Anger is a legitimate emotion in the face of injustice. Passive acceptance of evil is not a virtue.
Monday, July 6, 2009
How to deal with America’s empire of bases
Along with postcards of cowboys riding jackalopes and giant berries on flatcars, there's a brand new entry in the American gigantism sweepstakes: an embassy complex to be built in Islamabad, Pakistan, for -- if you assume the normal cost overruns on such projects -- what's likely to be close to a billion dollars. If that doesn't make the U.S. number one in the imperial hubris footrace for all eternity, what will? The question is: with its projected "large military and intelligence contingent," and its "surge" of diplomats, will that embassy also issue the largest visas on the planet?
TGIA, the US has to build a large embassy, or a series of large consulates in Pakistan (my choice would be the latter) to administer the large US economic aid program to Pakistan. Congress requires a lot of compliance and certification to verify that US aid isn't being misused. Personally, I think that the Congress should greatly simplify all its spending programs (foriegn and domestic) and stop being so touchy about corrpution, aid getting stolen, competitive bidding for foriegn aid funded projects etc.
ReplyDelete"Personally, I think that the Congress should greatly simplify all its spending programs (foriegn and domestic) and stop being so touchy about corrpution, aid getting stolen, competitive bidding for foriegn aid funded projects etc."
ReplyDeleteSorry, I am very touchy about my tax dollars being stolen by corrupt offficials of Pakistan or any other country, including our own.
Your touchiness is causing a lot of overhead expenses, expensive lawyer fees, and the need to hire large numbers of employees in the US embassy in Pakistan.
ReplyDeleteVZA, Congress goes way too far. Personally, I would like to just give money to the most efficient and noncorrupt district (county equivalent in Pakistan) and provincial governments. This would cause other districts and provincial governments to try to be efficient and noncorrupt to try to get US money.
What you really mean Anand, is that you would give he money to the most corrupt district, more likely to sell out their people than any other. The end result, if you were to cause a rush to do in like manner, is the slavery of the entire population. It is amazing what you can say when you assume the "ultimate goal" to be the enslavement of people couched in totally deceptive terminology. Go fuck yourself Anand
ReplyDelete"And what is being done about those military bases anyway -- now close to 800 of them dotted across the globe in other people's countries? Even as Congress and the Obama administration wrangle over the cost of bank bailouts, a new health plan, pollution controls, and other much needed domestic expenditures, no one suggests that closing some of these unpopular, expensive imperial enclaves might be a good way to save some money."
ReplyDeleteOh, there you go - but why won't they do this? Because your money is not object in enriching the few.
"In fact, I have a suggestion for other countries that are getting a bit weary of the American military presence on their soil: cash in now, before it's too late. Either up the ante or tell the Americans to go home. I encourage this behavior because I'm convinced that the U.S. Empire of Bases will soon enough bankrupt our country, and so -- on the analogy of a financial bubble or a pyramid scheme -- if you're an investor, it's better to get your money out while you still can."
Why dosen't the bankrupcy of the country bother them? Because it is just the American people who will be bankrupted, not the people who they serve - the ones who "really matter." So, keep speculating you who want this to continue, consummate dopes.