How much did he say?

Gates Seeks $190 Billion for Wars September 26, 2007 - 1:39pm By ANNE FLAHERTY Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates will ask Congress Wednesday to approve nearly $190 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2008, increasing initial projections by more than a third. (WTOP)

Would someone please tell me why this is not causing outrage and concern? This is not chump change we are talking about. Back in July it was reported that the war was costing an estimated $12 billion dollars a month. A quick calculation shows that it is now up to almost $16 billion. What are we getting for this? Well, I am glad you asked:

• $11 billion to field another 7,000 MRAP vehicles in addition to the 8,000 already planned;
• $9 billion to reconstitute equipment and technology;
• $6 billion for training and equipment of troops;
• $1 billion to improve U.S. facilities in the region and consolidate bases in Iraq; and
• $1 billion to train and equip Iraqi security forces.
  

Now, I don't want to sound bitter or anything, but why am I paying to train and equip the Iraqi security forces? I would think this cost would be borne by the Iraqi government, or what currently passes for it. Why am I paying to improve facilities in a country where we are only supposed to have a temporary presence (at least according to our leaders)?

I am beyond understanding why the United States is continuing to pour money down this sewer. What scares me even more is who is underwriting the paper that all this funding is based on, because it is not the American Taxpayer. I hope that the countries that hold these notes are not just waiting to foreclose. If you think things in Russia were bad after the fall of communism, you have not seen anything yet.