Keith, I knew, from previous veiwing on this list, that I would definetly be in the minority. However, discussion and sharing opinions is the best part of living in any democracy. How else would we ever get new ideas, solutions.
I guess it is just the "Red State" in me, but I am proud of the US and its existing positions within the world community. I have experienced life in other countries and found some to be very enjoyable, others however were very repressive. I do enjoy the discussion an look forward to more and others. Larry On 6/3/05, Keith Addison <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Well, well... > > I'm aware this will probably chuck the cat in with the pigeons but > I'm undeterred. It's not directed at anyone in particular. > > This discussion could only happen in America, while the rest of us > (that is, most of us) look on bemused. An American list member who > demands respect for his views on the basis of his military service > will not get that respect from the majority of list members, and he > ought to be aware of that. From some he might get the very opposite > of respect. For me, it's simply not significant. It doesn't even mean > he necessarily knows better, on the contrary, it could as easily mean > he's incapable of seeing it straight. > > Where else in the world is military service placed on such a pedestal > of pride? Where else is the military held in such high esteem? I > don't wish to be insulting, but the only possibilities that come to > mind are perhaps China, or North Korea, and maybe South Korea to an > extent, because of North Korea - but at least they have a real enemy > (and the last thing they want is to fight it out). Food for thought, > no? > > One then has to ask, where else in the world does the military get > such a grotesquely huge slice of the budget? (China? North Korea?) > Especially of such a huge budget. And why? The Cold War ended 15 > years ago. Grotesque? > > >... U.S. military spending, in billions of dollars per day: 1.08 > > > >Ratio of U.S. military spending to the combined military budgets of > >Cuba, Iran, Iraq, Libya, North Korea, Sudan, and Syria: 26 to 1 > > > >Percentage of U.S. share of total global military spending in 1985: 31 > > > >Percentage of U.S. share of total global military spending in 2000: 36 > > Yes, grotesque. Is this something to be admired? > > Look at these figures: > > Debt relief for the 20 worst affected countries would cost between US > $5.5 billion to $7.7 billion, less than the cost of ONE stealth > bomber. > > Basic education for all would cost $6 billion a year; > - $8 billion is spent annually for cosmetics in the United States alone. > > Installation of water and sanitation for all would cost $9 billion > plus some annual costs; > - $11 billion is spent annually on ice cream in Europe. > > Reproductive health services for all women would cost $12 billion a year; > - $12 billion a year is spent on perfumes in Europe and the United States. > > Basic health care and nutrition would cost $13 billion; > - $17 billion a year is spent on pet food in Europe and the United States. > > $35 billion is spent on business entertainment in Japan; > $50 billion on cigarettes in Europe; > $105 billion on alcoholic drinks in Europe; > $400 billion on narcotic drugs around the world; and > $780 billion on the world's militaries. > > -- From: Globalization Facts and Figures > http://learningpartnership.org/facts/global.phtml > > It's not something to be admired. Yet Americans are so proud of it. > > A majority of Americans thinks the US spends 24% of its budget on > foreign aid instead of the actual figure, less than 1% - and most of > that is "tied" to direct US benefit. And then there's this: > > http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article8888.htm > $1 trillion missing : Military waste under fire > 05/18/05 "San Francisco Chronicle" > (Among other things, they LOST 56 airplanes, 32 tanks, and 36 Javelin > missile command launch-units.) > > Grotesque and bizarre. > > I'm not "bashing" the US, I'm not even trying to stop the discussion > - please, go ahead, thrash it out, no problem. But please be aware of > how peculiarly American it is. Pondering that a bit might add some > perspective which might otherwise be lacking. > > A couple of other things to ponder. Vietnam vets, or some of them > anyway, seem to have a rather different view of military service. I'm > reminded of a previous discussion here involving Vietnam vets when > one of them boasted about the Purple Heart he'd won. Have a look in > the archives if you like. > > Why are benefits for soldiers' families being cut, and those for > disabled soldiers too, IIRC, even as their numbers are soaring? Does > the government they serve accord them the same respect their fellow > Americans do? Are they perhaps just dispensable cannon-fodder, to be > cashed in for a few votes or for the sake of a suspect ideology or > perhaps for Haliburton's bottom line? Is all this respect perhaps > making such things a lot easier than they should be? Is it misplaced? > Is the military and military service a false sacred cow? How many US > lawmakers have sons or daughters serving with the military in Iraq? > One, wasn't it? > > Best wishes > > Keith > > > _______________________________________________ > Biofuel mailing list > Biofuel@sustainablelists.org > http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org > > Biofuel at Journey to Forever: > http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html > > Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): > http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/ > > _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
