A brand-new $34 Million U.S. military headquarters in Afghanistan. To be demolished

[Oktoberfest]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...1_story_1.html

A brand-new U.S. military headquarters in Afghanistan. And nobody to use it.


The windowless, two-story structure, which is larger than a football field, was completed this year at a cost of $34 million. But the military has no plans to ever use it. Commanders in the area, who insisted three years ago that they did not need the building, now are in the process of withdrawing forces and see no reason to move into the new facility.



The headquarters has its origin in 2009, when President Obama decided to surge more troops to southern Afghanistan to beat back Taliban insurgents. Army planners in South Carolina and at the Pentagon determined that Camp Leatherneck, which had been selected as the headquarters for Marine forces in the south, required a sophisticated command-and-control facility.

When Marine officers in Helmand heard of the plans, they objected. The commander at the time, then-Maj. Gen. Richard P. Mills, believed his plywood-walled headquarters was sufficient and made that clear to his superiors in Kabul.

And, the officials note, the U.S. military recently built a new headquarters building on the Afghan base that adjoins Leatherneck.

Based on his conversations with military officials, he said one of the options now seems to be gaining traction: “The building will probably be demolished.”

[herpecin]

if only we could pay people to dig holes and then fill them over here in the states.

think of all the jobs.

[Deleted]

And still whoever built the thing got paid in full I guess. Out of taxpayers' money.
But it's ok, little details. The fight for freedom is long and weary. Why not scrabble a few dollars off the taxpayers while we're at it?

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if only we could pay people to dig holes and then fill them over here in the states.

think of all the jobs.

Might as well use the holes to get rid of a few corrupt bastards in the meantime uh?

[Kalyyn]

This is why the military should be able to spend their money how they see fit, not how some jackass in congress thinks will help him pocket as much of it as possible.

[obdigore]

Its the same thing with all the Abrams tanks that are lying unused because, even though the Army says they don't need anymore, Congress keeps pushing funding into them.

[Kalyyn]

Its the same thing with all the Abrams tanks that are lying unused because, even though the Army says they don't need anymore, Congress keeps pushing funding into them.

So I imagine you would agree with me that the military should be able to spend it's own budget as it sees fit.

[Tierbook]

This is why the military should be able to spend their money how they see fit, not how some jackass in congress thinks will help him pocket as much of it as possible.

ahh but if the military was allowed to use it as they see fit they would put it towards education, after all a smart soldier is a bit more useful than a high school drop out

[obdigore]

So I imagine you would agree with me that the military should be able to spend it's own budget as it sees fit.

I think that the military should put in to congress requests for what they want/need and justify them, instead of congress telling the military what they are going to spend and on what, yes.

[Oktoberfest]

This is why the military should be able to spend their money how they see fit, not how some jackass in congress thinks will help him pocket as much of it as possible.

So much corruption in the entire process

[Tierbook]

I'm confused though.... it says that its a new command in the South, which i assume would mean America since South Carolina is piping up, but it says its in Afghanistan so which is it

[obdigore]

I'm confused though.... it says that its a new command in the South, which i assume would mean America since South Carolina is piping up, but it says its in Afghanistan so which is it

Ugh, Afghanistan command was split. The is a command HQ for the south sector, and it says 'Army Planners' in South Carolina, which would probably be Fort Jackson, which is a large military base with wide responsablities for the Army.

[Kalyyn]

I think that the military should put in to congress requests for what they want/need and justify them, instead of congress telling the military what they are going to spend and on what, yes.

You're making the assumption that Congress gives a fuck. And we both know that's never going to be true.

[obdigore]

You're making the assumption that Congress gives a fuck. And we both know that's never going to be true.

Never is debatable, but although Congress controls the purse strings, they should bow to the experts in the respective fields for what they want/need and legislation regarding said fields.

[Oktoberfest]

Its the same thing with all the Abrams tanks that are lying unused because, even though the Army says they don't need anymore, Congress keeps pushing funding into them.

Military Industrial Complex has to be stopped

[Cantheal]

I saw this earlier as well. Don't even think it was built using contractors from the US (not bashing any other country just saying the least they could do is use contractors from the US so SOME of the funds would find their way back into our economy). I just feel that anytime we build things like this it should be done using US contractors, not just this complex but in general.

[Kalyyn]

Never is debatable, but although Congress controls the purse strings, they should bow to the experts in the respective fields for what they want/need and legislation regarding said fields.

Again, they *should*. Maybe I'm just disgruntled after all of their past abuse, but I wouldn't bet a damn cent on congress ever doing what's right when money is involved.

[Cthulhu 2020]

Congress has buddies in Lockheed, etc.

[Deleted]

I'm confused though.... it says that its a new command in the South, which i assume would mean America since South Carolina is piping up, but it says its in Afghanistan so which is it

Afghanistan has a south too...

[obdigore]

Again, they *should*. Maybe I'm just disgruntled after all of their past abuse, but I wouldn't bet a damn cent on congress ever doing what's right when money is involved.

So, get politically active and demand accountability. Or whine about it on the interwebz in a gaming site. Whichever you think is going to fix the issue faster. :P

[Deleted]

Afghanistan has a south too...

Preposterous! What has the world become? Quick bomb em more till they give up their south!