For years, US officials have been talking up the importance of a massive rehaul of the American nuclear weapons arsenal, insisting it is necessary despite the substantial expense. Analysts have long warned the estimated costs were underrated.
Every time the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) looks into the matter, they come up with an even higher estimated cost than the last time. The latest report to Congress has put the overall cost at in excess of $1.2 trillion over 30 years.
The CBO was unusually frank about this cost, saying it is “unlikely to be affordable” without military cuts elsewhere. Since the US is fighting multiple wars constantly, cuts in military spending tend not to happen.
Even this $1.2 trillion is likely a best-case scenario for the plan, with other analysts suggesting the figure would be even higher, and with President Trump constantly looking to add more nuclear capabilities, it’s only going to rise.
The CBO offered suggestions on reducing the size of the American nuclear arsenal to save money. The savings are in the 5-10% range, however, and unlikely to be politically palatable for President Trump, who is constantly talking up having the biggest, best nuclear arsenal ever.
Congressional reps are hard at work spending inconceivable amounts of money on toxic, stupid, violent, criminal enterprise.
So long as the money goes to defense contractors, and a portion is then shunted back to the congresscritters obliquely, they’re all happy. It’s the rest of us who are f**ked.
Of course, no mention or care about the fact that this “upgrade” is completely against the terms of the NPT, which the USA and the other “legal nuclear powers” have signed, meaning they should be reducing their nukes, not “improving them”. The Cold War is over, but you would never guess it.
I’ll bet my bottom shekel (((they’re))) just stealing the money.
Aw, your frog avatar is wearing SS gear! And you use the word “shekel” in place of “dollar” as would usually end that little phrase. So cute!!!!
One wonders where all the money is going. The Pentagon of course remains unaccountable, literally. Somewhere out there, there are hundreds of connected people who are getting extremely rich, at our expense.