[bodigami]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('jedrider', 'L')et's have a numerical value for the 'cost of war': $2 Trillion just for Iraq. Afghanistan is not included nor anywhere close to being finished. Could that be $1 Trillion??

http://www.boston.com/news/world/articles/2006/01/08/economists_say_cost_of_war_could_top_2_trillion/

[Cloud9]

As we pull back, Europe can foot the bill.

[Roy]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '
')well, you got the Repubs, what have the Dems done differently since the election?

[Kristen]

One thing to add to this post is Iraq's money is sent to the Federal Reserve Bank in New York under their reconstruction fund. I wouldn''t be surprised if we were given some of that money for all of our "sacrafices."

[bodigami]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cloud9', 'A')s we pull back, Europe can foot the bill.

[bodigami]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Roy', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', '
')well, you got the Repubs, what have the Dems done differently since the election?

[bodigami]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Kristen', 'O')ne thing to add to this post is Iraq's money is sent to the Federal Reserve Bank in New York under their reconstruction fund. I wouldn''t be surprised if we were given some of that money for all of our "sacrafices."

[Tyler_JC]

Just to stir up the pot a bit:

The "Big Three" TV networks are CBS, ABC and NBC.

CBS was purchased by Westinghouse Electric Corporation in 1995. Westinghouse is a company known for its nuclear power plants and weapons manufacturing systems. It sold the latter to Northrop Grumman a few years later but I'm sure they still have a cordial relationship. CBS merges with Viacom shortly after this.

Members of the Viacom board of directors include William Cohen (Secretary of Defense under Clinton).

ABC is owned by Disney. Walt Disney was a big time supporter of Nazi Germany. Disney has an ideological axe to grind well into the 1960s. Modern members of the Disney Board of Directors include Aylwin Lewis (on the board of Haliburton).

NBC is owned by General Electric. GE makes jet engines. Jet engines go into bomber planes. Enough said.

Fox News is owned by Rupert Murdoch, a man who directed all 175 of his newspapers to editorialize in favor of the Iraq War. The following newspapers are owned by Rupert Murdoch:
The Sun (UK)
The Times (UK)
The Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
New York Post (USA)
Wall Street Journal (USA)
Dow Jones & Company
...and others

Clear Channel Communications is the largest radio station owner in the world. The founder of Clear Channel Communications is Lowry Mays, a close personal friend of the Bush family and a major fundraiser.

Cheers,
Tyler_JC

[eastbay]

Oh stop.

Disney is no longer owned by Disney. Hasn't been for 25 years. The CEO is Eisner.

Who owns or controls the worlds media? To see who owns or controls the worlds mass media do some web searching. It won't take long for anyone to see.

Although it's common knowledge, one will get called mean names if they answer the question, so I won't.

It's part of the reason the mass media was almost 100% goose stepping together in formation calling for war in Iraq.

But the media doesn't pay for the war. So why would they ALL support it? Hmmmm, won't answer that one either because too many angry replies will be generated.

[Kristen]

Mass Media is a whole other ball game. Common Sense and observant studies have proven (at least to me) that human behavior can be manipulated by nonconcious stimuli. I hope no one would see that weakness in human beings as something to use for malevolent purposes, but life isn't so black and white either.

[bodigami]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Kristen', 'M')ass Media is a whole other ball game. Common Sense and observant studies have proven (at least to me) that human behavior can be manipulated by nonconcious stimuli. I hope no one would see that weakness in human beings as something to use for malevolent purposes, but life isn't so black and white either.

[Cloud9]

Advertising works. This premise is supported by the billions spent on it.

[bodigami]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Cloud9', 'A')dvertising works. This premise is supported by the billions spent on it.

[Orion Blastar]

We may not have much choice in the cost of war.

After the way the Bush and now Obama administration and Congress in both administrations as well keep on spending, eventually the government will have to cut something.

Like Clinton did, I think budget cuts to the US military will be next, and the cuts to social programs, cuts to education, and then downsizing of federal employees followed by higher taxes including the cap and trade carbon tax/carbon credits, unhealthy food taxes (soda, junk food, fast food, etc), sin taxes (alcohol, tobacco, energy drinks), and then a legalization of pot for medical uses and then a tax on that.

After we cannot afford the war, troops will be sent home, and then Veteran benefits will be cut including health care and the GI bill education.

Banks have too much power to print and create money, which is why the government spends so much. It all empowers the banks. Whomever controls the debt controls the nation and the world.

[Serial_Worrier]

They'll just keep printing money until we reach 1920 Germany-level inflation.

[IgnoranceIsBliss]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Orion Blastar', 'W')e may not have much choice in the cost of war.

After the way the Bush and now Obama administration and Congress in both administrations as well keep on spending, eventually the government will have to cut something.

Like Clinton did, I think budget cuts to the US military will be next, and the cuts to social programs, cuts to education, and then downsizing of federal employees followed by higher taxes including the cap and trade carbon tax/carbon credits, unhealthy food taxes (soda, junk food, fast food, etc), sin taxes (alcohol, tobacco, energy drinks), and then a legalization of pot for medical uses and then a tax on that.

After we cannot afford the war, troops will be sent home, and then Veteran benefits will be cut including health care and the GI bill education.

Banks have too much power to print and create money, which is why the government spends so much. It all empowers the banks. Whomever controls the debt controls the nation and the world.

[Cloud9]

Not to worry boys and girls. War time economies work. Mr. Schickelgruber had 100% employment. You were either working in a defense factory, in uniform, in a camp, or euthanized.

[argyle]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('WyoDutch', '[')i]America has a love affair with war. Any hour of the day, the media is propagandizing with everything from the D-Day landings to PFC Herman Hero kicking down the door of a mud hut somewhere in the third world. America can afford this love affair because it comes at no risk to the average sofa spud. (My nearest neighbors are perfect examples. During the attacks on Baghdad in the opening days of our glorious campaign to rid Iraq of WMDs, my neighbors breathlessly exclaimed about how they "... love to watch the war on tv"... but they were so relieved that "their son was on a (Mormon) mission to Canada and not involved in the fighting.")
.
If we had any national backbone... we'd enact some risk-sharing. As soon as any American troop is in a combat situation for 30 days, a 10% war surtax, with a $2,000 minimum, kicks in. At the same time, universal military service (women included) goes into effect. No exclusions, no deferments. If little Johnny or Joanie has to pick up cigarette butts for 2 years... Well, that's the cost of "freedom".
.
Yep... just ask the average American to participate in our perpetual wars and there will be a stampede for the exit strategies.

[Orion Blastar]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('IgnoranceIsBliss', '
')I think we will definately cut education and social programs (for the non-voting poor rather than white, voting elderly) well before the military. How many times have you heard someone argue that we need to cut the military (other than on here?) In my area of the South USA, that would be none. You would be a traitor to utter such non-sense!