Pentagon shifting $1.5 billion to border wall construction

[jimnyc]

The decision here works for me no matter how you slice it. America should come first when it comes to any protection.

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Pentagon shifting $1.5 billion to border wall construction

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon is shifting $1.5 billion in funds originally targeted for support of the Afghan security forces and other projects to help pay for construction of nearly 80 miles (130 kilometers) of wall at the U.S.-Mexican border, officials said Friday.

Congress was notified of the move Friday. It follows the Pentagon's decision in March to transfer $1 billion from Army personnel budget accounts to support wall construction. Some lawmakers have been highly critical of the Pentagon shifting money not originally authorized for border security.

The combined total of $2.5 billion is in response to President Donald Trump's declaration of a national emergency at the border, where Customs and Border Protection personnel are struggling to cope with increasing numbers of Central American families attempting to gain entry. Trump vetoed Congress' attempt to reverse his emergency declaration.

In all, the Pentagon is expected to shift about $6.1 billion to help build a border wall, including about $3.6 billion from military construction projects, some of which will be delayed. The Pentagon has not yet announced which projects will be delayed in order to free up those funds.

Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan, who plans to visit the border on Saturday, said in an exchange with reporters Friday: "I won't be reprogramming any more money for the border wall." He appeared to be referring to having reached the goal of channeling $2.5 billion — Friday's announcement coupled with the March transfer of money — into a counterdrug program that will be used for the wall.

"We have very smart people here in the department, and we found ways to do this without having any impact on readiness," he said, speaking before a meeting with Latvian Defense Minister Artis Pabriks.

Rest - https://news.yahoo.com/pentagon-shifting-1-5-billion-border-wall-construction-160453128--politics.html;_ylt=AwrE19xiE9dcT4EAkDlXNyoA;_ylu=X 3oDMTEya29oZXRkBGNvbG8DYmYxBHBvcwMxBHZ0aWQDQjY4MjF fMQRzZWMDc3I-

[Abbey Marie]

Sounds solid to me

[Noir]

Good that they’re starting to post details of where the money is coming from -

Military personal are losing $1 Billion in funding.
Afghan Security Forces and “Other Projects” are losing $1.5 Billion in funding.
Military Construction Projects are losing $3.6 Billion in funding.

Is it posted anywhere what the expected total budgets of these departments are?

[jimnyc]

Good that they’re starting to post details of where the money is coming from -

Military personal are losing $1 Billion in funding.
Afghan Security Forces and “Other Projects” are losing $1.5 Billion in funding.
Military Construction Projects are losing $3.6 Billion in funding.

Is it posted anywhere what the expected total budgets of these departments are?

Our overall military budget is usually around 7-800 billion dollars. They can afford to lose a few billion and still make do I think. If they thought it were harmful they wouldn't be shifting any funds around.

And since the democrats want to allow anyone and everyone to come across our borders, this HAS become a military construction project IMO. I even stated a long while back who I thought should even be doing the building, in the Army corp of engineers.

The American pentagon and military and our defense systems know what they're doing. But they thank you in advance for your help! :)

[Gunny]

Good that they’re starting to post details of where the money is coming from -

Military personal are losing $1 Billion in funding.
Afghan Security Forces and “Other Projects” are losing $1.5 Billion in funding.
Military Construction Projects are losing $3.6 Billion in funding.

Is it posted anywhere what the expected total budgets of these departments are?

Irrelevant. The military budget is for defense spending. Border security is a matter of National defense. Why a civilian organization is in charge of it to begin with beats the Hell out of me. It is our international border.

But look at the bright side Noir. That's less ragheads getting killed in Afghanistan which should suit you just fine. I think we all know what your reaction would be if the funds were reallocated to US forces in Afghanistan to kill MORE ragheads. That'd twist your panties too so there's really just no pleasing you so long as a conservative/Republican makes the call.


Our overall military budget is usually around 7-800 billion dollars. They can afford to lose a few billion and still make do I think. If they thought it were harmful they wouldn't be shifting any funds around.

And since the democrats want to allow anyone and everyone to come across our borders, this HAS become a military construction project IMO. I even stated a long while back who I thought should even be doing the building, in the Army corp of engineers.

The American pentagon and military and our defense systems know what they're doing. But they thank you in advance for your help! :)

I might question the "know what they're doing" part :) In this case however, seems to be clear loophole the President better get on top of before the House figures a way to close it.

[jimnyc]

Irrelevant. The military budget is for defense spending. Border security is a matter of National defense. Why a civilian organization is in charge of it to begin with beats the Hell out of me. It is our international border.

But look at the bright side Noir. That's less ragheads getting killed in Afghanistan which should suit you just fine. I think we all know what your reaction would be if the funds were reallocated to US forces in Afghanistan to kill MORE ragheads. That'd twist your panties too so there's really just no pleasing you so long as a conservative/Republican makes the call.



I might question the "know what they're doing" part :) In this case however, seems to be clear loophole the President better get on top of before the House figures a way to close it.

My point was, they ain't shifting money that they can't live without. There are, I can almost guarantee you, MUCH available with every one of those budgets. I can see if they shifted 100 billion. What is this, like 1% of the overall budget? Maybe even a little less? They may not be perfect, but considering they take that money all the time and made us easily the strongest and most effective military in the world, even if the pentagon and other folks aren't exactly mensa members.

Another point is that noir and other lefties will try to diminish this, as if that small amount is now going to be just SO harmful. :rolleyes: It's not, and that's a fact.

[Abbey Marie]

I wonder how much of that expense will be offset by savings on handouts to illegals.

[jimnyc]

I wonder how much of that expense will be offset by savings on handouts to illegals.

Compare the costs of the never-ending border issues we are facing. Funny how the left has no care about that, but care about money when someone wants to help fix the issue. :rolleyes:

[jimnyc]

Key words being costs saving aka costs saved from budget, program changes, revised requirements.

And I think they generally get excess, IMO, to ensure they have what they need - since the left fights them tooth and nail, injecting a TON of pork in budgets.

Millions for mice are aok, but not for defense spending! And you're damn right, protecting our country from border invasions IS defense.

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Pentagon to transfer $1.5 billion to border wall from Afghan forces, other areas

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan has approved the transfer of $1.5 billion to build more than 80 miles (130 km)of barriers on the border with Mexico, U.S. officials said on Friday, including taking about $600 million from an account meant for Afghan security forces.

The latest move was opposed by congressional Democrats, who also criticized a March transfer of $1 billion in military money to fund Republican President Donald Trump’s wall.

“The funds were drawn from a variety of sources, including cost savings, programmatic changes and revised requirements, and therefore will have minimal impact on force readiness,” Shanahan said in a statement.

Shanahan said that the U.S. military had more than 4,000 service members on the border, along with 19 aircraft.

Rest - https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-border-pentagon/pentagon-to-transfer-1-5-billion-to-border-wall-from-afghan-forces-other-areas-idUSKCN1SG1TM

[Gunny]

My point was, they ain't shifting money that they can't live without. There are, I can almost guarantee you, MUCH available with every one of those budgets. I can see if they shifted 100 billion. What is this, like 1% of the overall budget? Maybe even a little less? They may not be perfect, but considering they take that money all the time and made us easily the strongest and most effective military in the world, even if the pentagon and other folks aren't exactly mensa members.

Another point is that noir and other lefties will try to diminish this, as if that small amount is now going to be just SO harmful. :rolleyes: It's not, and that's a fact.From the military POV though, that opens up a HUGE can of worms. Like House Dems looking at the next budget proposal and saying, "You had this much extra last year ..." . THAT is a problem.

Then, so would be one of those loose-screw Dems getting it into their heads they could audit the DoD; which, is part of the bureaucracy; which, would probably expose a LOT of institutional over-spending. Not that I give a crap about trimming some fat, but it will be a unilateral bust. No one's auditing Congress/Congressional Dems. They just want to audit the rest of the World.

I bet if you audited each Congressperson, and held them to a spending lifestyle like the rest of us mere people have to, you could fund 2 walls.

Overall though, if the Prez got over on a bunch of tongue-draggers in Congress and does get away with it, it's worth the price of admission to me :)