The US has spent over $87 billion conducting a war in Iraq. The UN estimates that less than half that amount could provide clean water, and adequate diets, sanitation services, and basic education to every person on the planet.
At a time when the Iraqi child malnutrition rate since the occupation has doubled the Pentagon is spending more than $5.8 billion a month on the war in Iraq.
While still bogged down in Iraq, the US is trying to lay the groundwork for regime change in Iran. Colin Powell has started the ball rolling, making comments about Iran's nuclear ability. Bush repeated the warnings in Chile. And the amazing thing is, after the debacle of Iraqi WMD they are being taken seriously by the media. Obviously politics based on the assumption we have the memory span of a Goldfish and the media's job is to help the powerful lie.
This is particularly insulting to the intelligence as the source of Powell's "information" is one of those "exile groups" which were so reliably in providing details of Iraq's WMD. This classified single source was unvetted and yet was happily used as evidence for immediate action against another member of the "Axis of Evil" Does this sound remotely familiar? At least Powell will not have to go to the UN and talk bollocks again.
So much for gratitude. Iran was one of the few states which wanted Bush re-elected!
Of course, what with the Iraqi quagmire, it is unlikely that the US will attack the much stronger Iran. So expect the call for sanctions (to soften it up until such time as the US can get enough troops together to invade). Which will probably be around a year after Blair and Straw strenuously deny that such an invasion is planned.
While the families of US soldiers in Iraq are taking donations to send body armour to their kids, Bush gets a presidential yacht. The Republicans have pushed through a $388 billion spending bill. Due to the massive deficit, the bill aims to cut funding for everything from education to environmental cleanups. A new expense was created, namely the allocation of $2 million for the government to buy back the presidential yacht Sequoia.
$2 million so that Bush can play sailor while millions of Americas get funding cuts. Wow. Meanwhile, an $800 billion increase in the government's borrowing limit has also been agreed. Unsurprisingly, as the deficit reached $413 billion last year and is expected to climb indefinitely.
"The objective of securing the safety of Americans from crime
and terror has been achieved." John Ashcroft, US Attorney
General, 2000-4
Number of U.S. terror trials brought before a jury since September
11, 2001: 1
Number of terrorism convictions resulting: 2
Number of them dismissed due to a 'pattern of mistakes' by the
prosecution: 2