Rethink Afghanistan, December 1, 2010

NOT WORTH IT: Every Hellfire missile fired in Afghanistan costs USD58,000

Air strikes using Hellfire missiles and other munitions kill civilians and make us less safe

An AGM-114 Hellfire missile hung on the rail of an US Air Force (USAF) MQ-1L Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) is inscribed with, "IN MEMORY OF HONORABLE RONALD REAGAN."

Here's something to think about when you hear politicians talk about the federal budget deficit: every single Hellfire missile fired in Afghanistan costs $58,000.00 ( http://www.redstone.army.mil/history/systems/HELLFIRE.html ).

U.S. and allied forces are dropping huge numbers of these bombs in Afghanistan this year:

So far this year, coalition aircraft have used 4,615 bombs and Hellfire missiles, already exceeding the 4,184 dropped in all of last year. ( http://www.rawa.org/temp/runews/2010/11/30/coalition-ramps-up-air-war-over-afghanistan-mindful-of-civilian-casualties.html )

Air strikes using Hellfire missiles and other munitions kill civilians and make us less safe, and they're a prime example of the waste of the Afghanistan War. If politicians are looking to really cut the deficit, they should start by ending this disastrous war that's not worth the cost.

Characters Count: 1392