$4 billion a month!

Australia did not participate militarily in Operation Iraqi Freedom.


Report back your results, please.



You know, for the last 6 months or so I have been doing my best to argue for
the continuing support of my government for the Iraqi liberation and the
war against
Islamist in general. Then some boofhead like yourself comes out with a
statement
like the above. Don't read your papers? I read American publications via
the internet
and know that Australia's military involvment was reported. Crikey, even
President Bush invited PM John Howard to his ranch to thank him.

You don't know how much such statements ****es me off. Just to clear it up
our military involvment consisted of : (see
http://www.defence.gov.au/opfalconer/
for more details.) :

************************************************** **************************
***

Operation Falconer has included:

About 250 airmen and women and support crews deployed with a squadron of 14
F/A-18 Royal Australian Air Force Hornet fighter aircraft.
About 150 personnel deployed with three RAAF C130 Hercules transport
aircraft.
About 150 personnel deployed with two P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft.
An Air Forward Command Element of about 70 personnel responsible for
coordinating air operations with coalition partners and providing national
control of RAAF assets.
Approximately 350 sailors and soldiers embarked on the sea transport ship
HMAS Kanimbla with a Sea King helicopter, Army landing craft and Army air
defence detachment and a specialist explosives ordnance team.
About 600 personnel embarked on Royal Australian Navy frigates HMA Ships
Anzac and Darwin, who have been part of the Multinational Interception Force
enforcing United Nations sanctions against Iraq.
A Navy clearance diving team capable of locating, rendering safe and
disposing of mines.
A Special Forces Task Group of about 500 personnel, including:
- An advance party including a Special Air Service squadron
- CH-47 troop-lift helicopters and personnel from 5th Aviation Regiment
- Specialist troops to deal with the threat of weapons of mass destruction
drawn from the Incident Response Regiment based at Holsworthy, New South
Wales
- A quick reaction support force drawn from the Holsworthy-based 4RAR
Commando unit and a Combat Service Support Group that provides the essential
logistic support necessary for all these elements to remain functional.
An Australian National Headquarters of approximately 60 personnel, headed by
the Australian National Commander, Brigadier Maurie McNarn.

************************************************** *****************

And yes we still have some troops there.

ta

Ralph

http://www.optusnet.com.au/news/stor...raq-occupation
-mid.inp

That's how much Iraq is costing just the U.S. - almost enough for a new
manned Moon program every month.

Despicable!

--
Alan Erskine
alanerskine(at)optusnet.com.au
Where are the Weapons of Mass
Destruction, Mr Bush?

Alan Erskine wrote:

That's how much Iraq is costing just the U.S. - almost enough for a new
manned Moon program every month.

And about three seconds worth of failed social welfare programs.
Prioritise!

--
Scott Lowther, Engineer

"Any statement by Edward Wright that starts with 'You seem to think
that...' is wrong. Always. It's a law of Usenet, like Godwin's."
- Jorge R. Frank, 11 Nov 2002

"Hop David" wrote in message
...


Alan Erskine wrote:

http://www.optusnet.com.au/news/stor...raq-occupation
-mid.inp

That's how much Iraq is costing just the U.S. - almost enough for a new
manned Moon program every month.

Despicable!

--
Alan Erskine
alanerskine(at)optusnet.com.au
Where are the Weapons of Mass
Destruction, Mr Bush?




Bush has stimulated the economy by cutting taxes.
The stimulated economy generates extra income.
By taxing this extra income U.S. is enjoying
a net increase in tax revenue.

It is? Funny, the most recent GAO report is reporting a record deficit both
in absolute dollars and as I recall approaching it in % of the GNP.



That is how we can afford 4 billion a month for
occupying Iraq.

Hop
http://clowder.net/hop/index.html

On Thu, 4 Sep 2003 08:03:18 +1000, "Alan Erskine"
wrote:

http://www.optusnet.com.au/news/stor...raq-occupation
-mid.inp

That's how much Iraq is costing just the U.S. - almost enough for a new
manned Moon program every month.

Don't forget that the US has had a sizable military presence in the
Middle East continuously since 1991 (including during eight years of
Clinton). Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia (now mothballed) for
example. The actual cost over previous years is not that great.

Despicable!

Australia did not participate militarily in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Please ask your government to take that $4 Billion a month they're
saving and spend it on a manned Moon program.

Report back your results, please.

Brian

"Earl Colby Pottinger" wrote in message
...
"Alan Erskine" :



http://www.optusnet.com.au/news/stor...raq-occupation
-mid.inp

That's how much Iraq is costing just the U.S. - almost enough for a new
manned Moon program every month.

Despicable!

--
Alan Erskine
alanerskine(at)optusnet.com.au
Where are the Weapons of Mass
Destruction, Mr Bush?

Really? I checked the article and I notice that it did not say what the
cost
of the same people are when they are not deployed. Problem, if the
standby
costs are $2 billion a month for example then Iraq is not costing $4
billion,
it is costing $2 billion a month.

Stories like this are inflating the claimed costs, infact depending on the
standby costs the increase maybe a very large percentage.

Any idea what the real costs are?

Earl Colby Pottinger

--
Well said.

It would indeed be interesting to see the total "Routine Standby Cost",
maint, training, live fire, etc, plus routine deployment transition costs
for the deployed units is.
Ralph Nesbitt

Brian Thorn wrote...
...
Australia did not participate militarily in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

Huh?

* 250 airmen and women and support crews deployed with a squadron of
14 F/A-18 Royal Australian Air Force Hornet fighter aircraft.

* 150 personnel deployed with three RAAF C130 Hercules transport
aircraft.

* 150 personnel deployed with two P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft.

* An Air Forward Command Element of about 70 personnel responsible for
coordinating air operations with coalition partners and providing
national control of RAAF assets.

* 350 sailors and soldiers embarked on the sea transport ship HMAS
Kanimbla with a Sea King helicopter, Army landing craft and Army air
defence detachment and a specialist explosives ordnance team.

* 600 personnel embarked on Royal Australian Navy frigates HMAS Anzac
and Darwin, who have been part of the Multinational Interception Force
enforcing United Nations sanctions against Iraq.

* A Navy clearance diver team capable of locating, rendering safe and
disposing of mines.

* A Special Forces Task Group of about 500 personnel. The Task Group
comprises an advance party including a Special Air Service squadron,
CH-47 troop-lift helicopters and personnel from 5th Aviation Regiment,
specialist troops to deal with the threat of weapons of mass
destruction drawn from the newly-established Incident Response
Regiment based at Holsworthy, New South Wales and a quick reaction
support force drawn from the Holsworthy-based 4RAR Commando unit.

* An Australian National Headquarters of approximately 60 personnel,
headed by the Australian National Commander, Brigadier Maurie McNarn.

I guess if you don't count the 2,000 Australian personnel and the
military hardware that accompanied them, and the specialist operations
that they performed on and off the battlefield, then you have a point.
Considering Australia's population, and Australia's commitment to
other operations, this was a very substantial contribution.

Read a newspaper and....

Report back your results, please.

Monte.

"Brian Thorn" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 4 Sep 2003 08:03:18 +1000, "Alan Erskine"
wrote:


http://www.optusnet.com.au/news/stor...iraq-occupatio
n
-mid.inp

That's how much Iraq is costing just the U.S. - almost enough for a new
manned Moon program every month.

Don't forget that the US has had a sizable military presence in the
Middle East continuously since 1991 (including during eight years of
Clinton). Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia (now mothballed) for
example. The actual cost over previous years is not that great.

Despicable!

Australia did not participate militarily in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Please ask your government to take that $4 Billion a month they're
saving and spend it on a manned Moon program.

Report back your results, please.

Brian

See reply to your ignorance by "Monte".

--
Alan Erskine
alanerskine(at)optusnet.com.au
Where are the Weapons of Mass
Destruction, Mr Bush?

"Earl Colby Pottinger" wrote in message
...
"Alan Erskine" :



http://www.optusnet.com.au/news/stor...raq-occupation
-mid.inp

That's how much Iraq is costing just the U.S. - almost enough for a new
manned Moon program every month.

Despicable!

--
Alan Erskine
alanerskine(at)optusnet.com.au
Where are the Weapons of Mass
Destruction, Mr Bush?

Really? I checked the article and I notice that it did not say what the
cost
of the same people are when they are not deployed. Problem, if the
standby
costs are $2 billion a month for example then Iraq is not costing $4
billion,
it is costing $2 billion a month.

A hint (in the article) is the bit that says "cannot sustain" or similar
words, beyond early next year.

Another hint (also in the article) is the bit that says that the U.S.
presence will have to be reduced to, what, 40,000 from the current 180,000.

Yet another hint (also in the article) is that the current force (might) be
replaced by reserves, but at a much reduced level.

How's that for starters?

--
Alan Erskine
alanerskine(at)optusnet.com.au
Where are the Weapons of Mass
Destruction, Mr Bush?

On Thu, 04 Sep 2003 02:47:37 -0000, Earl Colby Pottinger
wrote:

"Alan Erskine" :


http://www.optusnet.com.au/news/stor...raq-occupation
-mid.inp

That's how much Iraq is costing just the U.S. - almost enough for a new
manned Moon program every month.

Despicable!

--
Alan Erskine
alanerskine(at)optusnet.com.au
Where are the Weapons of Mass
Destruction, Mr Bush?

Really? I checked the article and I notice that it did not say what the cost
of the same people are when they are not deployed. Problem, if the standby
costs are $2 billion a month for example then Iraq is not costing $4 billion,
it is costing $2 billion a month.

Stories like this are inflating the claimed costs, infact depending on the
standby costs the increase maybe a very large percentage.

Any idea what the real costs are?

63 American soldiers dead up to now. 63 families who will never see
their loved ones again, 63 mothers who will never see her son again...


Christopher
+++++++++++++++++++++++++
"Kites rise highest against
the wind - not with it."
Winston Churchill