US Pays $400 Per Gallon for Gas in Afghanistan

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Last year, the price of gasoline in the United States topped the $4 per gallon mark. This year in Afghanistan, the price has topped $400. The stunning revelation emerged Thursday in a report from the Pentagon to House officials. The information conveyed offers new insight into a recent report by the Congressional Research Service, which found that the US spends $1 million per year for each servicemember on the ground in Afghanistan

Posted by 726 at 02:48 PM | 61 COMMENTS | permalink | Comment on This Entry

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You know Dick Cheney smirking at this.

#1 | Posted by oldwhiskeysour at 2009-10-21 01:10 PM | Reply | Flag:

"the US spends $1 million per year for each servicemember on the ground in Afghanistan"

Some things I wish I did not know.

#2 | Posted by Hagbard_Celine at 2009-10-21 01:31 PM | Reply | Flag:

A lot of the $400 per gallon is going to Pakistan. LOL

We poor people, mate. We need the money! hahahahahahahahaha

80% of the fuel... including aviation fuel... was refined in Pakistan.

These days, the figure has gone up.

www.stratfor.com

The vast majority of the fuel used by U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan is refined in Pakistan and shipped by truck. It is worth noting that, on any given day, there are some 300 trucks carrying a total of more than 3 million gallons of fuel on the road en route to military bases in Afghanistan.

#3 | Posted by Tosser at 2009-10-21 02:36 PM | Reply | Flag:

"the US spends $1 million per year for each servicemember on the ground in Afghanistan"

Just think what the mercenaries are costing the taxpayer.

#4 | Posted by northguy3 at 2009-10-21 02:37 PM | Reply | Flag:

I knew the Americans were complaining about the bills we give them.... I didn't know we were charging them THAT much. LOL

No wonder, Pakistan WANTS the US to stay in Afghanistan. It's a cash cow.

#5 | Posted by Tosser at 2009-10-21 02:38 PM | Reply | Flag:

Our government always finds the best deal for the taxpayer. Just think what government health care will cost.

#6 | Posted by Sniper at 2009-10-21 02:55 PM | Reply | Flag:

Any you guys want to run my healthcare.

#7 | Posted by mysterytoy at 2009-10-21 03:09 PM | Reply | Flag:

But hurry Mr. Obama. listen to the generals, do exactly what they say, they always know best, money grows on trees, mothers don't mind losing sons and hey, in fifteen of twenty years we might accomplish something or might not too. So, hurry Mr. President, rush a decision and please those who hate you anyway.

#8 | Posted by danni at 2009-10-21 03:19 PM | Reply | Flag:

Any American, or foreigner for that matter, who continues to say that the US assistance in the war on terror is an imperialistic and arrogant cause should take note. Imperialist countries TAKE from the countries they occupy. I'm sick and tired of hearing people, including the president, accuse the US of being that way. If that was the case we would have seized every bit of oil from Iraq instead of trying (erroneously) to help them establish a democratic, free-market economy. Were is the assistance from Kuwait? That little oil rich piss-ant country that we bailed out in the early nineties! I'm sick and tired of our nations political leaders and policy makers taking advantage of the American tax-payer and putting our armed forces service members in harms way where we are neither wanted or were we belong.

#9 | Posted by UpL8 at 2009-10-21 03:21 PM | Reply | Flag:

#8 | Posted by danni at 2009-10-21 03:19 PM | Reply | Flag:

Couldn't have said it better, Danni.

#10 | Posted by UpL8 at 2009-10-21 03:22 PM | Reply | Flag:

Remember when we were told, "the oil will pay for the war." I think we need to tell Iraq it is time to pay up.

#11 | Posted by danni at 2009-10-21 03:25 PM | Reply | Flag:

Remember when we were told, "the oil will pay for the war." I think we need to tell Iraq it is time to pay up.
#11 | Posted by danni

Didn't privatization end that discussion?

#12 | Posted by Hagbard_Celine at 2009-10-21 03:26 PM | Reply | Flag:

"Imperialist countries TAKE from the countries they occupy."

America doesn't have enough sand already? That and opium is all afghanistan has.

I guess it would be unfair to point out that the first law passed by Bushbot Karsick was to permit the building of a gas line across afghanistan, something Bushbuddy Ken Lay needed and Condom Rice's Chevron was negotiating. It would also be unfair to point out the original (ie before the Iranian sistani dumped it) plan for Iraq was for the US to auction off its oil fields to a select group of bidders and use that money to pay for the rebuilding of Iraq.
Then again, reality isn't fair, is it.

"Were is the assistance from Kuwait? "

Don't worry, the Bush family made a ton of money off Kuwait and saudistan after Herbie Carlyle Bush loaned the US military to the saudi royals to protect their gold toilets. But it is interesting that not one ME country, supposedly under imminent threat from Saddam sent a single soldier to Iraq. Even Fiji did better. Maybe they knew something about what would transpire when Dumbya got his way. After all, they, at least knew the difference between shia and sunni.

#13 | Posted by northguy3 at 2009-10-21 03:43 PM | Reply | Flag:

I'm sure the administration is hard at work on this.

#14 | Posted by LIVE_OR_DIE at 2009-10-21 03:47 PM | Reply | Flag:

If this story came out under Bush's watch, there'd be allegations that Bush is simply fighting the war to enrich his corporate cronies via $400/gal gasoline. Where da libbies at?

#15 | Posted by JOE at 2009-10-21 03:53 PM | Reply | Flag:

How much would it have cost just to have nuked the whole place?

#16 | Posted by rightisright at 2009-10-21 03:55 PM | Reply | Flag:

Just another example of Obama just trying to make his oil buddies richer.

#17 | Posted by rightisright at 2009-10-21 03:55 PM | Reply | Flag:

Where da libbies at?

#15 | Posted by JOE at 2009-10-21 03:53 PM

Well, Northtard brings the Bush deflection, OldWhiskeyBreath has Cheney, and Danni's here to conflate the issue with the troop request.

They're here, shilling as usual.

#18 | Posted by LIVE_OR_DIE at 2009-10-21 03:57 PM | Reply | Flag:

"Well, Northtard brings the Bush deflection, OldWhiskeyBreath has Cheney, and Danni's here to conflate the issue with the troop request."

"They're here, shilling as usual."

Sadly they will probably continue to use the same names for another decade....Hell danni still blames Reagan today.

#19 | Posted by crispee_oc at 2009-10-21 04:01 PM | Reply | Flag:

We can easily get much cheaper gas by telling Conoco Phillips to start handing over some of that oil from it's Afghani pipeline that the US Military protects.

You remember the one....it's the same pipeline deal that was signed by Bush's puppet, Muhammad Karzai, ON HIS FIRST DAY IN OFFICE.

#20 | Posted by COMMONSENSE at 2009-10-21 04:07 PM | Reply | Flag:

"We can easily get much cheaper gas by telling Conoco Phillips to start handing over some of that oil from it's Afghani pipeline that the US Military protects."

I think they prefer that you refer to that simply as "American interests."

#21 | Posted by danni at 2009-10-21 04:16 PM | Reply | Flag:

So gw paid 4 and the zero pays 400. Good job there obama. NO WONDER he hates fossil fuels!

#22 | Posted by DavetheWave at 2009-10-21 04:30 PM | Reply | Flag:

Coming from the two, obama and bide, who were against the surge danni, I would say there track record IS ZERO!

#23 | Posted by DavetheWave at 2009-10-21 04:43 PM | Reply | Flag:

FTA: Why so much? The cost includes shipping, which sometimes includes the pricetag of a helicopter flight. Sending fuel by helicopter is woefully inefficient, because it uses up almost as much fuel as it carries.

Hahaha, this is how the government operates. Oh and my guard base just got 12 new Ford F350's to replace 'old' 2004 F350s.

Money well spent.

#24 | Posted by andyuhenet at 2009-10-21 05:05 PM | Reply | Flag:

"So gw paid 4 and the zero pays 400."

GW never got oil delivered to the troops in Afghanistgan for $4 per gallon, even you know that Dave. Why do you make such completely dishonest posts????

#25 | Posted by danni at 2009-10-21 05:17 PM | Reply | Flag:

I mis read that, you are right for once. still doesn't change my opinion of the zero's handling of the 'war of necessity'.

#26 | Posted by DavetheWave at 2009-10-21 05:28 PM | Reply | Flag:

400/gal? Big deal. Just a drop in the bucket.

US, Nato Protecting Afghan Drug Trade

AFG Drug Trade Reaches 4Billion

#27 | Posted by L_RContrarian at 2009-10-21 05:52 PM | Reply | Flag:

A can of pepsi in Iraq cost US taxpayers $45. Don't tell me our gas there gas cost $4.

#28 | Posted by nutcase at 2009-10-21 05:57 PM | Reply | Flag:

Gen. James Conway, who runs the Marine Corps, told a Navy forum that perilous risky routes up gasoline that originally cost $1.04 gallon up to $400.

And DTW, Bush wasn't paying $4 a gallon. Get somebody to read you the article.

As a leftie I could point out that if Bush had been anything other than an absolute failure as C-in-C, he could have won the afghan war in 2002 and this would all be moot and not another thing Obama has to clean up.

Then again, what Republican President since Lincoln has won a war? Not Ike, Nixon, Ford, Reagan or the Bushies, that's for sure.

#29 | Posted by northguy3 at 2009-10-21 07:50 PM | Reply | Flag:

Cheney,Rumsfeld,Halliburton etc. Offer Silent,Snickering Hallejuahs to the Chewed,Screwed and Blued US Taxpayers!

So basically the likes of EXXON are charging (conning) the US taxpayers an extra $396 Bucks a gallon for Afghanistan gasoline for the US Military - this is reason enough for that war to continus - but what else is news? Don't all the companies that supply the US Military (like Dick Cheney's Halliburton) charge (US taxpayers) 1000+ per cent more for basic goods and services???

Hey Cheney,Rumsfeld,the Bushes and Clintons etc wouldn't even bother being in politics if there weren't all those outrageously huge & easy profits to pluck from the stunned but oh so compliant American taxpayers!!!

#30 | Posted by AntiCadillac at 2009-10-21 08:02 PM | Reply | Flag:

The cure for 9/11 costs more than 9/11. This is pointless.

#31 | Posted by snoofy at 2009-10-21 08:18 PM | Reply | Flag:

"Our government always finds the best deal for the taxpayer. Just think what government health care will cost."

Then why are the doctors always whining that Medicare doesn't pay them enough?

#32 | Posted by TenMile at 2009-10-21 08:23 PM | Reply | Flag:

Just think of the jobs that will be created in this fuel transfer payment stimulus program!

Barack Hussein Obama -- Dollars spilling on the floor -- Don't fret, the democrats will just print some more -- Mmm ... Mmm ... Mmm

#33 | Posted by HopeyChangey at 2009-10-21 09:50 PM | Reply | Flag:

Who gives a shit if President Obama's already spoken on the record describing the war in Afghanistan as a "war of necessity." I'll totally forgive him. He shouldn't let his critics get the best of him, they're going to yap negativity regardless of what he does. But staying in a stupid war just to keep in line with his previous words = terrible mistake.

END THIS WAR NOW.

#34 | Posted by Scrumplet at 2009-10-21 10:03 PM | Reply | Flag:

where is all those troops BHO promised when elected HE would bring home???
Now it looks like he is ready to send in 40,000
more.
And the jobs??? Unemployment highest in over 10 years.
A lot of people knew those promises were for election purposes only.

#35 | Posted by Dr_Feelgood at 2009-10-21 10:06 PM | Reply | Flag:

The only troop he has brought home is a terrorist from Gitmo yesterday brought home to NY.

#36 | Posted by Dr_Feelgood at 2009-10-21 10:10 PM | Reply | Flag:

Barack Hussein Obama -- Which is worse, the sweet tongued liar --- Or the democrat idiot voter who feels inspired -- Mmm ... Mmm ... Mmm

#37 | Posted by HopeyChangey at 2009-10-21 10:20 PM | Reply | Flag:

We are in Afghanistan for the heroin.

#38 | Posted by redlightrobot at 2009-10-21 11:26 PM | Reply | Flag:

They are getting ripped off.

I only pay $280 per gallon when delivered by helicopter.

#39 | Posted by Mato at 2009-10-21 11:31 PM | Reply | Flag:

Barack Hussein Obama -- Which is worse, the sweet tongued liar --- Or the democrat idiot voter who feels inspired -- Mmm ... Mmm ... Mmm

How about the backward looking wishful thinker whose wife left him because he was a nerd sucker?

#40 | Posted by RingMaster at 2009-10-21 11:58 PM | Reply | Flag:

Don't mind me. I just spent the whole day looking for a $10 heat sensor for my Ford truck to keep it running because it shorted out and it's obsolete according to Ford. The truck is a 93 and they must have made millions of them. I finely found it 3,000 miles away and it cost $73 + $48 for UPS to send it to Hawaii. It weighs less then a pack of gum, is not much bigger then a walnut. It's a piece of threaded plastic with a cheesy looking single thermal diode that looks like it wouldn't last a week compared to the original and couldn't have cost two bucks in China. You could pack 10 gross cardboard box. I asked them if they could just drop it in a prepaid envelope and mail it from California to Hawaii. I'm in no hurry, but no! NAPA does not support the US Post Office.

You scumbags are crying about what the government spends to move fuel in a war zone? Think about what 'big business' has done for free enterprise and the little guy who just wants to haul the trash once a month in a truck that otherwise runs just fine.

#41 | Posted by RingMaster at 2009-10-22 12:15 AM | Reply | Flag:

KBR and Haliburton should be tried for conspiring against our military, extorting contracts and influencing lobbys for preferential privatization schemas then for war crimes, crimes against humanity, etc.

Seriously, can we seize assets on these grounds?

I wouldn't be at all shocked to learn Haliburton was involved in the sudden production of Hummers and SUVs.

#42 | Posted by redlightrobot at 2009-10-22 12:34 AM | Reply | Flag:

That was beautiful. Fucking beautiful. We're bitching about the administration of resources in a war in which we are losing our brave young men and you, our Christ sufferer, is having problems with a pack of gum doo dad for your 93 F-150?

Thanks for putting it all in perspective. I feel so selfish for not dropping you a line when I didn't see your witty, illuminating commentary today. I should have known.

I think we're all a little smaller right now.

#43 | Posted by HopeyChangey at 2009-10-22 12:37 AM | Reply | Flag:

Barack Hussein Obama -- He needed a doo dad for his truck -- In the end, his shriveled penis gave him luck -- Mmm ... Mmm ... Mmm

#44 | Posted by HopeyChangey at 2009-10-22 12:39 AM | Reply | Flag:

"I wouldn't be at all shocked to learn Haliburton was involved in the sudden production of Hummers and SUVs.

Posted by redlightrobot"

That was the generous tax credit passed by GOP/Bush to buy vehicles of that size.

#45 | Posted by Timex at 2009-10-22 12:50 AM | Reply | Flag:

We're bitching about the administration of resources in a war in which we are losing

Whoa... when did we start losing? Was it January 20, 2009?

#46 | Posted by snoofy at 2009-10-22 12:55 AM | Reply | Flag:

I'm glad to see you do have a sense of humor H&C.

All it takes is putting things in their proper perspective to understand the ringmaster's mind.

#47 | Posted by RingMaster at 2009-10-22 01:09 AM | Reply | Flag:

"I wouldn't be at all shocked to learn Haliburton was involved in the sudden production of Hummers and SUVs.
Posted by redlightrobot"

That was the generous tax credit passed by GOP/Bush to buy vehicles of that size.
#45 | Posted by Timex at 2009-10-22 12:50 AM

And most importantly their weight. It frustrates me to see car ads proudly claiming fuel efficiency with 35MPG when electric and hybrid get 200-400 using the same standards. If General Motors were run by people who love vehicles we would have seen innovation back in the 80's. All manufacturers are by default guilty of this same gasoline pricing manipulation, carbon tax manipulation and influencing the environmental impact standards so negatively that they might as well never have existed. I never wanted to bail out that kind of retardation, and now they are back to producing shit. We need off gasoline NOW.

#48 | Posted by redlightrobot at 2009-10-22 01:14 AM | Reply | Flag:

80% of the mass we carry into battle is fuel.

#49 | Posted by snoofy at 2009-10-22 02:03 AM | Reply | Flag:

80% of the mass we carry into battle is fuel.
#49 | Posted by snoofy at 2009-10-22 02:03 AM

That equates to 79% water? If only we could just do without that convoy vulnerability we wouldn't have as dramatic a waste from our contractors. Maybe that could have been the "coalition" duties - to secure water to reconstitute into fuel and food instead of sending 500 troops? I dunno the dynamics of field rations, but I'll bet our people would prefer not having to lug it around themselves. Though we did have that one "accidental" food poisoning that is extremely suspect, it's probable that for a share in community resources Iran could have set up a falafel stand right next to the Israeli bagelmart.:] Instead we get Subway and KFC..

#50 | Posted by redlightrobot at 2009-10-22 02:13 AM | Reply | Flag:

Barack Hussein Obama -- He needed a doo dad for his truck -- In the end, his shriveled penis gave him luck -- Mmm ... Mmm ... Mmm

#44 | Posted by HopeyChangey at 2009-10-22 12:39 AM | Reply | Flag:

Any chance you 'huff' spray-paint for fun?

#51 | Posted by COMMONSENSE at 2009-10-22 03:11 AM | Reply | Flag:

Gen. James Conway, who runs the Marine Corps, told a Navy forum that perilous risky routes up gasoline that originally cost $1.04 gallon up to $400

Ah, the disadvantages of having to maintain a supply line that goes literally half way around the world.

The Soviet Empire went broke in Afghanistan and they were right next door when they invaded.

Somebody's getting rich offa all this.

Aint Spud.

Be Well.

#52 | Posted by dethspud at 2009-10-22 03:19 AM | Reply | Flag:

Somebody's getting rich offa all this.

We are. LOL

And every time the supply line gets "tweaked" (a few tankers burnt along with a few trucks), the US loses another base to a taliban attack.

Which means the supply line is BARELY keeping up.

Whatchagonnado when you send more troops in there?

#53 | Posted by Tosser at 2009-10-22 05:02 AM | Reply | Flag:

Hahaha, this is how the government operates. Oh and my guard base just got 12 new Ford F350's to replace 'old' 2004 F350s.

Money well spent.
#24 | Posted by andyuhenet at 2009-10-21 05:05 PM

Andy, that's because if the money set aside for your bases' budget is not used in a given fiscal year...then it's cut out of the budget the following year. Who ever is in charge doesn't want to lose those funds. Now, just magnify that situation all over the board and apply it to federal and state spending. Now you can see why we have a problem with our budget.

GAO and budget committees...if they don't use it they lose it and the funds go somewhere else. That's why we see $400 toilet seats on subs, etc., etc. Yeah, too big government is too big to monitor.

#54 | Posted by UpL8 at 2009-10-22 06:59 AM | Reply | Flag:

"still doesn't change my opinion of the zero's handling of the 'war of necessity'."

OK, what don't you like about his handling of it???
Come on, give us some specifics....
or admit it, you're just a partisan hack and no matter what he did you wouldn't approve of it.

#55 | Posted by danni at 2009-10-22 08:39 AM | Reply | Flag:

well the consumption will decrease since we are not going after the taliwhackers anymore.

#56 | Posted by scooter28054 at 2009-10-22 11:10 AM | Reply | Flag:

What is going on in Afghanistan and Iraq is not war in the conventional sense. It is military intervention for the sake of profit. In Iraq it is al about oil. In Afghanistan it is all about opium. Saddam cut the US out of the countries cheap oil by selling cheap oil to the Russians and other countries that stayed out of his way. The Taliban cut the US out of cheap opium by executing the drug lords. We are not there fighting terrorists. They were already executed. Ask yourself this, if the US pharmaceutical industry is the worlds biggest producer of morphine based drugs, where are we getting the opium from? We don't produce it anywhere in America that I know of, and since we invaded, opium production as grown higher then any time in history.

Until you blockheads on the right figure this out you will never get my respect. We are not there to liberate these people and I don't blame it on the volunteers that were duped into dying there for the sake of freedom. We are loosing freedom because of the wars, not gaining it as the right wing war nuts would have us believe. The Afghans don't want to be liberated. They are a tribal nation and prefer that lifestyle. We are there to exploit them, establish military bases and make war profitable for American big business concerns.

#57 | Posted by RingMaster at 2009-10-22 12:57 PM | Reply | Flag:

Why can't we build a hybrid tank???

Or, even better, an electric tank??

#58 | Posted by danni at 2009-10-22 03:05 PM | Reply | Flag:

Opium poppies will grow in North and South America, Europe, and Asia. Why should Afghanistan garner so much power from their cultivation of this plant? There is a worldwide shortage of medicinal morphine, and has been for years. Let other parts of the world grow more poppies and undercut the dominance of AFG. They have been doing this to a small degree in England for six years now with about 8000 acres of poppies. The farmers don't even have to harvest the fields themselves, the one licensed company comes in and does it for them according to the article I read. This is interesting because I had always thought that the only way to produce the raw material for morphine was by slicing the seed pods by hand and then collecting the dried lumps of the juice by hand and slicing the pods again, etc., like you see in articles in National Geographic. But apparently a mass production approach will work.

#59 | Posted by grumpy_too at 2009-10-22 03:29 PM | Reply | Flag:

Interesting, I will hunt for that NG.

#60 | Posted by redlightrobot at 2009-10-22 05:20 PM | Reply | Flag:

Why should Afghanistan garner so much power from their cultivation of this plant?

Same reason marijuana is illegal in most places. There is more money in it. If anyone could grow their own, why would they need the big pharma corporations?

Besides, the British Opium Wars ain't over yet. Most of the opium goes to illegal use promoted by guess who?

#61 | Posted by RingMaster at 2009-10-22 05:26 PM | Reply | Flag: