Hundreds of thousands of people are dead or dying in the wake of the recent tsunamis. Why then is the richest and most powerful nation in the world spending $40 million to celebrate Bush's second inauguration and buzzing Iranian airspace? Our resources are already spread too thinly. Should we really be partying or contemplating another costly war?
Funky Dung
Comments 4
We cannot fight another war, and I've heard no serious implications that Bush is planning to fight Iran.
I don't know how much time you spent keeping track of negotiations–I was distracted by school myself, but read a bit–but Iran was playing the EU for a fool, much as North Korea is trying. I would perhaps try to also use some positive measures as a means to reach the more liberal, younger parts of the Iranian population, but keeping a close watch on Iranian territory is necessary as well. The Cuba Missile Crisis was an example of how US intelligence can save the day (along with some decisive diplomatic and military action), Gulf II is an example of how bad intel on weapons of mass destruction can screw things up.
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Posted 05 Jan 2005 at 3:58 pm ¶just wanted to point out that tax payer money isn't involved in that $40mil for the big party… and that the party was, most likely, quite planned & money spent long before the tsunami.
I do think, though, that the country could figure out a way to give more towards the relief effort than whatever it was that I heard Bush had promised.
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Posted 05 Jan 2005 at 10:16 pm ¶I realize the $40 million is from private donations, but I'd like to see Bush return as much as possible to the donors and ask them to donate to charity. It's likely a chunk of it would be lost due to nonrefundable deposits, but it'd be better than nothing. If the party can't be cancelled, I'd at least like to see it toned down so that some funds are left over. Another option would be to ask wealthy guests to bring their checkbooks and gather donations at the party.
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Posted 05 Jan 2005 at 10:42 pm ¶I like that last idea… wonder if/how we could start a campaign to turn the inaugural festivities into a fundraiser for the tsunami victims.
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Posted 06 Jan 2005 at 2:44 am ¶Post a Comment