Base Closing Savings

The last I heard from Donald Rumsfeld, the proposed base closings will save $50 Billion over the next 20 years. He says this like we're supposed to be impressed by the great savings we will have as we transition to more effective military. I think the changes are necessary, and the military needs to adapt to the current threats to America. What really sticks in my craw is the fact that we will save, over 20 years, less than half of what the Iraq War has cost us in the last year alone. The supplemental bill this year was for $87 Billion, that's much more than we'll save in 20 years with these 'draconian' cutbacks. I know that deciding to go to war is about more than money, but I don't think the American people fully realize the costs that we all bear for this war. The kind of money we have spent (and have yet to spend) is enough to fund entire entitlement programs for a generation (or Bush's tax cuts for the wealthy, take your pick). So, while our military will cutback to save us $50 Billion over 20 years, it also asked for and received $87 Billion EXTRA just this year for the war in the middle east. The ONLY way this makes any kind of economic sense is if our leaders are far-sighted enough to see that the near future of world order lies in fossil fuel. Russia has plenty, introspective China has made nice with many countries (including many in our hemisphere like Venezuela), India is planning a pipeline despite our objections, and since the 70's America's oil needs have depended on foreign sources. We are there to secure our oil needs for the future. That is the only way this misadventure makes sense economically. I guess you could still argue the 'humanitarian' reasons (wait...we've been the torturers and murderers sometimes), or the WMD (wait...nevermind), or....what else was there? Oh, the terrorists, that's right. And when will we be leaving? When they're good and ready? Something tells me the $50 Billion we're saving over the next 20 years has already been spent. Will the cost of the Iraq War be worth the money we've spent (not to mention the lives)? The only way it could begin to be worth it is if we secure enough oil for our needs, and the administration wants us to believe that oil has nothing to do with it. I'd rather they just be honest that oil was a major reason for the invasion, and that securing an oil supply for US is important for our national security...just as important as stopping terrorists and evil dictators. We depend on oil and have not made progress on creating new sources of energy, so we have to use our greatest power (military) to secure it. What if instead of invading Iraq, we had decided to spend that money on alternative fuel sources? Heck, we'd probably have fusion now if we'd poured that kind of money into research. But I digress, the real issue here is the huge savings from cutting military bases....that savings is tiny compared to the costs of this war, and I hope the American public can see these numbers together and recognize what a drain the Iraq war has been on our country.