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War, War, War See other War, War, War Articles Title: $1 billion, one dictator Call him the billion-dollar man. One billion for one dictator. According to the Pentagon, that was the cost to U.S. taxpayers for Muammar el-Qaddafi's head: $1.1 billion through September, the latest figure just out of the Defense Department. And that's just for the Americans. The final totals will take some time to add up, and still do not include the State Department, CIA, and other agencies involved or other NATO and participating countries. Vice President Joe Biden said that the U.S. "spent $2 billion total and didn't lose a single life." NATO does not track the operational costs to each member country, but the funds directly taken from a common NATO account for Libya operations have totaled about $7.4 million per month for electronic warfare capabilities and $1.1 million per month for headquarters and command staff, a NATO spokesman said. (PHOTOS: Qaddafi Through the Years) From the beginning of Operation Unified Protector in March, critics have questioned whether the U.S. could afford to open a third front. The Congressional Research Services estimate the Afghanistan war has cost nearly $500 billion so far. With Iraq, the figure easily tops $1 trillion. In the first week of Libya operations, bombs were dropped from B-2 stealth planes flown from Missouri and roughly 200 missiles launched from submarines in the Mediterranean, causing alarm that any extended campaign would quickly cost billions more. But after the U.S. military ramped up the operation, other NATO countries shouldered most of the air burden. Americans took a supporting role: aerial refueling tankers, electronic jamming, and surveillance. The behind-the-scenes role was something President Obama celebrated in remarks in the Rose Garden on Thursday. "Without putting a single U.S. service member on the ground, we achieved our objectives and our NATO mission will soon come to an end," Obama said. (RELATED: Why Qaddafi's Demise Has Little Political Promise) As to when that mission would end, NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said in a statement NATO issued from Brussels, "We will terminate our mission in coordination with the United Nations and the National Transitional Council." U.S. and NATO officials steadily maintained their mission was never to hunt, capture or kill the Libyan leader. The mission, they said, was to enforce the arms embargo, establish and hold a no-fly zone, and take actions to protect civilians from attack or the threat of attack. That last directive seemed to give plenty of reason to target Libya's top commander. But Pentagon officials said for months that if Qaddafi should happen to be at one of those locations when NATO missiles strike, so be it. Since the operation began on March 31, getting to Qaddafi's final stand required 7,725 air sorties and 1,845 strike sorties, 397 of which dropped ordnance, and 145 Predator drone strikes. NATO aircraft, including those supplied by the U.S., totaled 26,089 sorties and 9,618 strike sorties through Wednesday. (RELATED: Obama to Libyans: You've Won Your Revolution) More than 70 U.S. aircraft have supported the operation, including Predator drones. NATO flew 67 sorties and 16 strikes sorties over Libya one day before Qaddafi was killed. The NATO mission also employed submarines, aircraft carriers, amphibious assault ships, destroyers, frigates, and supply ships—as many as 21 vessels at one time. Additionally, as of one week ago, the U.S. had sold participating countries in the operation roughly $250 million in ammunition, parts, fuel, technical assistance, and other support, according to the Pentagon. Several members of Congress put out statements celebrating Qaddafi's downfall but did not comment on the cost. Several offices contacted did not provide additional reaction to the monetary figures. But presidential candidate Ambassador Jon Huntsman did question the cost of the Libya operation. His statement on Thursday said, "I remain firm in my belief that America can best serve our interests and that transition through non-military assistance and rebuilding our own economic core here at home." Comments: (from among 8000+) Jil01 Multiply that by about 50 and you probably have a much closer figure in the short term of it. In the long term probably more like a 1000X. They probably did a trillion in damage to the infrastructure alone. We destroyed any order and civility in Libya, so I wonder who Obama is going to want to pay for that. And then there is dealing with the Western hating islamics, that most likely will gain power, down the road, missing dangerous weapons, etc.etc. Jil01: We overthrew an ally against mid eastern terrorism ( since 2003,check US state dept web site) to set up Western hating islamic chaos. Tell us again how this was vital and urgent for the security of the US and what we got out of this, Mr President. In the middle I commend you, Jil01, on an articulate post that contains no lying about anyone. I mean that sincerely. Paul US action was vital to the job security of members of Congress. They and the President are now assured of getting vital election campaign support from the Israeli lobby for eliminating an important national leader who opposed Israel's theft of Palestinian lands. Tatarewicz Jil01: One billion dollars? Three hundred, million dollars missiles alone the first week, 8 month of constant bombing that we will be paying the brunt of, non stop drone and high tech satellite surveillance, numerous ships having to be moved into to location for aircraft attacks to knock out air defense and attack Gadhaffi forces in the beginning weeks of the "no fly zone", probably a trillion in infrastructure damage to Libya that Obama will try to get us to pay for somehow, countless illegally smuggled modern weapons and tanks to the al quaida backed rebels (of which many of the most dangerous just happen to be missing now including missiles that can bring down airplanes), special ops on the ground that won the ground war (Obama would call the contractors and advisors), very likely a Western and Israel hating islamic government that we will have to deal with in the future, just like Egypt,damaged credibility and honor (who would trust us now after Obama stabbed Muammar in the back). I think the true cost will be a lot more evident just a little further down the road and it's not a billion. Charles, Biloxi: I just got a bill today from the IRS seems like I owe them $2,747 more than the $5,350 that I already paid for 2009. I will not vote for Opossum or anyone else who wants to raise my taxes!
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