R. W. Johnson

Should not --"the $6 million to $9 million" and "spends $6 million a month" Read BILLION rather than Million.

To quote Senator Everett Dirkson - "a billion here and a billion there, pretty soon it starts to count up."

Sorry, but I don't mean to be 'pickey', but the zeros are easy to drop.

It is predicted that - Total cost including occupation, worn out equipment replacement, Medical treatment for the wounded, pension for military disabled rebuilding the National Guard Units has been estimated at $2,000,000,000,000.00 - now we are talking about some 'real money'. Where is the money to come from? Better yet, Who will pay?

Walter Reed Military Hospital is providing a good lesson in the monitary cost of war and this country's willingness to support same. I do not believe this situation was 'intentional' by the Administration, but it was darn well non-feasance (someone not doing their job). We need the Administration to devote the same interest caring for those who served as they do to the development, funding and acquisition of military weapons. They 'honor' our troops, now put their money where their mouth is.

You have your facts right Mittens, except for one minor detail - the Total Cost of this war is expected to be TWO TRILLION DOLLARS. My thought is that they will raise the necessary funds by borrowing more from the Chinese and from Japan. The price of petroleum products is not helping this country a bit. Maybe you noticed that. In a pinch we can always outsource more of our manufacturing jobs and bring in more illegals to keep wage rates down. If you haven't guessed, I am not too pleased with the manner in which this countries finances are being handled. Or mishandled.

Part of going to War is cleaning up the mess that follows in terms of property damage and 'personal' injury. I have/am suggesting the following poll be taken:

This is a suggestion for a Jordan Independent poll:

After WW II, the United States led an effort to rebuild and rehabilitate those countries devistated in the military conflict. This was called the Marshall Plan and the United States was the principle author and financial countributor to its success. For that, we were widely praised. Do you think a similar effort should be mounted to rebuild Afghanistan and Iraq?

This is, arguably, a part of the cost of War. The unanswered question posed is 'Who pays'. Who steps up to the plate after the 'victors' had achieved 'victory', what ever that is. The 'loser' seldom has the will or the muscel to do the job and humanitarian considerations enter the equation. It would seem that the 'reconstruction' effort of people and things - on both sides - might exceed the cost of guns, bullets etc used to persue the War. All of this, we can foresee right now. Our politicians have remained strangely silent and few want to address the 'afterwards'. Just blaming the problem on 'the Republicans' or 'the Democrats' ain't going to hack it.