Belated News
Dear Gentle Reader,
Today I read at CBS News on the Web that on September 10, 2001 (the day before the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon) Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld had acknowledged that the Department of Defense had misplaced 2.3 trillion dollars. How many wars could they fight with that, and without raising taxes? You can check it out at http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/01/29/eveningnews/main325985.shtml
It’s hard to believe that this information is just making it’s way to the public. But apparently no reporters followed up on the story because of the panic at the WTC and, of course, at the Pentagon where the money had been misplaced. So only now, more than four years later, do we learn about either the DOD’s incompetence or malfeasance, neither of which commend the Pentagon to our confidence.
And I recently read an article in The Progressive Populist about Reservists being called back into duty who had serious physical problems. One woman was required to go to Iraq (according to a cited report by the Congressional Budget Office) who was still undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. Apparently there is no effort to match call-ups with their V.A. medical records. Military families have a tough go. I’m sure I’d be a nervous wreck if I had a son or daughter in Iraq.
For one more factoid, check out a website called http://www.costofwar.com/
to see a running total of the cost to U.S. taxpayers of the Iraq War. As I write this, it's $230,042,365, 742--but by the time you read it, the total will have inflated considerably--probably more than your yearly salary. We could certainly use those dollars spent on reconstructing Iraq (or the dollars that were misplaced somewhere and never found) to invest in the reconstruction of cities and states hit by Katrina. There's something wrong with this picture.
How I hope that 2006 will be the year our troops can return home to their families!
Today I read at CBS News on the Web that on September 10, 2001 (the day before the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon) Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld had acknowledged that the Department of Defense had misplaced 2.3 trillion dollars. How many wars could they fight with that, and without raising taxes? You can check it out at http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/01/29/eveningnews/main325985.shtml
It’s hard to believe that this information is just making it’s way to the public. But apparently no reporters followed up on the story because of the panic at the WTC and, of course, at the Pentagon where the money had been misplaced. So only now, more than four years later, do we learn about either the DOD’s incompetence or malfeasance, neither of which commend the Pentagon to our confidence.
And I recently read an article in The Progressive Populist about Reservists being called back into duty who had serious physical problems. One woman was required to go to Iraq (according to a cited report by the Congressional Budget Office) who was still undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer. Apparently there is no effort to match call-ups with their V.A. medical records. Military families have a tough go. I’m sure I’d be a nervous wreck if I had a son or daughter in Iraq.
For one more factoid, check out a website called http://www.costofwar.com/
to see a running total of the cost to U.S. taxpayers of the Iraq War. As I write this, it's $230,042,365, 742--but by the time you read it, the total will have inflated considerably--probably more than your yearly salary. We could certainly use those dollars spent on reconstructing Iraq (or the dollars that were misplaced somewhere and never found) to invest in the reconstruction of cities and states hit by Katrina. There's something wrong with this picture.
How I hope that 2006 will be the year our troops can return home to their families!
posted by Patty G. | 10:53 PM
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