CynicScape: Accounting for the Numbing Numbers
Recently the Congressional Joint Economic Committee announced that the hidden cost of the Liar's War in Iraq (and to a much smaller degree the war in Afghanistan) would top $1.6 trillion, at least until 2008. Coincidently, the American Society of Civil Engineers estimates it will cost $1.6 trillion over five years to bring our aging infrastructure up to good condition.
To date 3,870 U.S. war fighters have died in Iraq. Over 85,000 have been injured. Iraqi casualties range from 655,000 to 1 million plus - the Department of Defense doesn't keep accurate records. But nightly we see graphic images on television and daily we read stories about the toll the Liar's War is taking on Iraqi and American sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, friends and relatives. Who wants to put a price on that?
On the home front, the collapse of the I-35W Bridge killed 13 and injured over 100. Nationwide we don't know even how many civilians are injured as a result of engineering failures because our government does not keep records. We do know that in 2006, 1,258 workers, 63 construction managers and 54 architects and engineers died on construction-related jobs and another 153,180 suffered from injuries or illness. How many more deaths will it take to stop the madness on both fronts?
If you visit theASCE websiteyou can click on its national infrastructure report card to see how members view our infrastructure by category. While the report was compiled in 2005 and conditions most assuredly have deteriorated since then, our cumulative report card score was D. It will take $1.6 trillion to raise third world America to B.
However, with Dubya in the White House and a national election looming, there will be no new tax increases to pay for the improvements. And in the face of a stagnant or declining economy, tax revenues will likely fall in the ensuing years, meaning proportionally less money for infrastructure. America scraped up the $1.6 trillion, but our leaders blew it. They chose bombs over bridges. Remember that when you vote.
While we did liberate Iraq from a secular thug, contrary to neocon deception we did not find weapons of mass destruction nor links to Osama bin Laden or al Qaeda. And Iraqi oil output is not paying for anything. In fact, Iraq was never a threat to the U.S. but the cost of the Liar's War keeps growing like a malignancy on the soul of America.
What I want to know is what pain did the neocons suffer? Did theses tough-talking chickenhawks feel the grief of their war through the loss or maiming of a loved one? Did they suffer financial or emotional devastation from their war? Were their lives disrupted, mortgages foreclosed, jobs lost, health destroyed because of their war? Or did they continue to live a banal existence, going to parties, shopping at the mall and celebrating birthdays - as if nothing ever happened? What did the Liar's War cost them?
More importantly, shouldn't they be brought to justice to account for their actions? A public trial would disclose the truth about the war and perhaps punish the Quislings who betrayed their oath of office. Unfortunately, it will not restore thousands of lost and damaged lives and the opportunities and joy they would have brought to their families and to mankind. Nor will it replace the billions of tax dollars wasted. But there must be an accounting.
CynicScape: Accounting for the Numbing Numbers
Mr. Angelo is correct about the mistake of going to war against Iraq and the twisting of the intelligence prior to the U.S. invasion. The people who made those decisions, unfortunately,...
November 23, 2007
Mr. Angelo is correct about the mistake of going to war against Iraq and the twisting of the intelligence prior to the U.S. invasion. The people who made those decisions, unfortunately, included elected officials and staff who were within their power to wage the war. So Mr. Angelo's call to "perhaps punish the Quislings" and bring discomfort to the neocons smacks of just the kind of vengeful political fratricide that sees our politics only in terms of good and evil. Republicans have lost control of Congress and maybe soon the White House because of this foolish war.
The trouble is that now we have to try to salvage the situation. There are a couple of hopeful signs of things turning for the better, just in case you haven't seen the stories in the national media. I hope what we learn from this in 10 years is more than just how to "punish the Quislings who betrayed their oath of office" but how to use our national power to defend outselves more realistically.
The trouble is that now we have to try to salvage the situation. There are a couple of hopeful signs of things turning for the better, just in case you haven't seen the stories in the national media. I hope what we learn from this in 10 years is more than just how to "punish the Quislings who betrayed their oath of office" but how to use our national power to defend outselves more realistically.
Wow, I would have never thought that such an illogical and pointless rant would have been posted on a blog of this stature. Mr. Angelo you are an idiot that has obviously bit into the ...
December 4, 2007
Wow, I would have never thought that such an illogical and pointless rant would have been posted on a blog of this stature. Mr. Angelo you are an idiot that has obviously bit into the mainstream script being fed to you daily.
The only downside to this war is that in order to appease morons like yourself the military succumb to the same political correctness that will bring this country to its knees one day. We should have fought the war, eliminated without prejudice our enemies, and turned the country back over to those from Iraq who could have rose up at the time. Instead we chose to drag our feet in the name of not looking too brutal. War is brutal and Iraq has been our war since 1991. I spent almost two years in the 90's parked 35 miles of the coast of Irag watching aircraft make daily airstrikes into Iraq. You don't see people like Mr. Angelo complaining about that.
The problems with our infrastructure, like our problems with terrorism, did not begin in January of 2000. They were there for decades prior to George Bush's nomination and are a problem because people like yourself chose either to ignore or not do anything about them. We were fat, happy, and glued to the glam of our American Lives.
It is your blog, I fought for your right to say what you want even if it is something my two year old could top with respect to intelligence. Spew on!
The only downside to this war is that in order to appease morons like yourself the military succumb to the same political correctness that will bring this country to its knees one day. We should have fought the war, eliminated without prejudice our enemies, and turned the country back over to those from Iraq who could have rose up at the time. Instead we chose to drag our feet in the name of not looking too brutal. War is brutal and Iraq has been our war since 1991. I spent almost two years in the 90's parked 35 miles of the coast of Irag watching aircraft make daily airstrikes into Iraq. You don't see people like Mr. Angelo complaining about that.
The problems with our infrastructure, like our problems with terrorism, did not begin in January of 2000. They were there for decades prior to George Bush's nomination and are a problem because people like yourself chose either to ignore or not do anything about them. We were fat, happy, and glued to the glam of our American Lives.
It is your blog, I fought for your right to say what you want even if it is something my two year old could top with respect to intelligence. Spew on!
To anonymous 12/04: <br/><br/>As a veteran I am embarrassed by your comments. You add nothing to the discourse.<br/><br/>As a veteran I well remember the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, whi...
December 7, 2007
To anonymous 12/04:
As a veteran I am embarrassed by your comments. You add nothing to the discourse.
As a veteran I well remember the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which was based on a lie and cost the lives of over 59,000 Americans and 1 million Vietnamese. I suggest you visit the Vietnam Memorial and try to comprehend the misery that lie brought to America.
As a veteran I support laws that make it a felony to lie to the police, the grand jury and the court. Truth is a precious commodity but it is the only basis for moral and legal decisions.
As a veteran I believe that politicians and their coat-holders who lie to the American people should be held accountable for their actions. Had we punished the Tonkin liars, we would not have had the Iraq liars. Soon, unfortunately, we will probably have an Iraq Memorial to commemorate more misery. More lost sons and daughters who paid the ultimate price while the liars live in comfort, again.
As a veteran I swore an oath to defend the laws of my country, not to justify breaking them under some misguided and infantile version of patriotism. Just following orders doesn't cut it.
As a veteran I also believe in free speech. Unlike you, I am not afraid to stand up and take ownership of what I write. I refuse to hide behind anonymity.
As a veteran I would not want you as a shipmate.
As a veteran I am embarrassed by your comments. You add nothing to the discourse.
As a veteran I well remember the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which was based on a lie and cost the lives of over 59,000 Americans and 1 million Vietnamese. I suggest you visit the Vietnam Memorial and try to comprehend the misery that lie brought to America.
As a veteran I support laws that make it a felony to lie to the police, the grand jury and the court. Truth is a precious commodity but it is the only basis for moral and legal decisions.
As a veteran I believe that politicians and their coat-holders who lie to the American people should be held accountable for their actions. Had we punished the Tonkin liars, we would not have had the Iraq liars. Soon, unfortunately, we will probably have an Iraq Memorial to commemorate more misery. More lost sons and daughters who paid the ultimate price while the liars live in comfort, again.
As a veteran I swore an oath to defend the laws of my country, not to justify breaking them under some misguided and infantile version of patriotism. Just following orders doesn't cut it.
As a veteran I also believe in free speech. Unlike you, I am not afraid to stand up and take ownership of what I write. I refuse to hide behind anonymity.
As a veteran I would not want you as a shipmate.
I am curious as to which liars in particular you are refering to. Virtually every national politition of every stripe had denounced Iraq as a national threat going back decades prior to...
December 13, 2007
I am curious as to which liars in particular you are refering to. Virtually every national politition of every stripe had denounced Iraq as a national threat going back decades prior to the military action.
The jails will certainly be full!
The jails will certainly be full!
