US builds useless $43 million gas station in Afghanistan

[Lyon Wonder]

The Pentagon funded the construction of a compressed-natural gas station in Afghanistan that ended up costing $43 million to build, while a similar gas station in Pakistan only cost 500,00.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/11/02/pentagon-afghanistan-gas-station-boondoggle/75037032/?siteID=je6NUbpObpQ-PZ1WS4IikXkibmUrgXbyMQ

[vdeane]

$43 million for a gas station is a waste of money no matter where it is.

If Afghanistan needs CNG cars, we have a few in the state fleet that nobody uses (since so few people know how to refuel them and the number of locations to refuel is VERY limited, mostly NYSDOT subresidencies).

[Jardine]

 . . . and the sheeple will go on to re-elect every dweeb, sturb, twit, moron, crook, idiot and lackey possible the next time they get in a voting booth.

The problem isn't a $43,000,000.00 gas station, it's people who cannot and will not learn.

[Pete from Boston]

Perhaps the remaining blimp could be used to float it home.

[AlexandriaVA]

Remember that when you hear complaints by Congressmen about a "weak" defense budget, these complaints are being aired on behalf of Boeing, NG, LM, GD, etc. Think of the money wasted on these wars that could have been invested in US infrastructure. You could have funded every pie-in-the-sky road, rail, and bike project with money left to spare.

[formulanone]

You could have funded every pie-in-the-sky road, rail, and bike project with money left to spare.

It would have been (mission) accomplished within two months, thanks to those $435 hammers, and we'd have to pay tolls for the next 200 years.

[AlexandriaVA]

This is why I always warn people to take budget talks with a grain of salt. You hear politicians and demagogues complaining about stuff like "$500,000 for research on fruit flies", and yokels eat it up and get angry. And what they don't realize, of course, is that $500,000 is a freaking rounding error for the major projects and budget line items.

But I'm done going down this path. It angers up the blood.

[bing101]

$43 million for a gas station is a waste of money no matter where it is.

If Afghanistan needs CNG cars, we have a few in the state fleet that nobody uses (since so few people know how to refuel them and the number of locations to refuel is VERY limited, mostly NYSDOT subresidencies).

Damn!

[Rothman]

If Afghanistan needs CNG cars, we have a few in the state fleet that nobody uses (since so few people know how to refuel them and the number of locations to refuel is VERY limited, mostly NYSDOT subresidencies).

A domestic boondoggle, indeed.  Those cars are freakin' worthless.  Makes you wonder who had a brother in the CNG car business that made NYSDOT build those stations and acquire the fleet.

[vdeane]

Well, the cars are useful to have when you need to sign one out at the last possible second and they're they only ones left, at least for those of us who have been trained on how to refuel them.

[triplemultiplex]

What?  Money wasted on an ill-conceived, poorly executed American military intervention?
Stop the presses...

[AlexandriaVA]

What?  Money wasted on an ill-conceived, poorly executed American military intervention?
Stop the presses...

But let's complain about the cost of public transit subsides, bike lane infrastructure, or roadway modifications (i.e. roundabounts, DDI, etc)

[Rothman]

Well, the cars are useful to have when you need to sign one out at the last possible second and they're they only ones left, at least for those of us who have been trained on how to refuel them.

Regular gas cars would be more useful, since you don't have to drive around stressed out that you'll konk out before you get to the next fuel station.

Luckily, I was just told a couple of days ago that the CNG's are being phased out.

[vdeane]

That's generally not a concern for local travel.  I don't think I've ever refueled one with less than half a tank.

That said, the more modern civic one is a pain in the rear to refuel.  Really bad gas compartment design by Honda - can't even get your hand around the fuel thing.  The old accord, when I had it for a last second meeting (literally found out only the day before and all the other cars were booked), made me nostalgic for my old car.

[Rothman]

That's generally not a concern for local travel.  I don't think I've ever refueled one with less than half a tank.

Yeah, our unit travels between Regions.  That's why CNG's are bemoaned.