Gitmo becomes $500 million Camp Costly

[Contrary1]

Talk about your waste of tax dollars. I expect to see Sarah and her merry band of Teabaggers demonstrating their outrage about this any minute now.


"GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - At the U.S. naval station here, a handsome electronic sign hangs between two concrete pillars. In yellow enamel against a blue metal backdrop is a map of Cuba, the "Pearl of the Antilles," above flashing time and temperature readings. "Welcome Aboard," the sign says.

The cost of the marquee, along with a smaller sign positioned near the airfield: $188,000. Among other odd legacies from war-on-terror spending since 2001 for the troops at Guantanamo Bay: an abandoned volleyball court for $249,000, an unused go-kart track for $296,000 and $3.5 million for 27 playgrounds that are often vacant.

The Pentagon also spent $683,000 to renovate a cafe that sells ice cream and Starbucks coffee, and $773,000 to remodel a cinder-block building to house a KFC/Taco Bell restaurant.

The spending is part of at least $500 million that has transformed what was once a sun-beaten and forgotten Caribbean base into one of the most secure military and prison installations in the world. That does not include construction bonuses, which typically run into the millions..."

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/37547116/ns/politics-washington_post/

[aquart]

1. Can we turn it into a resort? Or is that out with the oil spill?

[ixion]

2. Just the tip of the iceberg in the massive revenue stream know as

the so-called 'war' on terror.