by **Omphalos** » 09 Apr 2009 20:34

Freakzilla wrote:
Omphalos wrote:I liked the idea of the F-22; a multi-use plane that we could easily sell to other countries (and put remote off-switeches into - hehe!). But maybe when things turn around.
You're thinking of the F-35 Lightening II Joint Strike Fighter, it's still a go, I believe.

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/products/f35/

The F-22 was a pure air superiority stealth fighter.

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/products/f22/

[edit]Lockheed is advertizing the F-22 as air-to-ground capable too.[/edit]

Yep. Thanks, Freak.

orald · Post by **orald** » 09 Apr 2009 23:02

At least he's not white with a Texan accent, we hate those, don't we? We're all so liberal and shtuff.

Dune Nerd · Post by **Dune Nerd** » 10 Apr 2009 01:48

Omphalos wrote:
Freakzilla wrote:
Omphalos wrote:I liked the idea of the F-22; a multi-use plane that we could easily sell to other countries (and put remote off-switeches into - hehe!). But maybe when things turn around.
You're thinking of the F-35 Lightening II Joint Strike Fighter, it's still a go, I believe.

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/products/f35/

The F-22 was a pure air superiority stealth fighter.

http://www.lockheedmartin.com/products/f22/

[edit]Lockheed is advertizing the F-22 as air-to-ground capable too.[/edit]
Yep. Thanks, Freak.

Tried to get a job working on engine tests for that project, apparently I am not good enough for a Royles Royce. I would have loved to be in Indianapolis.....alas stuck in alabama

SandRider · Post by **SandRider** » 10 Apr 2009 03:43

orald wrote:At least he's not white with a Texan accent, we hate those, don't we? We're all so liberal and shtuff.

I'm white w/ a texas accent.

(or alabama, really)

but, WTF ?

{"WTF" is my favourite internet thing now. Get used to it.}

SandRider · Post by **SandRider** » 10 Apr 2009 03:44

no,no - that's not true.

I'm a 13 year old Maine girl with sexuality issues ....

anybody wanna help me sort it all out ?

Eyes High · Post by **Eyes High** » 10 Apr 2009 04:42

SandRider wrote:no,no - that's not true.

I'm a 13 year old Maine girl with sexuality issues ....

anybody wanna help me sort it all out ?

Ah--- NO!

Schu · Post by **Schu** » 10 Apr 2009 04:59

SandRider wrote:no,no - that's not true.

I'm a 13 year old Maine girl with sexuality issues ....

anybody wanna help me sort it all out ?

IT'S A TRAP!!!

orald · Post by **orald** » 10 Apr 2009 17:18

Sorry, too busy trying to convince Ninti she's got sexuality problems I should solve.

P.S. The new smilies are deformed or something.

J A C U R U T U

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