1/3 of equipment to be left behind in the A'Stan

[XNavyNuke]

Billions worth of US Army kit to remain in Afghanistan after withdrawal

The US Army, owner of the bulk of military equipment in Afghanistan, is expecting to leave about USD5 billion worth of gear behind when it has completed a withdrawal operation at the end of 2016.

In January 2014 the army estimated that it had about USD15 billion worth of equipment still deployed in Afghanistan, where the United States has been involved in combat operations since 2001, the country's longest-ever war.

And of course, the MIC will charge the tax payers twice as much to replace the unit's losses once they return.

Once gear returns from Afghanistan, the army expects it will take about three years and more than USD10 billion to 'reset' everything from vehicles, to weapons, and night vision devices.

Makes perfect sense.

XNN

[KCIndy]

Typical. The U.S. government left billions of dollars of equipment behind when it bailed out of Vietnam. Kept the international arms dealers busy for years.

I would not at all be surprised if we start seeing the latest generation of U.S. military equipment (night vision gear, sensors, communications, weapons and ammo, etc) turning up in third world armies all around the globe.

[thoughtomator]

what's the ETA on some radical Islamists getting a hold of it?

[KCIndy]

what's the ETA on some radical Islamists getting a hold of it?

Four or five months ago?

[acptulsa]

And of course, the MIC will charge the tax payers twice as much to replace the unit's losses once they return.

It'll cost a damned sight more than that. This is the excuse they always use to spend trillions developing something to counter our own technology--it's now in foreign hands so we need to be able to beat it.

Makes perfect sense.

XNN

Sure does--if most of your portfolio is in Raytheon, Boeing and Halliburton.

[presence]

So let me get this straight... if I want to buy/sell night vision with my fellow Americans I need to fill out ATF Form 4587...

but my government gives them away for free to foreign governments likely to be overrun by or infiltrated by terrorist organizations?

[acptulsa]

So let me get this straight... if I want to buy/sell night vision with my fellow Americans I need to fill out ATF Form 4587...

but my government gives them away for free to foreign governments likely to be overrun by or infiltrated by terrorist organizations?

Of course.

They only use them on their poor people. You might use them to defend yourself from your own government.

[heavenlyboy34]

Of course.

They only use them on their poor people. You might use them to defend yourself from your own government.

Maybe we should all register formally as terrorists. All the most popular members here (including yours truly) have been long reported to Big Sister. That probably just puts us on a not-as-cool watch list.

[phill4paul]

Police departments are weeping at this news.

[presence]

the army expects it will take about three years and more than USD10 billion to 'reset' everything

That should create a lot of jobs, no?

[TheCount]

And of course, the MIC will charge the tax payers twice as much to replace the unit's losses once they return. Makes perfect sense. XNN

Reset does not mean replace equipment. Those units already have a second set of equipment at home station which was not taken to afghanistan.