As Bush defends his racket, new signs of its outrageous toll on lives--- the dead, maimed and left behind is indefensible. Clinton was impeached for having an affair, but BUSH's poor judgments, repeated lies and half truths and blatant disregard for the illegal GAO no-bid contracts and use of taxpayer dollars isn't even being questioned. WHY?
Because BUSH's... "War is a racket. It always has been. It is possibly the oldest, easily the most profitable, surely the most vicious...It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and losses in lives." These were the reflections of America's most decorated soldier, Brigadier General Smedley D. Butler in 1935 in his classic War is a Racket. He was so right and we are seeing his insights played out on the landscape of the IRAQ war.
TAXPAYER DOLLARS NO BID CONTRACT TO BUILD MORE PRISONS IN IRAQ
Wonder how many of the American people have heard the news that $50 million of their taxpayer dollars is being used to build more PRISONS in IRAQ, so they can "detain" 16,000 prisoners instead of 10,000? This is happening while schools are closing, children are without text books, healthcare is skyrocketing or non-existent for many, Halliburton's contract abuse is exposed and layoffs are on the rise again as our job base erodes. ...and guess what Halliburton got the contract?
The US expanding prisons in Iraq instead of closing them is big news in China, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and in the Middle East --- everywhere except where the people footing the bill can read about it --- everywhere except where the major group of military killed, maimed or injured have sacrificed. The news accounts Two accounts I saw on MSNBC and Philly.com were small paragraphs, denoting "no big deal." In a newspaper they would be on the backpage corner.
HALLIBURTON IRAQ DEALS CALLED WORST CONTRACT ABUSE
Notably, the New Zealand reports from Reuters that Halliburton Iraq deals described as the worst example of contract abuse. The Pentagon auditors flagged over $1.42 BILLION in Texas based Halliburton overcharges in IRAQ. See other "war profiteers". It appears the Bush Administration is just "thumbing its nose" at the recent discoveries as it again awards Halliburton another $30 Million to build prisons.
CONDITIONS IN IRAQ ARE NOT IMPROVING; US FRAUD IS RISING
And China adds that things contrary to claims of Bush and Rumsfeld are getting better in IRAQ, the unemployment there continues to rise.
"Unemployment in IRAQ remained high at 27-40 percent in May compared with 30-40 percent in June 2004. About $5 billion of U.S. money still remains from the $18.4 billion reconstruction package approved in 2003, according to the House Appropriations foreign operations subcommittee."
THE TIMETABLES ARE SPINNING
It is also interesting that although Donald Rumsfeld said on Sunday the IRAQ might take some twelve years resolve, today's news in the US makes claims from IRAQ's PM it is only 2 years. Hmmmm! wonder if that has anything to do with BUSH's speech??? Associated Press - London
"Iraqi Prime Minister Ibrahim al-Jaafari said Monday that two years would be "more than enough" time to establish security in his country, a task Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld believes may take up to 12 years."
Being an optimist at heart, the American people and the world in general must be waking up to this scam of this war very soon. The signs are increasing. Don't misunderstand me. I support the troops sent into "harm's way" by President Bush and his cohorts. Unfortunately, as Bridgadier General Smedley D. Butler put it best, "War is a racket. "It is the only one in which the profits are reckoned in dollars and losses in lives." We all want better for our soldiers than the hand they have been dealt. We want better for our neighbors...for our future.
I would love to blame it on BUSH completely, but it is a much bigger scheme--- one which each of us in the U.S. holds some responsibility and accountability at this stage. Don't turn your head away in indifference. Take it in. Speak UP!Look what we've done by entrusting our lives, soldiers, country and the world to a man with a vision of being a self-proclaimed "war president."
"The chain reaction of evil---wars producing more wars---must be broken or we shall be plunged into the dark abyss of annihilation." --- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Debbe Kennedy
Visit www.globaldialoguecenter.com
John Perkins at the Global Dialogue Center
http://www.globaldialoguecenter.com/JohnPerkins.html
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