Bush’s Budget: $688 Billion For War
Today, the White House submitted its fiscal year 2009 federal budget request of $3.1 trillion. President Bush has asked Congress to approve $515.4 billion in funding for the Department of Defense which, when adjusted for inflation, would be the highest defense budget since World War II.
However, the costs for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are not included in the baseline DoD request. In reality, the war costs will most likely increase the defense budget to nearly $688 billion through the first quarter of FY 2009:
$515.4 billion: Bush’s baseline Pentagon budget request.
+$70 billion: The amount Bush’s defense budget includes as separate request for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. However, this bridge fund only covers the first quarter of FY 2009.
+$102.5 billion: Current emergency war funding request that Congress not yet approved.
TOTAL = $687.9 billion: Bush’s total war budget.
According to a recent Congressional Research Service report, the U.S. is spending over $10 billion a month in Iraq. “With Congress having already approved $691 billion in war spending since 2001,” the WSJ reports, “the cost of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars combined could rise to just under $900 billion by next spring and could near the $1 trillion mark by the end of 2009.”
To fund his war and preserve his tax cuts for the rich, President Bush is cutting vital services for low- and moderate-income Americans, including child-care assistance for low-income families, low-income rental assistance programs, and total funding for K-12 education.
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the costs for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are not included in the baseline DoD request. In reality, the war costs will most likely increase the defense budget to nearly $688 billion through the first quarter of FY 2009:
STOP
THE
BLEEDING
BLOODY
FIASCO.
February 4th, 2008 at 3:49 pmFreedom isn’t free.
Comment by Frank M — February 4, 2008 @ 3:50 pm
None of this money is being spent to buy freedom, you ignoramus.
February 4th, 2008 at 3:51 pmFreedom isn’t free.
Comment by Frank M — February 4, 2008 @ 3:50 pm
Neither is intelligence!
February 4th, 2008 at 3:53 pmFrank, I want to remind you that you have advocated, openly and repeatedly, that we take away freedom for the sake of your perceived safety. So don’t come here and talk about paying for freedom. You advocate the selling out of freedom.
February 4th, 2008 at 3:54 pmFreedom isn’t free.
Comment by Frank M
This war of choice wasnt about fighting for our freedom Frank, beside your neo-kook wolfowitz said it would pay for itself [Free]
February 4th, 2008 at 3:54 pmWolfowitz
February 4th, 2008 at 3:55 pm“6 days, 6 weeks, I doubt 6 months.”
$1 trillion later….
Sad.
February 4th, 2008 at 3:56 pmExcellent point, Xisithrus, but Frank is incapable of digesting logic or facts. Frank is a fearful little bedwetter who advocates fascist government because he feels, wrongly of course, that it will make him safer from his imaginary fears of terrorists conquering our territory and making our women wear burkas, ludicrous though that may be.
February 4th, 2008 at 3:56 pmTo fund his war and preserve his tax cuts for the rich, President Bush is cutting vital services for low- and moderate-income Americans, including child-care assistance for low-income families, low-income rental assistance programs, and total funding for K-12 education.
Of course he is! That is his mandate, isn’t it?
February 4th, 2008 at 3:57 pmFrankie; Since you are so gung-ho for war, WTF aren’t YOU in the army? You are another cowardly chickenhawk!
February 4th, 2008 at 3:57 pmToo much blood and too much money for no good reason.
February 4th, 2008 at 3:57 pmYou are another cowardly chickenhawk!
Comment by Uncle Ho — February 4, 2008 @ 3:57 pm
Go easy on Frank, he just soiled his pants again.
February 4th, 2008 at 3:58 pmFreedom isn’t free.
Comment by Frank M — February 4, 2008 @ 3:50 pm
Oh, I missed it during the State of the Union address in 2002 where Bush made the case for invading Iraq due to the lack of freedom. I could have sworn he used the big bad WMD boogeyman instead.
February 4th, 2008 at 3:58 pmMUST SEE! Sari Gelzer interviews Daniel Ellsberg at http://www.truthout.org
February 4th, 2008 at 3:58 pmDidn’t they fire the guy that said this may cost as much as 200 Billion?
February 4th, 2008 at 3:58 pmReckless Republicanism.
Making government bigger and more expensive than ever.
Heckuva Job!
February 4th, 2008 at 3:59 pmFrankie is a phuckin’ pussy.
February 4th, 2008 at 3:59 pmUnfortunately, Bush will get exactly what he wants, from this rubberstamp congress..
February 4th, 2008 at 3:59 pmFreedom isn’t free.
Comment by Frank M — February 4, 2008 @ 3:50 pm
Care to write a brief explanation on who does the paying? No??? I thought not.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:00 pmYou just comment with bumper strip neocon talking points.
Didn’t they fire the guy that said this may cost as much as 200 Billion?
Comment by deebaser — February 4, 2008 @ 3:58 pm
Of course they did. He was way off. Why keep him around?
Please disregard the fact they thought his estimate was high and that’s why he was fired.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:00 pmIt isn’t the troops on the battlefield that get all of that money. It’s the defense contractors who bribe congress to pass the appropriations bills to put billions in their pockets.
It totally sucks.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:03 pmReckless Republicanism.
Making government bigger and more expensive than ever.
Comment by Xisithrus — February 4, 2008 @ 3:59 pm
You’ve got it all wrong! Bush is a Democrat! Republicans shrink government, so BushCo can’t be Republican.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:04 pm$515.4 billion: Bush’s baseline Pentagon budget request
This also doesn’t include the black budget and should probably be doubled to about 1 trillion.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:04 pmExactly.
This isn’t about paying for the war, its about paying off the people who put the current regime in office.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:05 pmYou’ve got it all wrong! Bush is a Democrat! Republicans shrink government, so BushCo can’t be Republican.
Comment by Merlin
So thats why Coulter would back Hillary!!
February 4th, 2008 at 4:05 pmCompassionate conservatives at their finest, could you imagine just how much this money could help Amercia?
It boggles the mind to think just how evil and repulsive this repukian mindset is, the vilest of sick thinking and values.
And the sickest and vilest trolls here will support this 100%, this country needs a scrubbing, and we need to get rid of the ChristoFascist and drum them to the backwoods (they live there anyway) of society.
Buck Fush - might as well get my Troll slam in ahead of time FY Bigfool, Frank M, Southern Whore and your ilk.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:05 pmIs all the loans from China included in this budget?
February 4th, 2008 at 4:06 pmYou’ve got it all wrong! Bush is a Democrat! Republicans shrink government, so BushCo can’t be Republican.
Comment by Merlin — February 4, 2008 @ 4:04 pm
You’re right, Merlin! And so is Mark Foley! And Larry Craig!
February 4th, 2008 at 4:06 pmFreedom isn’t free.
Comment by Frank M — February 4, 2008 @ 3:50 pm
ROTFL!! Tell us Jake, what ARMY threatens the US to the tune of 700 BILLION DOLLARS - MORE MONEY THAN THE REST OF THE ENTIRE PLANET SPENDS? ROTFL, you TARDS are DUM BASSES!
February 4th, 2008 at 4:06 pmWolfowitz
Comment by gumby — February 4, 2008 @ 3:55 pm
Please clean up your language, gumby. This is a family oriented blog!
February 4th, 2008 at 4:07 pmStop it!!! Stop it!!! Stop the spending NOW!!
February 4th, 2008 at 4:07 pmno wonder America children are dying of simple toothaches, bush is spending all that money on killing machines
February 4th, 2008 at 4:08 pmDidn’t they fire the guy that said this may cost as much as 200 Billion?
Comment by deebaser — February 4, 2008 @ 3:58 pm
Of course they did. He was way off. Why keep him around?
Comment by bobcat_grad — February 4, 2008 @ 4:00 pm
—–
I just spit coffee out on my monitor. Thanks dude.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:08 pmYeh,stop the spending, borrow more!!
February 4th, 2008 at 4:09 pmStop it!!! Stop it!!! Stop the spending NOW!!
Comment by gus smith — February 4, 2008 @ 4:07 pm
February 4th, 2008 at 4:10 pm—–
Congress can stop this whenever they want. PULL THE CREDIT CARD.
So thats why Coulter would back Hillary!!
Comment by Xisithrus — February 4, 2008 @ 4:05 pm
You know, I think the rethugs are scared to death of Obama! Seems I am hearing a lot of “good” talk from the right about her. They are cranking up the smear machine, drooling in anticipation of a Hillary win in the primary.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:11 pmThose damn tax and spend Republicans. Bring back fiscal discipline by electing Democrats.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:12 pmFreedom isn’t free.
Comment by Frank M — February 4, 2008 @ 3:50 pm
No, but it’s much cheaper than the fascism you advocate.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:12 pmhttp://www.philly.com/ inquirer/ opinion/ 20080201_Bush_legacy__Setting_a_standard_in_fear-mongering.html
February 4th, 2008 at 4:14 pmLet me be clear: Our ability to track and monitor terrorists overseas would not cease should the Protect America Act expire. -Richard A. Clarke
They are cranking up the smear machine, drooling in anticipation of a Hillary win in the primary. -Merlin
Indeed.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:16 pmDidn’t they fire the guy that said this may cost as much as 200 Billion?
Comment by deebaser — February 4, 2008 @ 3:58 pm
Yeah, because he displayed a brief flash of near-competence, which is not allowed.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:17 pmCompassionate conservatives at their finest
Comment by Buckie Boy — February 4, 2008 @ 4:05 pm
How long did this phony advertising slogan last? I don’t remember it ever happening.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:17 pmFreedom isn’t free.
Comment by Frank M — February 4, 2008 @ 3:50 pm
Obviously it is for Halliburton and the oil companies …………
February 4th, 2008 at 4:17 pmI have gotten the strong impression from the comments at the Washington Post that there are Republicans masquerading as Democrats posting anti-Obama, pro-Hillary comments.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:18 pmFreedom isn’t free…the mindless neo-con mantra, kind of like Support the Troops. What next? Freedom isn’t free magnetic ribbons for your SUV?
February 4th, 2008 at 4:19 pmOops, Too late…
February 4th, 2008 at 4:20 pmEmail your congressman, finish off the fraternity boy.
And may I add, the republican opposition to spending that supports and develops humanity while supporting spending that needlessly destroys humanity is always a hit. But the 24% is still given the microphone, so few outside TP would know.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:24 pmGaucho! Classic ~!!~
February 4th, 2008 at 4:25 pmdid anybody watch the CBS special report last night?
maybe during the game, between the commercials?
a really great report about an iowa national guard unit and the time spent
in iraq… most of their mission was escorting the contractor caravans…
i was waiting for scott pely (?) to relate the fact that those guys were making 1/10th the pay that the contractors were making…
i never did hear that…
February 4th, 2008 at 4:26 pmFrom the link provided by: Comment by Xisithrus — February 4, 2008 @ 4:14 pm
So it is no surprise that in one of Bush’s last acts of relevance, he once again played the fear card. While he has failed in spreading democracy, stemming global terrorism, and leaving the country better off than when he took power, he did achieve one thing: successfully perpetuating fear for political gain.
Sadly, it may be one of the only achievements of his presidency.
Richard Clarke (A true patriot!)
I would be hard pressed to name any positive achievements BushCo has done. They simply are that bad. Everything has been, and is being done, using fear, compounded by arrogance, and an abysmal ignorance of understanding and compassion..
February 4th, 2008 at 4:29 pmkaty, for the life of me, I’ll never understand the concept of downsizing the military so that it is not self sufficient for food, housing & transport.
Just never made any sense.
But now, BushitCo can put 150,000 troops into combat without the other several hundred thou that would be essential to the mission.
So they can pad their buddies’ pockets with the support money they would have had built in to the military.
Makes more sense now, doesn’t it?
February 4th, 2008 at 4:30 pmSo, aside from Frank’s reflexive brain fart, have any other tighty-righties shown up here to defend Chimpy’s fiscal conservatism?
February 4th, 2008 at 4:32 pmComment by katy — February 4, 2008 @ 4:26 pm
a really great report about an iowa national guard unit and the time spent in iraq… most of their mission was escorting the contractor caravans…
Blackwater was too expensive??
February 4th, 2008 at 4:32 pmFBI wants palm prints, eye scans, tattoo mapping
http://www.cnn.com/ 2008/ TECH/ 02/ 04/ fbi.biometrics/ index.html
McChimpy is legacy building, move along.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:34 pmTo fund his war and preserve his tax cuts for the rich, President Bush is cutting vital services for low- and moderate-income Americans, including child-care assistance for low-income families, low-income rental assistance programs, and total funding for K-12 education.
Compassionate conservatism at it’s best! No need for healthcare, energy efficiency and please don’t even think about rebuilding New Orleans.
What a heartless bastard…
February 4th, 2008 at 4:34 pmLet me leave this thought with you:
The IRS collects just over $1.5T in taxes every year.
Roughly $400 Billion goes to pay interest on the National Debt.
The Bush Administration wants to spend $688B on Iraq in 2009.
$1,500T
February 4th, 2008 at 4:39 pm- 400B
- 688B
———–
Leaving just $412B to run the entire U.S. government.
Mugsy, great math lesson.
Mission Accomplished BushitCo!
February 4th, 2008 at 4:40 pmIf the Dems don’t jump all over this and BURY McCain with it, they’re incompetent campaigners…
February 4th, 2008 at 4:41 pm$688 Billion For War while 18,000 die each year from lack of health care, our infrastructure, education, jobs, housing market crumbling, … but wait! We always have the MSM to distract us from the horrors of this madness so what the hell.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:45 pmComment by RUCerious — February 4, 2008 @ 4:41 pm
If the Dems don’t jump all over this and BURY McCain with it, they’re incompetent campaigners…
Really!! Put this way it really shows the insanity the “conserv…” er neocons live by! Insanity propounded by Grover Norquist, Bill Kristol and their ilk. They are like aliens from another planet.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:48 pmBushCo: “Leave ‘em homeless, uneducated, and unfed. They can drop like the ones in that arab hellhole. “
February 4th, 2008 at 4:51 pmthis amounts to one trillion dollars of blood money. Good money thrown after bad can never produce positive results. Bush is the bad seed.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:52 pmMugs - The BUSH SYSTEM OF NONSENSE ACCOUNTING makes no fiscal sense which is why he tanked every business he’s ever owned.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:54 pmFascism isn’t Free.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:57 pmFreedom is not free. It takes an everlasting vigilance to ensure that those values and liberties ensconced in our constitution and Bill of Rights remain in place no matter what kind of threat is perceived to our country. It means that we value the writ of habeas corpus that has been the bulwark of freedom since its inclusion in the Magna Carta. It means that we value the role of an independent judiciary to ensure that searches and seizures occur only upon probable cause and abjuring the blanket writs of assistance that formed a basis for our own revolution. It means free and open trials as opposed to secret “Star Chambers” that have been the hallmark of oppressive rulers.
Freedom is not free. It means leaders who recognize the rule of law over men and the type of “ends justify the means” that has been the herald of dictators such as Stalin, Hitler, Mussolini and Hussein. It means a press corps that will openly challenge the government and expose misleading statements by the our leaders. It means real responsibility and accountability as opposed to leaders who will deny any responsibility or admit any mistake in their handling of affairs.
Freedom is not free. It means accepting those among us who have different political views without equating them to traitors. It means accepting a division between church and state (as our own early Congress and President recognized in the Tripoli treaty: “Art. 11. As the Government of the United States of America is not, in any sense, founded on the Christian religion..” This is what should distinguish our country from those who seek theocracy.
Freedom is not free. Unfortunately, those like Frank M. fail to realize that the real cost of freedom has little to do with the budget or the amount of money spent on defense. The cost of the war in Iraq has nothing to do with protecting our freedom. It has everything to do with an ignorant and arrogant administration attempting to create a US hegemony in the Middle East. Instead, it spread the very terrorism it opposed by attacking a country that was not involved in the fight. It compounded the mistake by starting the war before it had even finished the job against BinLaden.
Freedom is not free. It takes humility and compassion for others. President Bush and his supporters want to gut social programs and the social safety net while passing tax cuts and handing out corporate tax relief that aid a few in our society. The president’s call for more personal responsibility really means cutting support for those who will least be able to fend for themselves given stagnant or falling income and vastly increased expenses for health care, heating and fuel.
Freedom is not free. Only a fool would put in such simple and blind terms as Frank M.
February 4th, 2008 at 4:58 pm“Freedom isn’t free magnetic ribbons for your SUV?”Comment by ucsbclassics53
February 4th, 2008 at 5:00 pm“Your flag decal want get you into heaven anymore.
They’re already overcrowded from your dirty little war.” Classic John Prine
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1qE2vJdDw4
February 4th, 2008 at 5:01 pmLet me know if this link works.
And that should be “WON’T get you”.
February 4th, 2008 at 5:02 pmJMOHR - You Rock, bud.
February 4th, 2008 at 5:06 pmFascism isn’t Free.
Comment by Lefty Patriot — February 4, 2008 @ 4:57 pm
Neither is vote tampering…
http://www.prisonplanet.com/ articles/ january2008/ 012908_recount_fiasco.htm
February 4th, 2008 at 5:08 pmWhat is also disturbing is the number of weapons programs, from MRAPs and F-22s to new rifles and armor, that have been canceled or scaled back. Many programs have been cut to finance the GWOT. “Military spending”, for new and replacement equipment, is actually being cut and we aren’t keeping up with material attrition in many ways. Many of the losses are being “replaced” with “paper units” which include equipment which is in the developmental, or prototype, stage and may never reach full production. Operational forces are being maintained by using “surplus” equipment from Reserve and other second line units.
Our total military capability is being reduced by the costs of the Iraq, and Afghanistan, occupations. And our future ability to stay ahead of other nations is in serious doubt. We are fast approaching the stage, much like the U.S.S.R. after their occupation of Afghanistan, where no one will be impressed.
February 4th, 2008 at 5:18 pmJMOHR - You Rock, bud.
Comment by Buckie Boy — February 4, 2008 @ 5:06 pm
—-
Quoted for truth
February 4th, 2008 at 5:20 pmComment by JMOHR — February 4, 2008 @ 4:58 pm
Awesome!
I might add that Freedom can not exist where leaders become rulers. We have lost track of the fact that “We, The People” have the ultimate legal and ethical authority. America needs to relearn that our representatives serve at OUR discretion.
February 4th, 2008 at 5:26 pm688 Billion is about $200 a month for every Man Women and Child in America.
I say skip the stimulus package,, and instead pull the plug on this Iraq fiasco.
February 4th, 2008 at 5:32 pm688 Billion is about $200 a month for every Man Women and Child in America.
I say skip the stimulus package,, and instead pull the plug on this Iraq fiasco.
Comment by Badger
I get the feeling that this iraq fiasco is all that is propping up our damaged economy…..at least they believe that…
February 4th, 2008 at 5:44 pmTotal F’n giveaway to the Military Industrial complex.
February 4th, 2008 at 5:53 pmthe word “obscene” comes to mind.
February 4th, 2008 at 5:55 pmComment by JMOHR — February 4, 2008 @ 4:58 pm
Beautifully done!
Of course, I’m still waiting for Frankie’s answer to my post below @#20. Post quick and provocative talking points and run like hell. Eh Frankie? Well, JMohr did what you could not even begin to do, even if you had the courage to try.
Freedom isn’t free.
Comment by Frank M — February 4, 2008 @ 3:50 pm
Care to write a brief explanation on who does the paying? No??? I thought not.
You just comment with bumper strip neocon talking points.
Comment by Merlin — February 4, 2008 @ 4:00 pm
February 4th, 2008 at 6:02 pmFreedom isn’t free.
Comment by Frank M
Rank M., were you born stupid or do you take pills.
February 4th, 2008 at 6:14 pmPlease explain how an invasion and occupation of a country that was non-threatening to us or to any of its neighbors, is helping us to be free.
That’s not accurate — it’s including the entire Pentagon budget. That’s obviously not going entirely towards the war.
The actual number is obscene enough, no need to be misleading with the numbers.
February 4th, 2008 at 6:31 pm81 are you trying to say we aren’t spending enough on the war?
February 4th, 2008 at 6:38 pm82: Huh? How does me calling the actual amount spent on the was “obscene enough” lead you to believe that we should be spending more?
My point is just that TP is overstating the amount being budgeted to the war. It’s misleadingly including the entire requested Pentagon budget in the war figure.
February 4th, 2008 at 7:08 pmFreedom isn’t free.
Comment by Frank M — February 4, 2008 @ 3:50 pm
perhaps not, but can we get some change back?
February 4th, 2008 at 7:09 pmgeesh! that’s one hell of a tip!
Sorry, should have been “…lead you believe I’m saying we should be saying more?”
February 4th, 2008 at 7:09 pmhttp://ccoaler.blogspot.com/ 2008/ 02/ bush-causes-record-breaking-deficits.html
Bush causes record breaking deficits
February 4th, 2008 at 7:24 pmRepublicans credit Reagan with causing the downfall of the Soviet Union by forcing them to bankrupt themselves trying to keep up in the arms race.
February 4th, 2008 at 9:03 pmBy that logic we will be responsible for our own economic downfall.
We spend more on ways of killing people (weapons) than the rest of the world combined.
to prevent another 9-11?
That was done by 19 guys armed with boxcutters.
Cost of a boxcutter?
@ $2.49
No more freedom fries. http://mondediplo.com/2008/02/05military
Can it get any worse?
February 4th, 2008 at 9:48 pmToo bad the cowards in the crime family can’t go over to enjoy some of the war they love so much.
February 4th, 2008 at 10:38 pmMy point is just that TP is overstating the amount being budgeted to the war. It’s misleadingly including the entire requested Pentagon budget in the war figure.
Comment by EvilCornbread — February 4, 2008 @ 7:08 pm
Isn’t the Pentagon’s job to prosecute the war? It can be argued that the whole budget is being spent on thi war, which has already been declared The Long War.
February 5th, 2008 at 2:10 amNo, but the space between Frank M.’s ears are most assuredly free!
February 5th, 2008 at 10:01 amOne more piece of the BUSHCO LEGACY, as the only president to lower taxes in time of WAR.In the past the upper crusty of the population was taxed at a higher rate not cut.BUSHCO at it`s best,corrupt or what?
February 5th, 2008 at 10:28 amReally irresponsible to use American Taxpayer money in that way.
February 17th, 2008 at 3:04 amWho voted for that ?. Why do Republicans think that they have have
any chance in hell to win the election in 2008. And people trust me:
“keep your evil eye out for jeb bush”.