I'm curious as to the reported math. If the missle was already in inventory but was used...it's an expense...I get it.

But if an X22 fighter cost 15 million how does a missle cost 60?

If it is the cost of the ship and personnel assigned the task then over what time period is the apportioned expense assigned?

Of course, we all can recall the $4K toilet seats and $1800 hammers but this smells bad to me.

Maybe this is why we cannot account for 9 billion in MIA green backs in Iraq?

Wcbiv:

Somebody's "buddies" probably have that missing 9B. But, they probably deserve it for helping "keep us safe".

whatever the 'reported math', it wasnt cheap. i guess we can see it as an investment in a whole new level of warfare. such a great idea considering how fairly wealth is distributed here on earth!

here is an excerpt from an article in today's 'new york times':

"But Representative Edward J. Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat on the House Homeland Security Committee, said, “The geopolitical fallout of this intercept could be far greater than any chemical fallout that would have resulted from the wayward satellite.”

Mr. Markey said: “The Bush administration’s decision to use a missile to destroy the satellite based on a questionable ‘safety’ justification poses a great danger of signaling an ‘open season’ for other nations to test weapons for use against our satellites. Russia and China are sure to view this intercept as proof that the United States is already pursuing an arms race in space, and that they need to catch up.”

The Chinese warned Thursday that the United States Navy’s action could threaten security in outer space. Liu Jianchao, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, said at a news conference in Beijing that the United States should promptly share data about the passage of the remaining pieces of the satellite.

“China is continuously following closely the possible harm caused by the U.S. action to outer space security and relevant countries,” Mr. Liu said, according to The Associated Press."

yep, that sure was money well spent!

Just more of the "I can kick your ass" mentality of the Bush administration. Damn the $ Full speed ahead!!!!! Diplomacy and peace seem to be unfamiliar terms. Yes, I know, they are "out to get us". Does Al Quaeda have satellites?

Well, I suppose we could have spent the additional millions it would have cost to put a practice target up there.

Is that what you guys wanted?

Because Russia weaponized sapce years ago.

From one of their own, Maj. Gen. Vladimir Dvorkin, a senior scientist at the Russian Academy of Sciences’ Center for International Security.

“One might remember Soviet anti-satellite spacecraft that were capable to close in on unfriendly satellites and kill them,” he said. These were space-to-space combat systems, operating from orbit — unlike other anti-satellite weapons, such as a U.S. system that involved basing a missile on Earth and firing it into space. The Soviet system, considered a genuine space weapon, had the potential to operate anywhere in near-Earth space that its booster rockets could send it.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8089747/

I have no issue with us remaining on the cutting edge of weaponry and I believe the "peaceful space" tenet is a false hope/argument.

But I want a few defense contractors and their buddie Congressmen and Senators shot for treason (well imprisoned, and not club med).

The D of D is a huge customer...they either have the worst negotiation skills, a broken review process and/or oink oink wink wink nod nod.

I deal with big retailers like Costco LY revenue 54 Billion, Home Depot 84 Billion and Wally World 300 billion...these customers tell you what you are going to make, and essentially how much you are going to charge them for it. If they don't like the answer, they find someone else or source it themselves.

The D of D is bigger than Wal-Mart in terms of spending...and we can't source better than this?

Fromz,

What you're saying is correct. I don't think anyone's mentioned that the Chinese shot down one of their communication satellites recently.

But many people believe that the only source of evil on earth is the United States of America, and George Bush is Satan. I have listened to these people up close for years. I do not think I am exaggerating their mental state. They do not engage in rational thought as I understand rational thought.

Furthermore, I believe they think that if we all became Marxists and reduced our standard of living to that of North Korea, peace, joy and freedom would cover the earth.

These people cannot be reasoned with. Appreciate their good qualities, acknowledge that they are children of God, as we all are, that we live in an imperfect world, and many of us are fools.