The $43 Million Gas Station
For sure, building a compressed natural gas refueling station in a war zone can be a remarkably pricey enterprise. But even by military standards, the $43 million spent here -- a similar project in Pakistan cost only $500,000 -- was unacceptable and just downright odd.
In a report compiled by the special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, the Defense Department is described as being "unable to provide an explanation for the high cost of the project or to answer any other questions concerning its planning, implementation, or outcome."
The Military on the Loose
While no one (apart from Arkansas Republican Sen. Tom Cotton) is questioning NORAD's ability to track Santa, there has been some understandable grumbling about the aerospace defense agency's capacity to manage its own surveillance blimps.
The now infamous unmanned runaway blimp made an unscheduled departure from its home at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland on Oct. 28, flying north into eastern Pennsylvania -- attracting gawkers all along its path and live TV coverage -- before crash-landing in what NORAD described only as "a rugged, wooded area."
A day later, state police deflated the blimp's nose with a shotgun after determining that it still carried a potentially dangerous helium haul.
Five $500 Million Men in Syria
The Obama administration's $500 million project to organize and train moderate Syrian rebel force yielded just "about 4 or 5" dedicated fighters, according to the head of U.S. Central Command.
Testifying on Capitol Hill in September, Gen. Lloyd Austin, the top U.S. commander in the war on ISIS, described the since scrapped program's graduating class as "smaller than expected." The plan had called for the recruitment and training of more than 5,000 fighters.
Brand New Broken Warship
It floats, but that's about it. The $360 million USS Milwaukee was only a month into its long journey from the Great Lakes to San Diego when it broke down en route to a pit stop in Florida and needed a tow.
Arizona Sen. John McCain, a former Navy pilot and current chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, described the vessel's "complete loss of propulsion" as "deeply alarming, particularly given this ship was commissioned just 20 days ago."
A Navy Times report said the Milwaukee was still undergoing diagnostic tests and would not sail again for, at the least, another few weeks.
And more right here . . .
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