"We know what to do, we just don't have the money"

That's what NASA officials said regarding the search for all the asteroids that threaten to hit Earth with devastating results, but since there isn't enough money to pay for the task, it won't get done:

The cost to find at least 90 percent of the 20,000 potentially hazardous asteroids and comets by 2020 would be about $1 billion, according to a report NASA will release later this week.
[...]
These are asteroids that are bigger than 460 feet in diameter -- slightly smaller than the Superdome in New Orleans.

They are a threat even if they don't hit Earth because if they explode while close enough -- an event caused by heating in both the rock and the atmosphere -- the devastation from the shockwaves is still immense. The explosion alone could have the power of 100 million tons of dynamite, enough to devastate an entire state, such as Maryland, they said.

The agency is already tracking bigger objects, at least 3,300 feet in diameter, that could wipe out most life on Earth, much like what is theorized to have happened to dinosaurs 65 million years ago.

But even that search, which has spotted 769 asteroids and comets -- none of which is on course to hit Earth -- is behind schedule. It's supposed to be complete by the end of next year.
[...]
One solution would be to build a new ground telescope solely for the asteroid hunt, and piggyback that use with other agencies' telescopes for a total of $800 million. Another would be to launch a space infrared telescope that could do the job faster for $1.1 billion. But NASA program scientist Lindley Johnson said NASA and the White House called both those choices too costly.

A cheaper option would be to simply piggyback on other agencies' telescopes, a cost of about $300 million, also rejected, Johnson said.

So, let me get this straight, we've already spent half a trillion dollars in Iraq (that's about $2.5 billion a week people), with very little results, I might add, and we can't come up with one lousy billion dollars to save THE WHOLE FREAKIN' PLANET!?

What's wrong with this picture??!

I just can't believe that this issue doesn't resonate more with the people and the government. Actually, this should be an effort undertaken at the UN level, because it's one of those events that would will affect every living organism on the planet, and should therefore be supported by every nation in any way they can.

Who knows, it could even have the unintended consequence of bringing Earth's peoples closer together by giving them a common goal to focus on.

Is that such a despicable objective?