trevster2k
Rock n' Roll Doggie Band-aid
- Joined
- Jan 17, 2001
- Messages
- 4,330
I have just been reading some articles about the upcoming budget regarding military spending for the US this upcoming year. Yeah, someone might argue something about this using GDP percentages but whatever,
Anyway, it is stunning to sit back from another country and watch the government of the most powerful nation on the planet expend so much of it's treasure on something that has no direct effect on it's own citizens. Yes, one could argue that they are making the US safer from it's enemies albeit a weak argument or it is securing future oil reserves. But none of the spending is improving the day to day life of a single American save for investors in weapons manufacturers or contractors like Haliburton. Soldiers are probably benefiting to some degree I guess too. There are sooooo many other problems in a society which could be literally solved with the money spent on the war machine in the US. It is amazing to see how much money is spent on so called "defense" yet millions of Americans struggle in their daily lives.
The US forces have aircraft carriers, warships, missiles, high tech jetfighters, drone planes, infrared equipment, tanks, satellite technology, state of the art medical equipment, nuclear weapons, bunker busters, a huge array of bombs, over 100,000 boots on the ground, modern communication equipment such that every soldier can talk to every other soldier via radio headphones and so on. The enemy ( whomever that is since there is so much crap going on in Iraq, it's hard to pick one) has none of this yet is holding it's own after 5 years of fighting. Have you ever stepped on an ant with a boot and lift your foot only to see it scurry away? That's what the Iraq thing looks like, a giant boot stepping on ants but the boot is ineffective cause the ants can hide in the grooves of the sole. It is almost laughable were it not so tragic.
The Iraqi people live in a chaotic country in which millions of people including highly skilled ones have left for safer countries. The civilian infrastructure is still weak, and there are still a multitude of problems in the country besides the constant bombings. Combined with the recent mainstream news announcement of the missing billions of dollars, dishonest contractors stealing from the government, Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay, accusations of murder by soldiers, the friendly fire deaths, the eroding of civil liberties in the US, total disgust at the present administration (and for many by extension, the US in general) by just about every person on the planet except for that incredibly loyal 30% or so of US citizens and the overall destabilization of the Middle East, how has this benefited the US in any possible way?
And now there are persistant rumours suggesting an air strike upon Iran, defenders of said policy say it's not going to war. Well, what do you think the effect of a US air strike on another Muslim country will be in the general populace of the region. I am fairly certain it won't be a good one. Is Bush the real madman on this planet?
There are some really HUGE problems facing our planet right now. Climate change, genocide in regions like Darfur, and massive poverty and preventable disease around the world are being ignored as the Iraq conflict continues to take front stage. Not to mention the other issues facing the US like North Korea, the rise of socialist governments in South America, and the rise of China and India as economic powers in this century.
The lesson taught by Bush is regardless the possible consequences of your decision, do it anyway. If other people have legitmate concerns, disregard them and do it anyway. If the decision turns out to be a bad one, vigorously defend it anyway. Being stubborn and pig headed is apparently in the views of some, a positive leadership quality. Leadership involves ensuring your entire staff uses the same catch phrases over and over again until it becomes part of the common vocabulary. Then deny ever using such a phrase when it goes wrong. Refuse to admit failure or show weakness, just like the Soviets or Cubans refuse to acknowledge the impending death of their leaders. And best of all, if you make a big mess but don't worry about cause someone else has to clean it up, not you. Boggles the mind.
Well, I just had rant for a minute about my frustration about this whole mess. I have no desire to debate since I pretty much know many positions of the usual suspects already. And yes this has been a Bush bash, if you don't like it, post a Bush boost thread. Just ranting that's all, carry on about your business.
Anyway, it is stunning to sit back from another country and watch the government of the most powerful nation on the planet expend so much of it's treasure on something that has no direct effect on it's own citizens. Yes, one could argue that they are making the US safer from it's enemies albeit a weak argument or it is securing future oil reserves. But none of the spending is improving the day to day life of a single American save for investors in weapons manufacturers or contractors like Haliburton. Soldiers are probably benefiting to some degree I guess too. There are sooooo many other problems in a society which could be literally solved with the money spent on the war machine in the US. It is amazing to see how much money is spent on so called "defense" yet millions of Americans struggle in their daily lives.
The US forces have aircraft carriers, warships, missiles, high tech jetfighters, drone planes, infrared equipment, tanks, satellite technology, state of the art medical equipment, nuclear weapons, bunker busters, a huge array of bombs, over 100,000 boots on the ground, modern communication equipment such that every soldier can talk to every other soldier via radio headphones and so on. The enemy ( whomever that is since there is so much crap going on in Iraq, it's hard to pick one) has none of this yet is holding it's own after 5 years of fighting. Have you ever stepped on an ant with a boot and lift your foot only to see it scurry away? That's what the Iraq thing looks like, a giant boot stepping on ants but the boot is ineffective cause the ants can hide in the grooves of the sole. It is almost laughable were it not so tragic.
The Iraqi people live in a chaotic country in which millions of people including highly skilled ones have left for safer countries. The civilian infrastructure is still weak, and there are still a multitude of problems in the country besides the constant bombings. Combined with the recent mainstream news announcement of the missing billions of dollars, dishonest contractors stealing from the government, Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo Bay, accusations of murder by soldiers, the friendly fire deaths, the eroding of civil liberties in the US, total disgust at the present administration (and for many by extension, the US in general) by just about every person on the planet except for that incredibly loyal 30% or so of US citizens and the overall destabilization of the Middle East, how has this benefited the US in any possible way?
And now there are persistant rumours suggesting an air strike upon Iran, defenders of said policy say it's not going to war. Well, what do you think the effect of a US air strike on another Muslim country will be in the general populace of the region. I am fairly certain it won't be a good one. Is Bush the real madman on this planet?
There are some really HUGE problems facing our planet right now. Climate change, genocide in regions like Darfur, and massive poverty and preventable disease around the world are being ignored as the Iraq conflict continues to take front stage. Not to mention the other issues facing the US like North Korea, the rise of socialist governments in South America, and the rise of China and India as economic powers in this century.
The lesson taught by Bush is regardless the possible consequences of your decision, do it anyway. If other people have legitmate concerns, disregard them and do it anyway. If the decision turns out to be a bad one, vigorously defend it anyway. Being stubborn and pig headed is apparently in the views of some, a positive leadership quality. Leadership involves ensuring your entire staff uses the same catch phrases over and over again until it becomes part of the common vocabulary. Then deny ever using such a phrase when it goes wrong. Refuse to admit failure or show weakness, just like the Soviets or Cubans refuse to acknowledge the impending death of their leaders. And best of all, if you make a big mess but don't worry about cause someone else has to clean it up, not you. Boggles the mind.
Well, I just had rant for a minute about my frustration about this whole mess. I have no desire to debate since I pretty much know many positions of the usual suspects already. And yes this has been a Bush bash, if you don't like it, post a Bush boost thread. Just ranting that's all, carry on about your business.