Osama bin Laden is dead

[Lady's Human]

You're kidding, right? Mr. Mission Accomplished televised from an aircraft carrier? He "took credit" for finishing a war that still isn't even finished today!

The "Mission Accomplished" banner had nothing to do with claiming that the war in Iraq was over. It was stating that major ground combat had ended with the removal of Saddam Hussein's government from power.

Trust me, we were still training troops at the time, and the emphasis in training was shifting from conventional to unconventional warfare.

Was the banner a mistake? Probably, but the Abraham Lincoln's mission had, in fact, been accomplished.

I really have no cares one way or another whether President Obama "takes credit" for the actions of the military or not. What I care about is the horrendous breaches in operational security which have occurred at the hands of politicians rushing to make political hay out of the operation.

[Karen]

I really have no cares one way or another whether President Obama "takes credit" for the actions of the military or not. What I care about is the horrendous breaches in operational security which have occurred at the hands of politicians rushing to make political hay out of the operation.

Yeah, but sadly, I think that's another impact of the current 24/7 news hype cycle. Anything happens and it is discussed in minute detail ad nauseum - consequences be darned. I, for one, could do without most of what comes out of the major news stations, and the obsessive nature of talk radio and TV hosts. This is fed by politicians believing that any press mention means votes, and makes many telegenic "sound bite" generators much more famous than they have any right to be.

[wombat2u2004]

I also heard that the government of Pakistan was not notified in advance that this would be taking place and some people who live in the area felt that the U.S. forces involved should not have done what they did in a country that was not their own.

Fair enough. If that's the way they feel then they can put their hand out for foreign aid from some other country, and the next time there is a flood and all of their little straw houses get washed away, they can ask for money from somewhere else.

[wombat2u2004]

[pomtzu]

Fair enough. If that's the way they feel then they can put their hand out for foreign aid from some other country, and the next time there is a flood and all of their little straw houses get washed away, they can ask for money from somewhere else.

You got it mate!!!! That's exactly what I think. How many billions of $$$ in aid does the U.S. provide to Pakistan???? - and now we're on the top of their doo-doo list! How about spreading some of that money around at home first - to our own people that need aid. I still believe in the old saying that "charity begins at home"!

[kokopup]

Our Giving to Pakistan goes way back. I was a part of a task force back in the late 50's/early 60's where the US government had given Pakistan several of our older destroyers. We were there to train them on those ships so they could defend themselves from the ENEMY OY THE DAY. I was aboard a Carrier so I wasn't directly involved with the actial training. I was just there trapped in Hell (Karachi) for a very long time. It may not be common knowledge that most of the piping for everything onboard ships is made of brass. In the months I was there the ships finally were not sea worthy because the Pakistani's had stripped the ship of all piping, including those necessary to run their engines. Those ships became floating blobs. I'm sure any aid sent there today, 50 years later, is still going down the same rat hole.

[pomtzu]

Our Giving to Pakistan goes way back. I was a part of a task force back in the late 50's/early 60's where the US government had given Pakistan several of our older destroyers. We were there to train them on those ships so they could defend themselves from the ENEMY OY THE DAY. I was aboard a Carrier so I wasn't directly involved with the actial training. I was just there trapped in Hell (Karachi) for a very long time. It may not be common knowledge that most of the piping for everything onboard ships is made of brass. In the months I was there the ships finally were not sea worthy because the Pakistani's had stripped the ship of all piping, including those necessary to run their engines. Those ships became floating blobs. I'm sure any aid sent there today, 50 years later, is still going down the same rat hole.

Okay - I'm not the sharpest when it comes to politics and government, but how do we do what we (U.S.) do?? Our own government is working in the red - a big deficit - so how can we provide any aid to anybody when we don't have it to give???? The U.S. wants to cut funding for projects and programs here in our own country to help "balance the budget", and at the expense of deserving people and programs, but the handouts continue to everybody and his brother outside of the country. There is the on-going aid (such as to Pakistan), and the emergency aid to countries that fall victim to natural disasters such as tsunamis, earthquakes, and the like. If we don't have - how can we give? Maybe there's someone a lot wiser than I am that can explain it to me,, cause I don't get it!!!

[Lady's Human]

Let's put the total foreign aid budget in perspective:

It was roughly $32 billion last year.

Much of that comes back to the US through the countries spending it on materials from US corporations, especially the foreign military aid.

While Pakistan is an arguably undeserving recipient of US foreign aid, they receive a pittance compared to others (and I doubt they're going to get much down the road). Without what foreign aid they are given, chances are we wouldn't be able to resupply troops in Afghanistan without invading another impossible country, and UBL would still be alive, as they would have had no reason to allow us to operate anywhere near their boarders.

The deficit for FY 2010 was $1.2 trillion dollars. That foreign aid is a drop in the bucket.

[pomtzu]

Let's put the total foreign aid budget in perspective:

It was roughly $32 billion last year.

Much of that comes back to the US through the countries spending it on materials from US corporations, especially the foreign military aid.

While Pakistan is an arguably undeserving recipient of US foreign aid, they receive a pittance compared to others (and I doubt they're going to get much down the road). Without what foreign aid they are given, chances are we wouldn't be able to resupply troops in Afghanistan without invading another impossible country, and UBL would still be alive, as they would have had no reason to allow us to operate anywhere near their boarders.

The deficit for FY 2010 was $1.2 trillion dollars. That foreign aid is a drop in the bucket.

But we're still spending money that we don't have - right??? - be it at home or abroad. Wish I knew how to do that - other than with a credit card - which has to be paid back.

[Lady's Human]

No one wants their pet project cut.

No one wants to touch Medicaid and Medicare.

No one wants to touch Social Security.

Discretionary and defense spending only account for 39% of the budget. That leaves 61% of the budget as sacred cows. Time to slaughter a few. We're beyond the point of being able to please everyone.

[lizbud]

There's no need to slash funds from SS and Medicare. If anything
needs triming back they can start with foreign aid. Did you know we give
aid to adout 153 countries? Current figures are hard to come by as they
are not published every year. Here's just a hint at some past figures.


http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/politics/

[Karen]

I think if everything gets looked at, there are likely many people's "pet projects" that could get cut without causing hardship anywhere but that one district or state. Let a politician or two take it on the chin for once, and take some responsibility for the overall deficit.

[Marigold2]

There is so much we don't know about foreign aid, finance, the stock market what goes on behind closed doors at government meetings.
We all live on this one planet. And what effects one country will effect others.
Yes we give a lot of foreign aid. But being poor in America is different then being poor in other parts of the world.
Being poor in America means you might have to take the bus, rent instead of own a home, shop at Goodwill or Walmart for most things.
It most likely means you are recieving food stamps, Medicaid for Wellcare, Caresource, Buckeye or another insurance.
You get cheaper housing, you might get you gas or electric paid for, you have dental insurance and eye insurance for free. Not all but many poor have these programs.
Being poor in India or Pakistian means not having clean water, not having shoes, a toothbush, cloths, a bowl, a glass. Not having a bed or medicine for vaccines for kids. It means no heat, no electic. No nothing. Maybe you have one blanket to share with three peope. You might never have a pair of shoes in your life time. Watching your child or your brothers and sisters starving to death. That is poor.
Their poor and our poor and a world apart.
Many days MANY when I am tired or sore and I get in the shower I thank God for that shower. I think it just goes back to my mom and her time in the concentration camp but I know that I am TRULY BLESSED, for how many millions of people have never had the simple joy of a warm shower?
I remember my mom thanking God for the food, just simple food, for she remembered a time when she starved and saw others die from lack of food.
A warm shower. Just think of what a blessing that would be to a poor women who has just given birth to have a warm shower, or a man, comimg home dirty and tired how has never bathed in his life or a child just to be clean and go to bed on something soft and comfy and cozy.
Anyway...............

[Lady's Human]

There's no need to slash funds from SS and Medicare. If anything
needs triming back they can start with foreign aid. Did you know we give
aid to adout 153 countries? Current figures are hard to come by as they
are not published every year. Here's just a hint at some past figures.


http://www.vaughns-1-pagers.com/politics/

Liz, look at my post above. Our foreign aid budget is about $32 Billion.

Our deficit for FY 2010 is 1.2 TRILLION.

We could eliminate foreign aid entirely and not even touch the deficit, never mind the debt.

[lizbud]

Liz, look at my post above. Our foreign aid budget is about $32 Billion.

Our deficit for FY 2010 is 1.2 TRILLION.

We could eliminate foreign aid entirely and not even touch the deficit, never mind the debt.

I never said it would eliminate the deficit, it is just a good place as any
to START to cut down on spending. Next place we could look is the huge
subsidies given to American "farmers', Oil Companies,,Energy industries,etc,etc.