Posted on 03/23/2011 3:43:10 AM PDT by tobyhill
The cost of the American and European assault on Libya already easily tops hundreds of millions of dollars, and has the potential to rise significantly if the operation drags on for weeks or months.
Coalition efforts to undermine Muammar al-Qaddafi’s air defenses and save the rebels from defeat have lasted for four nights already. If the U.S. role continues to be limited, with the Pentagon using its existing budget to cover the expense, the price tag on involvement will only rise moderately.
As of Tuesday, a U.S. defense official told Fox News the U.S. has fired 161 Tomahawk cruise missiles into Libyan territory, with 24 missiles being fired overnight Monday into Tuesday. Each missile is priced at $1 million to $1.5 million apiece and dispatched B-2 stealth bombers -- round-trip from Missouri -- to drop 2,000-pound bombs on Libyan sites.
That’s a total flying time of 25 hours, with the operating cost for one hour priced at least $10,000.
Yet those numbers only provide part of the costs. The B-2 bombers require expensive fuel -- and rely on air tankers to refuel in flight -- and probably needed parts replaced upon their return to Whiteman Air Force Base. The pilots most certainly will get combat pay.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Why sell the Chicoms some of our Military equipment? There are plenty of strategic minerals on Federal lands we could sell first.
Well at least this would end this disaster pretty soon.
(There is a report that britain is allready running out of missiles).
Last time I looked, there were still checks in the national checkbook, so we can afford it... :-)
The cost of this operation is chump change compared to what it will cost to rebuild Libya if the US gets sucked deeper into this “No-Fly” operation. France and the UK aren’t going to pony up the $40 Billion to put Libya back together again. Even if the US manages to extricate itself from this ill conceived and executed UN sponsored mess, after it’s over and if Quadafi is gone, the Arab League is going to try and shame the US into paying for the rebuilding in Libya. The US always gets stuck with the tab.
And what are we getting out of this?
And what are we getting out of this?
Animosity from just about the whole world.
Seems like every president has to blow stuff up at least once. It’s in the DNA of anyone with an ego that big. They just gotta wag their dick around.
The problem with this one is, we have absolutely no vested interest in Libya. This was merely their civil war and no reason to put any of our borrowed money in it. Maybe or maybe not there is a case for or against Iraq and Afghanistan spending but in this case I can’t think of anyone that has been able to rationalize any spending for this affair.
Change. Hope they’re happy. Fundamental transformation well under way.
If Al Quaeda wins, sure, let’s pay them money we don’t have.
You jest about the national checkbook?
Yes. What else can you do when the jesters are “running” the government?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.