Cost of War

The following is based on September 2007 figures. But the basic issue remains the same.

According to World Bank  estimates, $54 billion a year would eliminate starvation and malnutrition , while $30 billion would provide a year of primary education for every child on earth. At the upper range of those estimates, the $456 billion cost of the war  could have fed and educated the world’s poor for five and a half years.

The National Priorities Project Tallies Cost of War through September 30, 2010 HERE. So now what could we do with that amount of money?

If you want to work to change this culture of war join a local peace organization. The local one where I am is the Idaho Peace Coalition. Here is a list of Anti-War Organizations.

Being Pro-Peace as apposed to Anti-War has been an issue that has occupied my heart and mind for many years.

"I was once asked why I don't participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I'll be there." ~ Mother Teresa

Just for drill here are some war quotes.

Please Visit my website for more links on peace,justice and war.

Go out and work for peace today!

Conversation with Mom

With much trepidation recently had a little talk with my mother on a subject I had not breached with her before. Her future Death and Burial. Surprising that I knew little about my mothers thoughts on this. I had my own speculations but they were extremely vague. I know that she has deep roots of Catholicism and a belief in reincarnation. Being her power of attorney I knew she wanted to be cremated. Some Christians are against cremation and some are not. My aunt being one that is against it. I asked my mom if she wanted my aunt to do the funeral for her and she got a scowl on her face and emphatically said, “No way!” and told me to be sure she was cremated. Upon further inquiry she informed me that she wanted an Irish Wake for a funeral, not a boring religious ceremony. Also she thought it would be nice to come back as her cat that had died a few years ago.

This made me think a bit about my own mortality and realize that I have not spelled this out in a legal way for my friends and family so they do not need to have the task of deciding for me. Better get on that! It would be interesting to do the Tibetan method known as Jhator or otherwise known as a Sky Burial. Hmm...

That all being said, I am wondering about any other folks and their conversations with their aging parents in regard to their death and burial. How did it go? Was it hard to do? How did you feel?

After leaving your comment, please visit my website for a plethora of daily added links to interesting sites on art, music, religion, politics and more.

Letter to the Conservation Voters for Idaho

I sent a letter to the Conservation Voters for Idaho after receiving a mailer from them. Here is my comment I sent.

“…..I received your "absent electors ballot" in the mail yesterday. I found it rather ironic. "Conservation Voters". Hmm... It seems to me that the high gloss ink laden thick paper mailer isn't quite conservative in regard to natural resources it required to print it. Seems to me a standard black and white mailer on paper of average weight would have served as well. Also the cost of such a mailer doesn't conserve the money it cost to produce it.. I suppose it is all subjective. Just saying…”

Now, I know I am not perfect in regard to my own “conservation” and ecological choices. But it seems to me that this mailer sends a wrong message to those it is suppose to be supporting and lobbying for. They are supported by donations from the public. I have not joined groups such as the Sierra Club for similar reasons and have sent them letters also in regard to their extensive mailers seeking funds and their use of money to purchase “gifts” to send you if you join them. It just seems so extravagant, wasteful and not a good use of donated funds.

I have chosen to use my limited funds to donate to environmental organizations to groups such as Alliance for the Wild Rockies. They send out little in regard to fundraising and news letters, they use standard weight recycled paper, more earth friendly inks and don’t purchase cute little gifts (most likely made in China) to entice your support. I would rather my donations go to the actual work for the environment.

Am I being pissy or does this make sense to anyone one else?

All the rage in the news today is the announcement that Iran has told the U.N. nuclear watchdog it has a second uranium enrichment plant under construction. It isn't really a secret and hasn't been. The world wants to tell them that they are in violation of the non-proliferation treaty.. Now we have caught them “red handed”. I agree with the fact that they have violated the rules of the NPT.

Obama has just given a speech to the world on nuclear weapons and the United Nations Security Council on Thursday unanimously adopted a resolution from President Barack Obama strengthening international cooperation on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, and committing to collaborate toward a global community "without nuclear weapons.” Well that is all well and good. But I have a few questions on a related matter that seems to totally slip through the cracks.

Why has Israel declined to sign the NPT? Why does the world ignore this fact?

From Wikipedia:

….Israel is widely believed to possess weapons of mass destruction, and to be one of four nuclear-armed countries not recognized as a Nuclear Weapons State by the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The US Congress Office of Technology Assessment has recorded Israel as a country generally reported as having undeclared chemical warfare capabilities, and an offensive biological warfare program. Officially Israel neither confirms nor denies possessing nuclear weapons….

Now Israel is making noise that they may attack Iran unilaterally and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called on the U.N to take action against them. If they do take action on their own you know who will be blamed. Not the Israelis, we will.

My opinion (and I am not alone) Israel is a rouge nation and we should stop financing their bad behavior at the tune of $114 billion not to mention $30 billion in military aid to them. If we hand the bully on the playground the stick he hits the others with, are we not as guilty as he is?

Addendum:

So here we are giving Iran alot of grief, understandably;y.. But what of India spurning Obama’s NPT call? So we have Israel, India and Pakistan all refusing to join the rest of the world. At least Iran and North Korea have joined the club even if they don't always play by the rules... But then some say neither do we.

A little tongue in cheek for you spurred on by the crazy debates on the Boise Weekly Forum.

NuclearShadows Newswire Sept 17-- A group of Democratic operatives have come up with a novel idea to save money in the new healthcare reform battle. Euthanasia. But unlike the current fear that is sweeping across conservative America, killing Granny, the program would focus on conservative America itself.

Current estimates show that 45% of Americans still believe Obama’s health care package contains taxpayer funding for the so called “death panels” despite the presidents assurance that it does not and the lack of any credible evidence… Most of those 45% identify themselves as conservative and/or Republican.

House bill HR666 is in the drafting at this moment but sponsors of the bill say it should be ready soon and enjoys wide support among Democrats. NuclearShadows Newswire has obtained a few advanced pages of the bill. Following are some of our findings.

The candidates for the procedure will first be screened by using a series of questions. Among them:

How old is the earth?

Is America a Christian nation?

Does human activity affect global warming and is global warming real?

How many people did Bill Clinton kill?

After answering the series of question the person will be scored and evaluated. All those with a score over 45% will be taken directly to secret government facilities for immediate processing and euthanasia. Since those chosen have been shown to undermine the security of the United States provisions of the Patriot Act and the Military Commissions Act will be engaged, rendering said person with no legal council with which to argue the reasons for said detention. Rather than needlessly spending additional tax dollars to house/cloth/feed said individuals the individual will have their sentence carried out immediately.

Although some may find these provisions drastic, the sponsor of the bill believe once the American people understand the huge saving to the treasury in health care, education and other costs, they will gradually embrace the wisdom of the new policy.

Idaho Peace Coalition to show Rethink Afghanistan

Please ignore the elephant in the room. What happened to the change Obama promised? Another opportunity down the drain as the Obama administration argued late Monday that allowing terrorism detainees in Afghanistan to file lawsuits in U.S. courts challenging their detention would endanger the military mission in that country. Although the Pentagon is giving the roughly 600 detainees at Bagram Airfield ( the other GITMO) a new chance to challenge their detentions, the Obama administration stuck with Bush administration policy in a court filing Monday night that said the Bagram detainees' rights shouldn't extend as far as U.S. courtrooms. The Pentagon will actually assign a non-lawyer soldier to them to help them gather evidence in an attempt to prove that they’re not guilty of whatever they’re being accused of. The military will then decide if they want to let them go or not.

It good to see some talk going on about Afghanistan. As several senators are beginning to openly question President Barack Obama’s plan for further escalation of the war in Afghanistan, a trio of hawkish Senators, John McCain, Joseph Lieberman and Lindsey Graham, have penned an op-ed piece for the Wall Street Journal calling for a significant increase in ground troops, likely beyond the escalation already backed by Obama and the additional escalation advocated by Gen. McChrystal. But Murtha is saying no more U.S. Troops for Afghanistan.

And new polls show that support for the ongoing war in Afghanistan has continued to drop, now down to only 39% in favor and 58% against.

The Idaho Peace Coalition soon will be having a public showing of the series Rethink Afghanistan. Come to the Hyde Park Street Fair this weekend and find the Idaho Peace Coalition and the Snake River Alliance combining efforts in the Idaho Chapter 17 of Veterans for Peace booth. There will printed information on this event.

Mini Rant 911

8 years ago we began our adventure into the "War on Terror". Please go to the website of the 911 Families for Peaceful Tomorrows and read their statement for today.

Now for other matters.
NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen said he is concerned the public debate on Afghanistan “has started to go in the wrong direction” after the civilan airstrike deaths last week.

Airstrikes have dropped in half so maybe that is why four Marines died in eastern Afghanistan after their commanders reportedly rejected requests for artillery fire in a battle with insurgents.

Peaople are urging General McChrystal to explain the path forward for success in the new strategy in Afghanistan…

Even as people are found stealing our money in Afghanistan we are increasing the number of these private contractors to fight the war. What are they thinking?

Write to the Whitehouse and tell Obama to end this war.

Oh well….

Work for Peace