Afstan is expensive

Only to be expected--but which may help explain the squeeze on the Auroras amongst other things:

The incremental cost to National Defence of the Afghan military mission is rising steeply and has reached a total of $3.1-billion from its start in 2001, according to Defence Minister Peter MacKay.

Mr. MacKay made the disclosure [!?!--why not "announcement" - MC] as he appeared before the House of Commons defence committee, which is studying supplementary spending estimates of $875-million for the department for the current fiscal year.

In May, Mr. MacKay's predecessor, Gordon O'Connor, told the Commons that the incremental cost of the mission was $2.6-billion. A spokesman for Mr. MacKay said yesterday that the extra costs are due mainly to additional tanks and force protection expenses...

The MPs peppered the minister with questions on issues ranging from plans to refurbish the fleet of Aurora maritime surveillance aircraft to the state of the runways at CFB Bagotville, Que.

New Democrat David Christopherson wanted to know about $10.5-million that the department is spending on non-lethal laser "dazzlers," concerned that the high-tech device could end up being dangerous like the taser [emphasis added]. He worried that the dazzlers could end up blinding people...

Dazzler stuff takes up about the whole second half of the story. Odd priority, must be the "t" word.