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Iraq Anniversary 2003-2008: Two Recipes for Disaster, Bon Appétit!

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posted on Mar, 2 2008 @ 12:16 AM
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Iraq Anniversary 2003-2008: Two Recipes for Disaster, Bon Appétit!


www.truthout.org

George W. Bush and Laura Bush were being interviewed by NBC's Ann Curry when the subject turned to the war in Iraq. Curry reminded the President that his wife had once said, "No one suffers more than their president. I hope they know the burden of worry that's on his shoulders every single day for our troops." The conversation continued thusly:

"Bush: And as people are now beginning to see, Iraq is changing, democracy is beginning to tak[e] hold. And I'm convinced 50 years from now people look back and say thank God there was those who were willing to sacrifice.

"Curry: But you're saying you're going to have to carry that burden ... Some Americans believe that they feel they're carrying the burden because of this economy.

"Bush: Yeah, well -

"Curry: They say - they say they're suffering because of this.

"Bush: I don't agree with that.

"Curry: You don't agree with that? Has nothing do with the economy, the war? The spending on the war?

"Bush: I don't think so. I think actually, the spending on the war might help with jobs.

"Curry: Oh, yeah?

"Bush: Yeah, because we're buying equipment, and people are working. I think this economy is down because we built too many houses."
(visit the link for the full news article)


Related News Links:
www.tomdispatch.com



posted on Mar, 2 2008 @ 12:16 AM
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There's not much to comment on any piece by Tom Engelhardt like this excelent essay written together with Frida Berrigan.

Like the opening snippet shows, he knows how to put it in a perspective, and like the following shows, to do it with irony.


In other words, in honor of the soon-to-arrive fifth anniversary of his war without end, the President has offered a formula for economic success in bad times that might be summed up this way: less houses, more bases, more weaponry, more war. This, of course, comes from the man who, between 2001 and today, presided over an official Pentagon budget that leapt by more than 60% from $316 billion to $507 billion, and by more than 30% since Iraq was invaded. Looked at another way, between 2001 and the latest emergency supplemental request to pay for his wars (first in Afghanistan and then in Iraq), supplemental funding for war-fighting has jumped from $17 billion to $189 billion, an increase of 1,011%. At the same time, almost miraculously, the U.S. armed forces have been driven to the edge of the military equivalent of default.


To get the recipes themselves, you have to open the link. As an extra bonus you'll get details about the feasters at the Commander-in-Chef splendid banquet, like how much of the goodies individually devour:

Lockheed Martin $26.6 billion, Kellogg, Brown & Root (KBR) $20.1 billion, Boeing $17.3 billion, Northrop Grumman $16.6 billion, Halliburton $6.1 billion, Bechtel $3 billion, DynCorp. $2.2 billion, Blackwater $1 billion, General Dynamics (no figures available, but for 2007 net earnings were $2.1 billion)

Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Peter W. Singer puts this in context, "the amount paid to Halliburton-KBR for just that period is roughly three times what the U.S. government paid to fight the entire 1991 Persian Gulf War."

To put that in some perspective he continues, "putting other wars into current dollar amounts, the U.S. government paid Halliburton-KBR about $7 billion more than it cost to fight the American Revolution, the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, and the Spanish American War combined."

Bon appétit! Happy anniversary!



www.truthout.org
(visit the link for the full news article)



posted on Mar, 2 2008 @ 02:10 AM
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And the military industrial complex thrives!!

What's it going to take for people to stand and tell those that we elected to represent us to do what they said that they would do? Aren't they supposed to do OUR bidding, and not some corporation's?

I think I may have missed this part of Politics 101: Buy off your representatives; erm, I mean, give them Political Contributions.


TheBorg

[Edited for emotes.]

[edit on 2-3-2008 by TheBorg]



posted on Mar, 2 2008 @ 05:46 AM
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You can only put your hope in the upcoming elections. However it takes two things to make a change.

1. Vote
2. Being able to look through the spin

My 19 month on ATS have tought me that not all is lost. Think about the voters kicked out the GOP from congress.

That the candidate, no matter colour, gender or party might all have been bought is another thing, that can make anyone dispair thinking too much about it, and how to reach a judgement I really can't tell ...except for go to ATS for background info.

I think the most important condition is to overcome fear.



posted on Mar, 2 2008 @ 05:53 AM
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reply to post by khunmoon
 


No. There are other means by which to bring back control. We The People simply choose not to use them, because we're too lazy. We should be more proactive as a group about stopping fraudulent behavior in the Government everywhere it turns.

But, to salvage what we have left, voting is ONE solution that may yield some more time for us. As a nation, we need to try to rally enough support to put pressure on our representatives to get them to tow the line that they picked up. It's the American Way.

TheBorg



posted on Mar, 2 2008 @ 06:36 AM
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Yes Borg, you sure are right in that. The "write your congress man" is a very American thing, and if enough does it, it might work.

Growing up as close as you could get to the hot spot of the cold war, I have all my life both adored and despised America. With that war as an excuse for the latter, I kind of understood the mechanisms.

But after the collapse of the Soviet block, and the emerging of US ambitions of a world empire, I have had a hard time with America and whatever I was brought up to believe in it stood for.

Then I came to ATS only to learn that it's actually much worser, corporate and secret society connections, tampering elections results, just to mention the more sane I've learned about here. But on the other hand I have also learned that the true spirit --after all-- is alive and well. And that's where I put my hope.

Yes, let me put it straight.. I've always loved Americana, I would be not half of what I am if it wasn't for that great culture.




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