Im frances rivera. Fire fighters are entering an eighth day of fires raging across southern california. Fire Officials Say six wind whipped fires covering more than 250,000 acres have destroyed more than 800 homes and structures. 100,000 people have been forced to evacuate. The largest blaze, the thomas fire in Santa Barbara and ventura counties, is causing power surges and temporary outages for tens of thousands of customers. And the inferno is triggering new evacuation orders. Among those in the line of danger, talk show host Ellen Degeneres who tweeted her home is under evacuation and had to take her pets. Dan has the latest from the ground. Reporter the thomas fire, the biggest in southern california, is still on the move. Over of the last 12 to 14 hours we experienced extreme fire behavior. Reporter a new flareup in Santa Barbara county, more than 100,000 residents under evacuation orders. Perfect for wildfires. Were in december. The vegetation is as dry as its ever been. You know
Park sees what it would have cost for infrastructure that the president proposed. Couric in when you talk about when you look at the comparison between what were spending here infrastructure what were spending over there and put it in a context what a report i heard in recent days over the weekend i think that iraq is now seeking and i dont know if its from the u. N. But from International Authority is the reports that additional funds to rebuild where in the world would that money come from well it may ultimately have to come from the United States if we dont want irans influence to take over completely in iraq that is a Major Political concern and policy and strategic concern that the United States has from a strategic standpoint and so the u. S. Has got to deal with that not only iraq but were going to have to also continue in and in afghanistan on top of all that. We havent had a budget in the Defense Department for at least two years and its been under a sequester so theres been a
Talking probably upwards of ten trillion dollars by the time its all done that far exceeds what it would have cost for infrastructure that the president proposed. Who are right and when you talk about when you look at the comparison between what were spending here infrastructural spending over there and put it in a context what a report i heard in recent days over the weekend i think that iraq is now seeking and i dont know if its from the u. N. But from International Authority is the reports that additional funds to rebuild where in the world would that money come from well it may ultimately have to come from the United States if we dont want irans influence to take over completely in iraq that is a Major Political concern and policy and strategic concern that the United States has from a strategic standpoint and so the u. S. Has got to deal with that not only iraq but were going to have to also continue in and in afghanistan on top of all that. We havent had a budget in the Defense D
Everett dirksen quote right i mean sooner or later youre talking about real money sounds like real money what else are they spending this real money on michael other than supplies and troops i mean their infrastructure over there youre going to have infrastructure weve had to be roads. Schools key water just to go in systems in the rural areas and that is in in addition to having to deal with fighters from various clans that that dont want any of that western influence in that region so its really going to continue to be in and then struggle for quite some time and that that seven trillion dollars michael does that include the veterans and what were doing here at home it will yeah it has to it has to include them and their medical medical attention and and also the families and and taking care of those who have been. Severely wounded over time and taking care of them and it really all adds up over a period of time i would say that if you combine afghanistan with with iraq were talking
What are the numbers that we are spending in the middle east well it its been at least seven trillion dollars six trillion dollars in iraq when you consider the out years alone for your veterans for your for the handicapped for dealing with families and this is for out to ten years that that some hasnt even been figured in yet that doesnt include afghanistan and afghanistan the still a slippery slope so seven trillion isnt even enough in our view no no not when you consider the out years because we would probably have already spent about two trillion in afghanistan weve been at it for sixteen years now hes increasing troop levels that means more supplies more more training plus you gotta. Keep that government float in afghanistan otherwise u. S. Influence in that area wanes so you mentioned supplies and Training Need seven trillion plus as you say over and over about another ten years ok remember the Everett Dirksen quote right i mean sooner or later youre talking about real money soun