Afghanistan’s Pentagon: US Spending $92 Million on Massive Building

From Stripes,
www.stripes.com...
Via antiwar
news.antiwar.com...

Construction site of the Ministry of Defense in Afghanistan. The United States is spending $92 million to build Afghanistan a new "Pentagon," a massive, five-story military headquarters with domed rooves and a high-tech basement command center that will link Afghan generals with their troops fighting Taliban across the country.

I always find it crazy that people are starving in the states, welfare is rampant, etc etc etc etc and then they go and spend a ton of money on a 'Pentagon' for the afghani's..?!? Not to mention the fact that the U.S. Says they are leaving afghanistan, yet they are building a pentagon type building... Cover to keep US interests front and centre in afghanistan?!

Look at this part from the stripes article,

But when Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak asked for a bigger office in the building — a change that would cost about $300,000 — he got a firm “no” in response. These types of changes cost time and money, U.S. military officials said, and in Afghanistan, both are in ever-shorter supply.

Oh there you go, saving the american taxpayer money by not building that guy a 300k office! Ugh... Like they are happy to justify it...and if you didnt know, check out what they are paying on buildings in afghanistan,

Even at this late stage of the war, with American troops beginning their withdrawal, the U.S. government is still working its way through a $10 billion menu of construction projects aimed at bolstering the Afghan security forces. Of the 1,150 buildings planned, more than 600—or more than half—have been completed, with a total value of $4 billion.

Hmmm, seems like you could build a # ton of schools in the US for 10 billion, among other things! What about paying for obamacare with government funds instead of forcing citizens? Or, use that money to secure the us/mex border..? Im sure there are many MANY things that could be better spent! Hey US citizen, how do you feel about your money being spent like that over there?
Canada does the same, not to that extent as we dont have that kinda money, but the amount of foreign money spent when we should be looking after ourselves first.. Ugh makes me sick! Lets figure our # out first before we try to save everyone else!!

Thoughts??

reply to post by Nspekta


I'll say it right now: this project isn't designed to benefit the Middle East. It's designed to let us spy on them from across the ocean. We're more interested in knowing what they're doing without them knowing we know it, than we are in keeping them safe. As if wrecking our economy on American projects isn't bad enough, now we have to spill gold on Middle Eastern soil to satisfy our paranoid tendencies?

Just withdraw from the East, people. If they try to attack us again, blow them the **** out of the sky! Until then, leave them alone and learn to live on our own steam and oil! Or better yet, create better technology that doesn't require polluting our nation!

How's THAT for a project?

This is needed for a permanent military presence in Afghanistan and the Middle East. The purpose is to guard pipelines carrying oil into China. Minerals being mined also get shipped to China. Opium fields need guarding so the US population remains a nation of drugged-out infantile zombies. What few jobs we have left are going to be outsourced to the Middle East, the next market for cheap labor. The purpose of war is to build infrastructure for labor outsourcing. Look out for upcoming pretexts to go to war in Africa (Kony much?) because China is working hard to exploit that continent. The US is Big Global Business's police force/construction crew. Why do you think soldiers are suiciding like crazy? There have always been trauma and PTSD in war- it existed thousands of years ago- but soldiers didn't off themselves. But realizing you have been sent to subdue a population to turn them into slaves to take your family's jobs can mess with your head enough to make someone want to check out.

You expected something different from the satanic pukes who run the USA? Have you seen any of the hundreds of military bases within the continental US? Howabout Hawaii, Germany, S. Korea, Japan or the Middle East? There are literally hundreds of massive buildings being built all over the earth by the US military. $92 million is EL CHEAPO. Some of these monstrosities are hundreds of millions of dollars.

There are building being built that have generators that are eight stories tall.

You, my friend, have uncovered the tip of the tip of the iceberg.

We spend more money on foreigners and foreign countries than we do on our own over here in the UK makes you wonder where these peoples loyalties lye a government that works in the interest of the people that voted them in is a myth in my opinion

have you ever heard of a man called Guy Fawkes he was the last man to go into Parliment with honest intentions
sorry just a bit of a rant from me

This is what is referred to as Nation Building....

But what actually is happening is companies like Halliburton who have the government contracts
to build these structures and supply and maintain our troops are stuffing their pockets with US
tax dollars...

These are the new 'Robber Barons'...back from the past to bilk the American taxpayer once again...

Sadly...we are allowing our own nation to crumble in financial ruin while we allow these greedy
war-profiteers to nation build in other countries...

reply to post by Nspekta


Ah soooo, the old try to get in the middle of the trade route ploy.

(rubbing hands) These American fools are playing right into our hands. They will end up keeping their military there for evah. lol

We, will tunnel under Afghanistan.

A doctor well a surgeon, asked me today what our approach will be towards medicine.

And so as a diplomat and global economist, I have to of course pass the buck to the WHO, and Doctors without Borders.

And since those two organizations are something we as humans should be proud of, of course our philanthropy programs will include support for them.

Now since we are planning trade hubs, that have security for shipping parcels, containers whatever, food you name it, and part of our plan is to have long term storage facilities for the UN's global food management programs. Surplus food stored for emergencies. Grain , rice, whatever. Including MRE's once we can afford to build a small on-site facility, that can take advantage of crops that otherwise no one else would buy so they are almost as cheap as free. It is global food relief so.
And also since we are building modern trade centers across the globe at 90 hubs that may end up as large as the Singapore Airport, the chances that one of them will be in either a war torn country or some political uprising we have to put a bunker there for the people who work there and those on site when the millions of crazed fanatics knock down the fence.

So everyone heads to the bunker and the stuff well its insured. However, we are just a shipping depot but a global organization, and maybe just maybe we can try to stay out of the fray whatever sort of fray there is, and just say hey, we deliver food, you want people to starve? Then ok, go fight somewhere else.

And so the bunker is of course secure underground facilities that cannot be breached, and the WHO organization will also store medicine there for free, and have their own little bunker.

Doctors without borders can get a ride anywhere anytime at the discretion of the site manager on-site.

And there will be a helicopter there for emergency airlift, and work safe programs, and safety first like any other workplace. And since it will employ a good number of people and there will be a lot of people doing banking and business there, we will have like a ship's doctor and a medical room, the usual facilities to stabilize a patient until they can be taken to hospital.

But we can't build a hospital on site because for one thing we can't afford it, secondly the WHO would not want a hospital where goods from all over the world pass through.

So we have to conform to their policies since we are a global organization. And also in every country, the government has existing policies regarding health care which we have no control over nor are we able to include that in our mission statement.

But our goal as an organization is to maintain the highest standards in our locations, at all the same level, and that standard being the best we can afford.

Now you might be thinking that maybe I am too thrifty. Ask Jessie J. She will tell you I almost never worry about the price tag. (There must be some other Rick she knows)

Ok I am thrifty. And that is why I get to spend other people's money.
But believe me, if there is any possible way to do more for medicine and for health, then we will certainly look at it. And universities will also look at it, and as I stated previously we fully intend to support the sciences.

reply to post by Rocketman7


I know people would like to know to what extent we are willing to do economic development in terms of actual business or shopping on site. Well that is the problem with having a global trade hub network, that serves business and provides warehousing, its wholesale marketing.
So its buyers and sellers but not usually the general public. Like off the street public washrooms and that.

It has to have fences, and security since it has warehousing, and goods that are valuable to their owners, and goods in transit.

So there is of course like a front desk, and administration, and depending where we are, a food court, and places where business people feel comfortable spending the whole day if they needed to.

The stores inside will be for business. Like insurance, and banking and customs agents, other shipping companies, and of course Internet services companies.

The site itself is designed with designated areas, and differing levels of security. Places where people are allowed to go and places where staff is allowed to go, and that sort of thing. So the mall is not somewhere where you would go to, to buy appliances or Walmart items. However, it would not be surprising if Walmart opened up around the corner. To be close to shipping.

What might be there inside are farm equipment companies selling products through a sales force.
That type of thing depending on the market that surrounds that location.

So we provide the retail space, we bring people together, for mutual benefit, and we get paid for lease space.
Inside the mall area. And that pays the bills. It pays for management and the surplus funds go towards philanthropy programs. The revenue generated by the shipping company will be used at the discretion of the G20 to maybe build nodes.

That would be smaller shipping depots around the hub, miles away, for logistical reasons. Drop off and pick up locations etc.
And like any other company, that is part of growth, and it benefits the company and its customers the general public when you can provide better service.

reply to post by Rocketman7


What about the revenue generated by the warehousing facilities? Upkeep on the site is very expensive. We have to maintain emergency power to reduce insurance rates, and we have to expect in some areas to be storing bulk goods that are very inexpensive and headed for 3rd world countries. So we have to have low rates and yet maintain good service. So its not all that lucrative to store rice, but where we can create revenue, since its a global company, we balance that out with a budget, and make sure we are maintaining a high standard, and whatever money is left over, goes to the philanthropy program. But in this area we will not be aggressively seeking revenue in places where they just need to get their crops to market.

reply to post by Rocketman7


What about the data warehousing? You mean like Google or whichever Internet companies are there? We will be aggressively pursuing revenue from them, they wouldn't expect anything less. But deals are made by people making a deal and so we will do the best we can but charge them normal rates whatever that is where they are located. We want to encourage business and so we will be a support system for them, and in that way be a support system for the Internet. And any way we can expand our floor space into cyberspace, you want to believe we will be doing that.

If we can attach an Internet trade network to the physical hub network, then you see we can be of better service.

reply to post by Rocketman7


So then about Afghanistan, my brilliant plan is to yes, put something there, maybe at this point just a node, but depending on what sorts of agreements we can get the world's pharmaceutical companies to agree to, they may want to maintain Afghanistan as a place where they can grow medicinal plants, such as poppies, and maybe ginseng, or whatever they need, that will grow there.

In hours, I could have them standing there with rakes and shovels and eager looks on their faces except I think right now they are sleeping.

It's a brilliant plan. Because only they have enough money right now to spend on an area, that suits their own specific needs. And me, I don't know what those needs are.The WHO and doctors without borders would know.

And the pharmaceutical giants would know. So all we are doing is suggesting, that if they wanted a large area where they could grow medicinal plants, we would support that effort with a trade hub, and facilities geared for that endeavor, and to the best of our ability, contribute to security, which would be beefing up our security in the compound to their standards and then we charge them normal fees for storage and handling.

reply to post by Rocketman7


Hazardous goods, military equipment, and emergency medical supplies.

Hazardous goods, is everyone's problem. And in every case there are organizations whose specialty is the shipping and handling of certain goods that may or may not be considered hazardous goods and who do you call?
A shipping agent. And then the shipping agent calls the regulatory boards, and then he calls everyone and pays consultants and then they all make a master plan. Transparency is what we insist upon. And since we are a global organization which includes James Bond in Britain, and all the other acronyms, and essentially we are on the same side as the IMF/UN/G20, they may or may not insist on certain security measures within their countries.

And as a global trade organization our goal will be to exist within the law. We just can't even imagine trying to get anywhere at all without that.

Military equipment comes under the same heading. The actual ownership of this system may be almost public, as in belonging in essence to the people of the world, since it is the IMF/UN/G20 thats almost everyone. 188 countries all the guns, the bombs, the money, the whole lot right there. So like any other shipping company, we only ship what we are allowed to ship.

Now that is on the managerial level. So then, they go above that to the G20, and they have offices.
We pass the buck, and then they will speak to their peers, in government and they do the deciding on these delicate issues.

We as an organization to foster trade, we stay out of politics. And we want to save the world, and we want to feed its people, and put an end to war, but we don't have infinite sums of money, and as a business the best we can do right now is to make modest goals of profit, to put towards philanthropy.

As the economic development occurs as a result of this job creation program, then more money is available in private hands for the people to not only help themselves but to help others.

Politics is one of my fortes yes.

So then emergency medical supplies, as in global rescue efforts, global relief programs, emergency relief programs, no system can distribute goods in an emergency like a cloud based distribution system.

And that is what we are building. And we will support all the organizations which require that service as best we can. So if they rent warehousing, then we have to secure it, and provide proper storage methods.
So the WHO rides for free, but other organizations may want to use the facilities, and so then we give them the best possible rates, and try to absorb as much of the costs of storing their goods as we can.
So you see how computers now come into play in a very major way.

And part of why I budgeted 1.5 billion dollars for equipment alone, for each site.

We can expect to have to provide facilities for storage of goods that require refrigeration, like food, and in cases of very specific products like stored medicine, you need infallible inventory systems, and systems that read labels on the fly, you need a lot of science.

reply to post by Rocketman7


So did I answer the Afghanistan security questions? No I skated around it like a true politician.

I mentioned the fact that this trade organization we are building together includes almost everyone who has a weapon, on earth, and so the SCO, China and Russia, NATO and their friend(s), like to protect their interests and make their own jobs of global security easier, and so that is why they both get a booth at the trade hub there.

This is where Western Medicine, meets Eastern Medicine. And you may or may not know that an aging population likes its medicine, and its organic herbs, and at some point these two distinctly different approaches to medicine, have to meet for their mutual benefit.

Now the Internet is part of this endeavor since it is designed with the Internet in mind, in the whats in it for us category, we like to go shopping. And we like to shop on-line. And we intend to continue to improve that for our own benefit anyway we can, according to our own ideals. What is good for us, is something we each decide.

So right away you see we need freedom to pursue our own beliefs in medical practice and good health.

So a place where everyone can just be a part of a general health benefit program, that includes all the wonderful companies and products we have on the Internet which need suppliers, you see thats our thing as a trade organization. To get people together, to find buyers and sellers. Supply meets demand.

As a shipping company, it isn't our place to make policy regarding what is or what isn't medicine.
And we cannot even pass that buck to the WHO, since in all cases, what a parent will do to get medicine for a sick child is way beyond the scope of our mandate.

We just ship whats in the box lady. Or your lordship, or whoever. Shipping containers have seals on them, put there by agents who are trusted in the industry, and each industry has a professional organization which supplies authority to that industry. So people get seals of approval just like web sites get awards.

As a company we do our due diligence to ensure that goods arrive on time. And if a consumer buys a product, and a company wants it shipped, we are in competition with other companies in the same building, the mall has shipping offices for other global companies, and in order for us to compete, we have to try our best to do better than them, and ship the same goods faster/better using the same basic facilities.

My own personal viewpoint is that I like the way the Internet works, in my country. The rules in place in my country (Canada) are such that I can get the vitamins or herbs from on-line shops that I want.

And in Canada health care is universal, and the cost of health care is affordable, so there is no incentive for me to shop elsewhere. We have one of the best systems in the world. But as a global company you see each country is different. We will be striving to follow scientific guidelines and that is the best anyone can do.
And that includes such things as cures that maybe the medical profession has not adopted fully yet, but people in need have to try things to survive. Its life or death.

We need to be merciful in cases of life or death and let them get their goods, not let them die unnecessarily.

So we will have universities involved in this, and other organizations which we can call for guidance and consultants to pay.
But we want to be, Internet all the way.

reply to post by Rocketman7


So now you need my highest philosophy, to understand how to ship goods worldwide that cross borders.

In this the real world.

so you first have to understand what constitutes a real crime, and at what point, does law enforcement, need to act on a crime of this nature.

So then in every country there exists laws of the land that do not match up with other countries. Just like there are people of different cultures, who live in different countries, but want to maintain cultural ties with their home culture.

So then what might constitute a crime in one place is not a crime in another. And since if you want a free world and not one where you have no place to escape from constant observation by totalitarian forces, then you need to understand what for personal use means.

So ok, personal use is anything you want to use for your own benefit. Now things that hurt you but you are addicted to, well there are two ways to handle this. And the experts are in the Scandinavian countries usually because they take a pro-active stance against social problems of this kind. We in Canada do our best to follow the Scandanavian model because it seems to match our own ideals regarding human compassion.

We have inner city problems and all the rest like they do.

Now as a company, if we refuse to carry a package they will get someone to shove it up their butt or swallow it or whatever and take it on a passenger plane.

So I mentioned earlier that this trade hub network, was not the entire global system of trade, but an isolated network, and part of that reason is so that scientists, can examine areas of interest and yes I am passing the buck to those organizations that we will be working with and those universities because you know we don't have all the answers yet. Science is looking at all these delicate issues so we want to provide a network that they can test things on.
And that is what we intend to do. The Internet is not old enough yet to know what is right in this regard since the complexities of culture and religion and health care all meld into a chaotic system at present.

We still are at caveat emptor with reviews often by people in user groups. So this is where we poll people and we gain information regarding a product on the net and see what the testimonials are and regarding the use of drugs, well poppies make drugs for the pharmaceutical companies, but we want to mow them all down if they decide they don't need them.
We will plow them under and keep plowing them under and give the people there ginseng root because it is a more profitable crop. From their perspective.

Isolated network, let the traffic in small packages through, and observe humanity. You cannot get this level of science any other way. And without data, you cannot understand the problem or the scope of the problem.
Its insignificant.

But what about crimes of shipping small toxins and dangerous hazardous materials?

Well, we are scientists, we have expensive equipment, and they eat dog treats.
But we will also have such technology as people would have called magic, 10 years ago.

We budgeted for it not with the intention of policing in a totalitarian way, but to gather data.
And you know this issue is complex so my policy and the policy of China is, you don't work, you don't eat.

And we work to move goods, so people can work, and they can eat. Or else they will die.
So businessmen on the Internet ship packages. The Internet polices itself. If you sell a product on the Internet that people don't like they will tell you .

reply to post by Rocketman7


So then lets suppose that in our global trade hub network, the scientists are collecting data regarding the shipping of goods, some of which may be hazardous but we can't open every package, and we don't want to be totalitarian, we want to be a reflection of the Internet on the ground. With a ground based system.

So then after looking at the data, they decide that there is really nothing going on here at all except the buying and selling of goods and normal shipping traffic of interest to demographers.
Thats what we expect.

And in Western countries we are computer fanatics so we tie web sites with inventory and we can tell you if the product you want is currently in the store closest to you, and how many there are left as of right now.

You want a piece for your computer because something just died, it's 15 minutes to 9 pm, you can make it there they have one job done, you pay with your Interact card, funds are immediately taken out of your bank account automatically, the stock inventory in the store is updated, a sale made, and in expensive purchases, your phone number is gathered so that if you lose your receipt, you can still just come in and return the item.

Thats the start of the data chain. And from there the data goes around the world at the speed of light and splits into a million different channels and enters databases world wide. It just does since commerce bases its operations on statistical data.

So thats how the Internet melds with shopping locally here. And you can see its all science.
So we have a high level of integration when it comes to science and technology and banking and commerce.
Of course you can pay with your Visa or Mastercard and now you just hit a whole lot more databases with your purchase. Now you have air miles etc.

Well that system works, its tested, and its efficient, but to buy something on-line you need alternatives and PayPal is one that at this point in time is a very viable solution for the Internet. I am sure there are others and PayPal is not supported everywhere like Visa and Mastercard are.
PayPal does however include bank card type transactions and credit cards and its all free. Free is an Internet word.

Science again all over the place making our lives easier. And also feeding statistics to business.
Well as a trade organization, you notice how I can switch between a trade organization and a shipping company depending on which diplomatic strategy I need to employ, so as a trade organization, we are not just interested in how our data moves, we are of course fundamentally interested in how our goods move from A to B.
In a broad sense.

So where we can improve our methods of moving goods, we want to do so. And automation, robotics, automated systems, conveyor belts, elevators, in some places even grain elevators who knows really but we need science on our side. So we have to maintain a scientific body. Simple as that.

And you know that we will budget a long term fund to support it by, when the sites are built, we will buy equipment in bulk, for all sites as if it were a franchise, and we will do our best to save heaps of money.

So anything left over from the 1.5 billion slated for equipment, collectively from 90 hubs, will go into our science department.
Shall we set a goal of 20 billion? Then can we put that money to work for us, to support an in house scientific body? The G20 has some of the smartest field tested financial geniuses in the world.
And they know people, and they want to be able to involve themselves with science in a public way.

Because thats good for them and good for science.
The buck passes.
But with funding and you know, someone in there will get a dinner. They will get to Sweden, and they will get a free lunch and maybe even a prize if they are worthy.

reply to post by Rocketman7


So ok, lets say we throw 20 billion towards an in-house scientific body for the organization. American businessmen just wiped their brow. Thats the closest they can hope to get to a scientific body that would stand up in front of a Senate Committee. If they ever need one.

So then why else do we need one? Farming and agriculture is big business.
And if you give Jack, some money, he may buy beans instead of a robot, but send a scientist and the chances are he will not always but if anyone in this world is armed against giants it is them.
So we need robotic systems, they know robotic systems, so they come first, before we purchase equipment.

and they can't buy everything, or they will have no funding. lol

Where science and commerce meet. We will most certainly be sure that our facilities are some of the very best in the world.

reply to post by Rocketman7


So then the obvious question is do we need shields as well as transporters?

Unavoidably, we certainly need shielding and the kind of weaponry that big business uses, lawyers, and insurance.

The nice thing about the Internet is when you read something in the press, you can look it up on the Internet to find out more information. And God help anyone who gets Twitter riled.

I will of course be at all times be trying to reinforce the fact that this is an Internet subnet that belongs to the people we are making. That is how the Internet was built. After a whole lot of infrastructure was created by government and business. Then people took the bull by the horns and exploited every single niche they could find for everyone's pure enjoyment.

We rode the elevator to a kind of paradise library that has everything we ever dreamed of.

Can you imagine a scientist, who does not have the Internet, he has a book shelf, and a few years later, there is the Internet. And not just science but music lovers and everything lovers, it all magically appeared.

So who knows what those same people (in essence) will do with an extension of the network.
They will exploit every niche they can find for everyone's mutual benefit. Which would mean more variety and more of everything. They will make a tablet, that hooks up to inventory and price comparison shopping, and arm people with real shopping power. They will also in time, extend the network of hubs to leafs and nodes, and some day far into the future, an Internet architect will design a house with a real human sized mail box.
With cold storage for grocery delivery for goods they bought on-line from their list slightly modified for the week, and a mail box big enough for Christmas presents. Mark my words, it will happen.

Is it just me or is has Rocket man been replying to himself?