We can't extend benefits, but we can build hospitals and dams in Pakistan

[happy_liberal]

"Mrs. Clinton announced the construction of two hydroelectric dam projects that will supply power to more than 300,000 people near the Afghan border, an overhaul of the municipal water supply of Peshawar and southern Punjab, and the renovation or construction of three new hospitals in Pakistan’s metropolitan cities of Lahore and Karachi...They are part of a broader move to quell anti-Americanism by convincing Pakistanis that the US has a deeper commitment to the country"

Wow, how nice for them.

Too bad our politicians do not feel in necessary to show US "a deeper commitment to the country"

[closeupready]

1. Damned if they try diplomacy, damned if they don't.

I agree 100% unemployment should be extended, but I also think this is a good move. It's fallacious to imply that the one thing benefits when the other thing does not.

[happy_liberal]

3. that benefits them and their PNAC plans, not US

we need to get out of Pakistan and everywhere else. I am sure Pakistan is in much less debt than the US and could more easily afford their own hospitals. JESUS! Most people in this country cannot even afford to go to a hospital. The government will not even take care of veterans they send to war for no reason. They won't help unemployed people after they sent all their jobs overseas.

[closeupready]

8. I agree that pulling completely out of Pakistan and South Asia would

do more to help our image than what we are currently doing (which is basically, just waging war there).

But if we are NOT going to pull our military out anytime soon, to the extent foreign aid can help ameliorate a bad situation, I can support that aid.

But don't get me wrong - I do not support continued warfare in South Asia - certainly not on the scale we have been doing. If it's special ops targeting Al Qaida camps, etc., fine. But the kind of large-scale crap we've been doing is doing nothing but harm to US interests.

[nashville_brook]

7. this isn't diplomacy -- this is payoff for resource wars (and robbing us to do it)

bull fucking shit this is diplomacy.

[Angry Dragon]

11. It is the same as helping your neighbor fix their house

when yours' is falling down.

[LaPera]

2. Two republican never ending wars for corporate profit - purposely to drain & gut ALL

social programs and the extremely necessary unemployment insurance extensions are targeted while the rich and corporations get filthy rich off these wars while paying little or no taxes - The republican point the finger at the economy stimulating unemployment insurance - the last thing the republicans want is to see the economy start to do well - they prefer to be obstructionist in hopes to win back the majority in congress to really fuck over the people & workers....Just keep those wars for corporate profits going and raising the deficit so the republicans can blame every social program that we prefer to pay for with OUR taxes!

[femrap]

4. And don't forget all the $$$$

we give to Israel on an annual basis.

[daa]

5. Don't forget the $205 million radar system for Israel nt

[happy_liberal]

6. plenty of money for refueling planes

"LONDON—Airbus won't sell planes unprofitably to win a $35 billion Pentagon contract for aerial tankers, said Louis Gallois, chief executive of its parent company, European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co.

EADS and U.S. rival Boeing Co. are battling to sell the U.S. Department of Defense 179 refueling planes. Both recently submitted bids, and the Pentagon expects to pick a winner by Nov. 12."




Why do we need 179 new refueling planes? Why do we even need 179 refueling planes at all?

[TwilightGardener]

9. No reason why we can't do both. I'm a believer in winning hearts and minds

through whatever improves lives. Certainly a better plan to combat resentment and regional instability (and therefore terrorism) than anything we've done militarily.

[n2doc]

10. Hell someone posted an article today about how dome counties are going back to gravel roads

Because it is too expensive to maintain paved ones.

I'm sure those new hospitals will be nice, and well used. Probably by people wounded in drone attacks.

[happy_liberal]

13. "Probably by people wounded in drone attacks."

well when you put it that way, I supposed that is the least we can do.

[DrDan]

12. they had better try to convince the voters of their (the feds) commitment to our country

sure seems to be lacking to me