rigorousintuition.ca

Posted: **Fri Aug 19, 2005 12:31 pm**

The (most recent) criterion given by the Bush administration for withdrawal of American troops are: 1) that Iraqi military forces be adequately trained and equipped to protect the Iraqi borders and provide security in wake of the insurgences within the country's borders, and 2) that Iraqi police forces be trained and equipped to handle domestic safety and security. Let's step back and take a deep whiff of reality here. We are talking about a bureaucracy which has operated for 30 years wherein corruption has been the status quo. We're talking about military rank and file that--not so long ago--commonly surrendered on the battlefield to American news people. We're talking about a police force that--until recently--was skilled at intimidating, torturing, and killing innocent, unarmed civilians, yet ineffective dealing with rampant violent crime and the epidemic of firearms in their city streets. Faced with these realities, how could the Administration's academic criteria ever come to pass? Where are our leader’s heads? Where are the voter’s heads? Where are our JOURNALIST'S heads? We could withdraw from Iraq tomorrow with the same net result as if we were to remain as occupiers for another decade--sans the bars and brothels. While on the subject, let us review the President’s report card to date on some other issues: Success against 9/11 terrorism--Osama bin Laden, International Public Enemy Number One--a 48 year old, gray-haired, A-rab, who walks with a limp and tucks his beard into his gunbelt. Not only is he still at large four years after the attack, he's operating a satellite video recording studio from the Flintstone's old neighborhood. Largest yearly deficit ever -- $449,000,000,000. Largest deficit over a four year term -- $1,523,000,000,000. Largest debt for one year. (deficit + debt + interest on debt) -- $1,200,000,000,000. (1.2 trillion dollars = 1200 billion dollars). Largest trade deficit with one country in a year. China -- $150,000,000,000. Largest trade deficit with one country. -- $750,000,000,000, also with China. Largest number of outsourcing jobs lost in one year. -- 870,000. Largest number of manufacturing jobs lost in a four year period. -- 2,750,000. Lowest increase in wages over 4 year period. -- 0.5% (1 half of one percent). Largest total percent of increase of in health care costs over a 4 year period -- 63%. Largest increase of Medicare plan A costs over one year -- 17 %. Largest increase of Medicare plan B costs over one year. -- 37%. Largest number of people without health insurance. -- 48,000,000. Largest consumer price increase for gasoline over a 4 year period -- $1.40 per gallon (100%). Largest consumer price increase for home heating oil over a 4 year period. -- $1.24 per gallon (90%). Largest number of suicide bombings in a US occupied country over 7 months--Iraq -- 950. Smallest number of allies of the US entering into a pre emptive war -- 32. All but 4 sent fewer than 500 people. Largest amount of money ever missing in a government contract with no bid, accountability, or investigation -- $8,000,000,000. Halliburton contract 2003-2005. Our own intelligence sources say there are now more than 30,000 terrorists in Iraq who were not there prior to the coalition invasion. The DEA tells us that 87% of the world's opium now comes from Afghanistan, a number that was below 50% prior to American involvement; and more cocaine now flows through Houston than through Cartegena, Columbia. The President’s statement, “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!” of two years ago is a little worse for wear, and is wearing rapidly on the American public, in all aspects. Some people are like Slinkies--not really good for anything, but they still bring a smirk to your face when you topple them down a flight of stairs.Edited by: <A HREF=http://p097.ezboard.com/brigorousintuition.showUserPublicProfile?gid=sixtimeseven>sixtimeseven</A> at: 8/20/05 5:23 am

Posted: **Fri Aug 19, 2005 1:29 pm**

Pretty impressive article. Is it yours, sixtimeseven? Love the funnies, too.

Posted: **Fri Aug 19, 2005 1:39 pm**

Sixrimeseven: Your total debt for one year description of 1.2 quadrillion dollars -- what is that, a British thing? $ 1,200,000,000,000 is 1.2 trillion, or 1200 billion, NOT 1200 trillion). And lets not forget, the Ba'athe party was installed into power with the invaluable assistance of America's CIA -- without whose help it's extremely unlikely Saddam would have risen to the top position. In return for US's crucial help in overthrowing Iraq's regime, Saddam was given a list of some 30,000 est. 'communists' who Saddam then had killed -- This set the entire tone for Saddam's autocratic rule by force and intimidation. The entire Middle East has had its social, economic and political systems immeasurably damaged by the nation's failing to identify and prohibit the influence and interference by foreign agents of influence, primarily the US and GB and Soviet Union. As far as corruption, America's legacy of undermining and destroying civil socities has been surpassed in Iraq. The psychological effect of Iraq's violent invasion and occupation, in which rampant crime and murders, military reprisals and arbitrary arrests and detentions with torture and war crimes, and the shock-and-awe of aerial bombardments and breakdown in law-and-order, and the new routine of critical service and supply interruptions -- all these and more have become regular features of Iraqi life, in which indescrible horrors, atrocities, and insanities set the stage for a nation under an ongoing state of seige. How can Americans POSSIBLY understand or relate, there's nothing in most people's experiences to provide any context for the stresses and challenges Iraqis are being forced to endure -- unless its a temporary disaster, as in hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes or the 911 attacks. What are going to be the long-term consequences of America's brutalizing Iraqi society? Its utterly appalling our politicos can inflict so much horror with seemingly no thought given to these questions. It would seem the intent is to so thoroughly devastate Iraq that its people will need our assistance to recoup and rebuild its society. If true, that has to be one of the most horrendous, monstrous strategies ever -- with links to WW II fire-bombings in both Germany and Japan. Starman <a href="http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article9855.htm">www.informationclearingho...le9855.htm</a> Government minister lashes out at U.S. troops By Faiz Jawad 08/18/05 "Azzaman" -- -- A government minister has openly lambasted U.S. occupation of the country, blaming it for the upsurge in violence and rampant corruption. Salam al-Maliki, transport minister, said the presence of U.S.-led troops was as detrimental to the country’s well-being as the devastation resulting from terror attacks. “Corruption, terror … and occupation are taking their daily toll on the life of Iraqi citizens,” Maliki said in an interview. He said the worsening conditions in Iraq along with the hike in terror, insurgent attacks and violence “are a product of the occupation.” Maliki is the first government minister who publicly condemns U.S. troops, saying that they shoulder the responsibility of the chaos in the country. Maliki said the occupation has turned “Iraq into a station for all international terrorist organizations and an arena for score-settling. “As for the issue of administrative corruption … Iraq now tops the ranks of the most corrupt countries in the world,” he said. Maliki said the U.S. and its administration of the country bear the responsibility “for the chaos that has engulfed the country.” The U.S., he said, divided power in Iraq along religious, ethnic and sectarian lines “and this division has been a factor leading to its destruction.”

Posted: **Sat Aug 20, 2005 7:57 am**

Starman, thanks, mate. I fixed the 'rithmetic. Could not agree more as to how, for lack of a better expression, culturally inept the Bush Admininstration is. Reminiscent of the Spanish Franciscan Mission system from lower California to Central America; and the Dutch, French, and other Catholic, and British Anglican Missions in Central Africa. 'Show them our way, they's see how much better it is and adapt to it in no time.' Your last comment provoked a thought that I don't know why it has never been part of the Tigris-Euphrates equation, now or in the past. <<< The U.S., he said, divided power in Iraq along religious, ethnic and sectarian lines “and this division has been a factor leading to its destruction.” >>> Consider the Kurds in the North, the Sunnis in the middle and the Shiites in the South. If one were to overlay an ancient pre-biblical map, similar borders would almost directly correspond: Babylon, Assyria, and Sumaria. How can the BA expect to heal overnight divisions that have existed for 5000 years? ---------------- Some people are like Slinkies--not really good for anything, but they still bring a smirk to your face when you topple them down a flight of stairs.

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