Reply #16: It's not the earmarks, it's the wars and military budget, that is the real problem.. [View All]

..in the country's spending, according to the author.

Thank you for adding to the discussion. No need to call anyone names.

The "Twerp" to whom you refer, has been actively protesting the war in Iraq, with a weekly candlelight vigil at a busy intersection in L.A., every week, for YEARS. Just thought I'd let you know who you were using insulting language toward.

Maybe you would like to read last weeks candlelight vigil summary, his 159 vigil...:
http://saneramblings.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=153
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"I can't tell you how much it means to me to see you out here," said a 20ish woman from her car. "I have two friends who are soldiers over there.

"Do you have anybody over there," she asked. "I do," I replied. "I have everyone who is there." "Ohhhh," she responded warmly. And then added, "Thank you for doing this."

Meanwhile, last Friday at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, President Obama announced, "by August 31, 2010, our combat mission will end."

But as he spoke further, it turned out he will leave up to 50,000 troops there indefinitely, and they will be conducting combat missions long after August 31st to "protect U.S. interests." Mr. Obama did not say how many of the 180,000 U.S. mercenaries will also remain or for how long.
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Under the SOFA agreement with Iraq, the U.S. military is supposed to leave no later than December 31, 2011. But already, Defense Secretary Robert Gates is speaking of "a modest U.S. presence" thereafter.

That is possible depending on how the U.S. military defines its soldiers. It could call them "advisors," "envoys," or "training personnel," although I believe with the collapse of the economy, the U.S. is likely to run out of money long before then.

What do Iraqis think of this war and of the U.S. presence? We don't know. The U.S. media doesn't ask them and the U.S. military continues to censor the film and pictures taken there.

But it is commonly believed over a million Iraqis have been killed, although no-one knows how many are widowed or orphaned. We know 4,255 U.S. troops have died there (4,116 since "Mission Accomplished") and 318 U.S. allied troops have also been killed. Well over 30,000 U.S troops have been wounded.

According to the United Nations, more than 2 million Iraqis have fled their country and 2 million more have fled within their country. This out of a pre-U.S. invasion population of 25 million.

Their economy is in shambles. The unemployment rate is over 40%, compared to 25% in America at the peak of the Great Depression. Iraqis have only sporadic electricity, little clean water or medical care, limited garbage pickup or sewage treatment and most of their public schools are closed. Their doors can be kicked in at any time by the U.S. military and they must submit to U.S. military control. This is what "Operation Iraqi Freedom" has brought them.
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