Obama’s Expensive G20 Trip of 500 and Our Strained US Military Heroes
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on April 3, 2009
By Vicki McClure Davidson * Frugal Café Blog Zone
The Obamas arrive in UK on Air Force One for G20 summit
The “Obama Traveling Circus” trip with 500 staffers, officials, Secret Service agents, and others to the G20 summit in the United Kingdom has been interesting and with many dashes of drama, to say the least. I can’t even fathom the amount of money this has cost. I only hope that it was worth the price for America and America’s citizens (who funded the trip).
One area of impact that I hadn’t considered was the need for increased military protection for the 500 people in Pres. Barack Obama’s entourage and all the security vehicles that would be needed. It’s mind-boggling. One thing that caught my attention (and believe me, there are plenty to things to catch your attention in the article), was that one official said U.S. taxpayers are paying twice for airlift, once for Air Force jets that are not available for a war zone and again for foreign contractor aircraft that are. Crikey, that sounds over-the-top expensive to us taxpayers.
The Washington Times has a detailed report on how our troops were affected and the hasty juggling of military personnel it required:
Washington Times
Military strained by Obama trip
Bill Gertz INSIDE THE RING (Contact)
Thursday, April 2, 2009Air Obama
President Obama’s European visit this week has strained Air Force heavy-airlift capabilities and obliged the military to hire more foreign contractors to help resupply U.S. and allied forces in Afghanistan, according to military sources.
The large delegation traveling with the president in Europe required moving several transports, including jumbo C-5s and C-17s, from sorties ferrying supplies to Afghanistan to European bases for the presidential visit, said two military officials familiar with the issue. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to avoid any misunderstanding with White House officials.
The Air Mobility Command, part of the U.S. Transportation Command, was ordered to provide airlift for the president’s entourage of nearly 500 people, including senior officials, staff, support personnel, news reporters and some 200 Secret Service agents for the European visit, which began Tuesday in London.
Airlift for the traveling entourage also was used to move the president’s new heavy-armored limousine and several presidential helicopters used for short transits.
To make up for the shortfall, the Air Force had to increase the number of Eastern European air transport contractors hired to fly Il-76 and An-124 transport jets into Afghanistan loaded with troop supplies, the two officials said.
The airlift crunch comes at a particularly difficult time, as the military is stepping up deliveries of supplies in advance of a surge of 21,000 U.S. troops.
One official said the problem was not only the vehicles and helicopters that were needed for presidential security, but also the unusually large number of people traveling with the president. The official said U.S. taxpayers are paying twice for airlift, once for Air Force jets that are not available for a war zone and again for foreign contractor aircraft that are.
White House spokesman Tommy Vietor declined to comment. Col. Gregory Julian, a spokesman for the U.S. military in Afghanistan, said he was unaware of a transport shortage but noted that it was not unusual for the military to hire air-transport contractors in such circumstances.
For the rest of the story, click here.
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Thought-provoking post at Michelle Malkin that should fill all legal citizens with fury and protest: Obama Census Plan: No Illegal Alien Left Behind
Gateway Pundit: Change!… Protesters in Turkey Carry Anti-Obama Signs- Chant “Obama Go Home!” (Video)
Weekly Standard, The Blog: A Military That Packs Less Wallop
NewsChief.com: Obama’s entourage puts Queen to shame
Tom Blumer, NewsBusters: Obama’s 12-Teleprompter Entourage Is Not Newsworthy, or Humor-worthy
New York Post – O’s Amateur Hour, Appeasing Islamists in Turkey
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