Doesn't the USA have more important things it can spend that money on? Health care? Schools? Making sure its OWN borders are safe from terrorists?
Edited to add....I love how in his speech, Bush made reference to the USA rebuilding Japan after WWII without any mention of Germany, since they're mad at ze Germans for not helping the reconstruction process in Iraq. Also, the USA by itself didn't rebuild shit after WWII; while the States played a large role, it was the fledging UN that put Japan and (West) Germany back on their feet.
(edited by Big Bad on 8.9.03 0114) "When this bogus term alternative rock was being thrown at every '70s retro rehash folk group, we were challenging people to new sonic ideas. If some little snotty anarchist with an Apple Mac and an attitude thinks he invented dance music and the big rock group is coming into his territory, [that's] ridiculous." - Bono, 1997
This bugged me to no end. He said 87 billion dollars. Then he said he planned to spend 66 billion on the armed forces in Iraq. He made no mention of where that other 21 billion dollars was going to go.
At this point, there's really nothing more important than ensuring victory in Iraq. Terrorists are flocking there to kill American troops, and even if you opposed the war to start with, American victory there is now crucial.
Hey, everybody said last year that if we got involved in Iraq, it'd be a mess we couldn't get ourselves out of for at least 3 years. And pulling out now would be a worse move than going in in the first place. I think most of our dumbass politicians realize this, but nothing is for certain.
For the most part Bush's speech was meaningless. The only two things that stood out were the two requests. More troops (duh), and 87 billion dollars. Bush left 21 billion unaccounted for, and that annoys me a lot.
Michrome, America won! Remember, Bush, the aircraft carrier, 'job done'? And how can terrorists flock there when they were there already, according to US and British (ha! ha!) intelligence?
(Sorry, CRZ. I'll just move the pic)
(edited by A-MOL on 8.9.03 1628) ...full of energy. Multi-orgasmic, if you will, in a cosmic sort of way."
Originally posted by JaguarThis bugged me to no end. He said 87 billion dollars. Then he said he planned to spend 66 billion on the armed forces in Iraq. He made no mention of where that other 21 billion dollars was going to go.
I want to know where it's going.
-Jag
Wild guess - Afghanistan? He seemed to mention it in his speech a few times.
EDIT: Well, I probably could have just used one Google click...but then again, so could you, so I can't feel TOO bad.
Bush said that $66 billion of the $87 billion would be for military and intelligence operations over the next year in Iraq and Afghanistan "and elsewhere," and that the rest would be for reconstruction in Iraq and Afghanistan, including restoring such basic services as water and electricity. Bush did not say how the money would be apportioned between Iraq and Afghanistan, but the bulk of it was expected to go to Iraq.
Originally posted by Big BadAlso, the USA by itself didn't rebuild shit after WWII; while the States played a large role, it was the fledging UN that put Japan and (West) Germany back on their feet.
Are you out of your mind? Ever hear of a little thing called the Marshall Plan?
Yikes...
"If this cruel, loudmouth extremist is the cream of the Democratic crop, next November's going to make the 1984 election look like a squeaker." --House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-TX) on Howard Dean
Only $21 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan reconstruction projects? Well, I guess it's a start. Afghanistan alone is said to need $15 billion to get on it's feet, and Iraq is sure to take the lion's share of that available 21.....
Geez, they need to train up some indigenous defence and security forces fast.....$66 billion just for maintaining an occupation? What, are the bullets coated in gold?!
Originally posted by MichromeAt this point, there's really nothing more important than ensuring victory in Iraq. Terrorists are flocking there to kill American troops, and even if you opposed the war to start with, American victory there is now crucial.
I'll bite. How do you (specifically) define "victory?"
"When WCW tries to be racy, it's generally about as light-heartedly entertaining as watching a man rape a woman in a chicken yard." -- Dark Cheetah
Originally posted by JaguarThis bugged me to no end. He said 87 billion dollars. Then he said he planned to spend 66 billion on the armed forces in Iraq. He made no mention of where that other 21 billion dollars was going to go.
I want to know where it's going.
-Jag
Wild guess - Afghanistan? He seemed to mention it in his speech a few times.
I'd take that with a grain or two of salt, considering Afghanistan never got the LAST thirty billion we promised them.
Kansas-born and deeply ashamed The last living La Parka Marka
"They that can give up essential liberty to gain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin
Yeah, they had Condi Rice clarify that point (the missing 21 billion) the next morning. So for all the would be Economic Advisors on the board, how does another 87 billion dollars in debt affect ME?
-Jag
If the numbers in that Yahoo article are right, then this money should last (the military, not the rebuilding project) until just after election time next year. At least Bush is smart enough to know that asking for more money right before the election would be a bad thing.