NPR: US Air Strikes Kill 1,100 ISIS Fighters, Cost 1 Billion Dollars

[Subyman]

If we assume that ISIS forces consist of some 50,000 fighters. And it costs roughly a million dollars per fighter to kill them, then it should only cost 50 billion and at worst 100 if the military can maintain its efficiency.


$50 Billion is chump change to what we spent on Iraq and Afghanistan.

We could probably just put a $1M bounty on any ISIS member's head and the problem would resolve itself in a few days.

 

[ivwshane]

We could probably just put a $1M bounty on any ISIS member's head and the problem would resolve itself in a few days.

We actually already did that, it's why guantanamo was filled with non convicted "terrorists".

 

[Sonikku]

It'll be a lot cheaper in the short term if we back some rebels with weapons and aid and cia training to fight against ISIS. And later it will be profitable for the defense sector when we need to build weapons to fight them when they become next cycle terrorists. Think of how much it will stimulate the economy.

 

[Matt1970]

It'll be a lot cheaper in the short term if we back some rebels with weapons and aid and cia training to fight against ISIS. And later it will be profitable for the defense sector when we need to build weapons to fight them when they become next cycle terrorists. Think of how much it will stimulate the economy.

True. We seem to have lost sight of the fact that the enemy or our enemy is still our enemy.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

We actually already did that, it's why guantanamo was filled with non convicted "terrorists".

Yep. Trouble makers for tribal leaders were captured for bounty and turned in as " terrorists". Get rid of your competition and get paid to do it.

 

[theeedude]

Is that money separately appropriated or comes out of the usual defense budget?
I mean if they are going to spend that money on training exercises instead, seems like it would be better to use it on ISIS.

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Is that money separately appropriated or comes out of the usual defense budget?
I mean if they are going to spend that money on training exercises instead, seems like it would be better to use it on ISIS.

$64 billion was earmarked for war. At this time there is an uncapped budget, a slush fund, being used independent of the defense budget. This is all extra costs.

 

[Strk]

That's cheaper than an execution in this country, so I see no problem.

 

[Jhhnn]

That's cheaper than an execution in this country, so I see no problem.

Bada-bing! Winnar!

 

[Jhhnn]

Yep. Trouble makers for tribal leaders were captured for bounty and turned in as " terrorists". Get rid of your competition and get paid to do it.

It wasn't even that. The conflict w/ the Northern Alliance attracted young idealistic muslim adventurers who fought for the Taliban. Fingering them as Terrorists was easy, because they have no tribe or family to exact retribution on the informer.

Fuck 'em. Take the cash if the Americans are stupid enough to believe you. They won't come back on you, either, because they can't admit the whole exercise was a PR stunt for domestic US politics.

 

[bradly1101]

I'd rather spend it on that than the welfare state.

Best spend it on dyin' not livin'.

 

[Subyman]

We actually already did that, it's why guantanamo was filled with non convicted "terrorists".

Bounty requires dead terrorists. That fixes it. No need to house them.

 

[zinfamous]

How many more billions does the US need to spend before it gets tired? Or how many more ISIS fighters have to die before ISIS gets tired?

If you believe the former, how many more billions of dollars should the US spend on air strikes? If you believe the later, how many more ISIS Fighters need to die?

Uno

My Question: were you asking this question in 2003, prior to Iraq?

during Iraq?

then again, during Iraq?

and then again, during Iraq?

how many of your buddies were asking this and was it a valid question then? And if not, why is it now valid?

just curious.

 

[IGBT]

..and none of em were tortured.

 

[schmuckley]

I was thinking about that when it was going on..
JDAMS cost "only" 20K and have almost same effect.
Who would ask the gov't to be fiscally responsible?

 

[zephyrprime]

True. We seem to have lost sight of the fact that the enemy or our enemy is still our enemy.

That old saying "enemy of my enemy is my friend" is being proven wrong again and again in the middle east.