Guards Will Cost More Than Average US Soldier in Afghanistan

Congressional support for adding more Marine security guards to US embassies worldwide is coming at an enormous price, with the State Department estimating $1.6 million per Marine.

Officials are explaining that the cost is due to the need to provide them with communications equipment as well as living quarters in the countries where they are stationed, though the department says they prefer the Marines just live in the embassy grounds.

Yet the explanation seems insufficient, with long-standing estimates of US ground troops in Afghanistan costing $1 million per, which is a lot, but involves combat troops in an actual warzone, as opposed to security guards living in an embassy.

The State Department also made reference to “command centers” and custom-designed housing as part of the overall costs, but declined to get into the specifics citing “security concerns.” Needless to say, the long-term goal of adding major amounts of security to embassies worldwide will rapidly become prohibitively expensive.