How much will the war on terrorism cost? If past experience is any indication, there are bound to be a few hidden expenses. As it takes on the axis of evil, the Pentagon is running up what it refers to as “incremental costs” — expenses over and above the cost of training and deploying troops overseas. But when the General Accounting Office took a look at $2.2 billion the Defense Department spent enforcing no-fly zones in Iraq and keeping peace in the Balkans in 2000 and 2001, it found at least $101 million in what it calls “questionable expenditures.” Here are a few of the iffier expenses racked up at air bases in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Cappuccino machine | $16,758 | Golf-club set with bag | $1,478 | |
Corporate golf membership | $16,000 | White beach sand | $4,638 | |
Genie lamp with Riyadh stone | $432 | “The Intelligent Investor” software | $2,987 | |
Cowboy hats | $4,896 | Deocrative river rock | $18,980 | |
Nacho cheese warmer | $1,039 | Love seat and armchair | $23,989 | |
Remote-control cars | $3,766 | Sumo wrestling suit | $3,395 |