The Nation: A Budget for Permanent War

[marmar]

BLOG | Posted 02/05/2007 @ 1:36pm
A Budget for Permanent War
Ari Berman


Need proof that George W. Bush is not planning to withdraw US troops from Iraq on his watch? Just look at his latest budget.

The Bush Administration will ask Congress for $100 billion for Iraq and Afghanistan this year--on top of the $70 billion already allocated--and $145 billion for 2008. Why ask for the money if you're not planning to use it?

Administration officials, according to the Washington Post, "warned that even more money will probably will be needed." The Los Angeles Times says the military wants "even larger defense budgets."

Are you kidding me?

The costs of Iraq and Afghanistan aren't even included in the $481 billion the Pentagon demands for 2008, a 10 percent raise over this year. Total these figures up and Bush is asking for roughly $745 billion in defense spending, a higher number, when adjusted for inflation, than the entire cost of the Vietnam War.

Just pause and consider the size of that number. Three-quarters of a trillion dollars and Osama bin Laden is still at large, the Taliban are regrouping in Afghanistan and the US military is stuck in a civil war in Iraq. .....(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.thenation.com/blogs/notion?bid=15&pid=163263

[illinoisprogressive]

1. Bush will not leave because of Presidental wartime power

[marmar]

7. The absolute nightmare scenario.

:hurts:

[CrazyOrangeCat]

2. Feed the Machine.

The Blind, Killing Machine.

[Miss Chybil]

3. This brings me back to the drown the government theory.

He will bury us so deep in debt we won't be able to afford any social programs and we'll have to privatize our entire infrastructure. I think that's the grand scheme.

[marmar]

4. That's what I think....That Grover Norquist "Starve the Beast" B.S.

They're creating a cash-and-carry government.

[izzie]

6. I think so also

Not that we were a country of Serfs but it may be the place we are going. With this group that seem to believe they are aristocrats running and living well us ave. people are going to sign on as the serfs. I do pity my children and grandchild who will most likely look back and say how could my mother have let this happen. Course one has to look at the odd fact that all those voters put these guys in office and let them do this and many people do not even vote and they are the very ones that could have stopped it. With about 60 percent of the people voting and about half voting for this nut in the WH and other half hating him I should say 40 percent of the people are letting this country turn into a third world country.

[illinoisprogressive]

5. I thought of that but, Bushie boy and Cheney are after ultimate power

wartime was a fast track to gaining imperial power

[neoblues]

8. Fools and their money are soon parted...

Some fools elected these guys over our objections... Still, it seems as though people might realize when they're being stolen blind; these guys have decimated our national treasury--and passed huge tax cuts so they can keep more of the profits they're making off their theft. As for me, I want those responsible to not only be stopped, but to be forced to pay restitution... of course, that's just fantasy. Even if we convicted Cheney and Bush, their families still keep their money and convicting a Corporation, such as Halliburton, the government might indeed fine them, but it'd be no more than a few million (as opposed to the billions). Nobody seems to even know where the billions of dollars that "went missing" (as though it took off on it's own) went... though you'd almost think somebody would investigate...

I suppose the numbers are so large as to seem abstract and overwhelming and the people are also convinced there's nothing they can do, so nothing is done... The Democrats need a bigger majority and a Democrat as President, and it's a shame we have to wait for 2008 (though it's hardly guaranteed even then; that it's the only rational thing isn't of consequence since that's been true since 2000).