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| hamlet (#) 3/20/2003 01:21:39 [ report this post ] |
 Subject: Stupid IdeaMessage: There was an editorial in the NY Times, by Thomas someone that talked about why US is so hated in the world today. The below is a synopsis of the article: The USA used to be the beakon of hope for peace and democracy, but more and more we act without our allies. We get bogged down in aimless wars. We stretch our powerful military because we can, leaving nations decimated (or our army humiliated). Because we do not help rebuild these nations, they become embittered at the US, and our allies are angry because we never finish what we start. Yes we got rid of the Taliban, but we never replaced it with a stable government, so international troops still occupy as peacekeepers (believe me countries don't like that sort of thing.) The Great Generation actually rebuilt both W. Germany and Japan (albeit out of need to check the soviets) and because of that both countries were happy, pro-west, capitalist countries. It was in that action that US helped protect democracy and truly live up to its expectations of being the beakon of hope. In my opinion: Unfortuaneately our rebuilding days are done. We don't have the monetary resources to rebuild Iraq. War at this time is a stupid idea (actually war at any time is stupid). Bush has these glamourous plans of rebuilding Iraq, rebuilding hospitals, schools roads etc. The whole project is estimated at $6 bil. Done with US money, even if from private businesses that donate vast somes to campaigns, it still has our money running out of the country. We should not have the money to help rebuild Iraq!! In Oregon school disctricts are closing schools 3 weeks earlier than they ought to because they can't afford to keep them open. Hospitals still don't treat a great number of ppl because of lack of insurance and medicare. The economy is rather unstable at this time and a great number of ppl are still out of work. War will not help the economy like it did in WWII, because unlike the Great Generation our economy is already mobilized enough that fighting a war does not greatly interfear with the consumer economy (building planes, tanks, bombs, etc happen sufficiently right now that in case of war, our whole economy will not need to be converted to wartime measures, unless we are getting our arses kicked.) I think the economy will be destabilized even more with this war, because of all the money flowing out of the country (point and case post WWI all the money was flowing to Europe to aide in reperations, eventually causing the depression of 1929). Thus war now is a stupid idea. |
| hamlet (#) 3/21/2003 23:09:05 [ report this post ] | Message: . |
| zoobrenok (#) 3/21/2003 23:18:22 [ report this post ] | Message: Great Generation -- let me ask you this question: were money given to african or asian countries (not only Japan, but rest of them)??? The point is -- 'Great Generation' would not be able to rebuild Afganistan because it can not be rebuild in the way Europe was rebuild. --- Winning the war will bring some positive into the economy and oil price might help a lot as well. My understanding is that oil money impact economy in most unexpected ways. Check this out: Russia has been living from high oil prices past few years and this is why Putin has been able to achieve what he has achieved. Now with war coming, oil prices will go down and Russia will loose income, BUT. With war dollar becomes stronger against euro. Russia sells things for dollars but pays its debts in euro -- so strong dollar is good and in certain conditions is better tehn high oil prices.. Go figure out how much economy is really involved in all this! |
| easy_rider (#) 3/24/2003 12:50:26 [ report this post ] | zoobrenok. Message: I dont know if you have economy bacground but I have, and I even studied neo-classical american economists :) 1- At the propects of the war dragin for months, stock markets are going down (at least today 24 march). 2- The oil price is rising for now 3- the thrust indexes of investors and consumers is droping. 4- USA budget deficit is hudge! If I'm not mistaken it's a record! 5- tax rates are so low that even Greenspan is angry. dollar is likely to become more strong yes. A strong dolar is... good? There is a fallacy in assuming strong=good reasoning. Particulary when a country like US has an economy with a hudge exportation/GNP ratio. US products are selled worldwide, strong dollar means those products will be more expensive, those reducing exportations. And dont get me started on the anti-american feelings worlwide that could be very determinant in terms of consumer choices. |
| mormel12 (#) 3/26/2003 12:09:01 [ report this post ] | zoobrenok Message: nobody is going to win this war, and certainly not the usa. yeah, they will concur bagdad and maybe, just maybe, they even find saddam, but for what price? now already the price is paid and there will be no efforts for that in return. and no, i'm not talking about money. greetings |
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