Hi! this is off topic, but in case you've been wondering, too:
* Joost Beintema <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> [20030308 04:47]: > > Your comment seems to lay blame for 9/11 on the intelligence community. > > It's fair to say that they had major flaws at that time (and possibly > > now as well). You could argue that this specific incident could have > > been prevented if certain measures were in place. Keep in mind, the > > perpetrators were a determined group that was willing to accept death in > > the pursuit of their goal. That's a combination that is nearly unstoppable. > > All I hear is a war-yelling Bush but I haven' heared any good story (from > politicians) about the WHY of attacks. economic reasons: - the oil price influences a HUGE part of the economy, having to pay the market price for iraq oil doesn't work - the bush family is a not-so-small player in weapons industry as well as oil industry - deficit/military/government spending is good for the economy (any economist can tell you that) .. the formula: GDP = C+G+I+X-Im (where: GDP == Gross Domestic Product C == Consumption G == Government spending I == Investments X == Exports Im == Imports) .. this very formular also explains tax cuts, the deficit, the hype against foreign products / Imports, etc. - military spending: Irak: ~ 20.0% of GDP USA: ~ 5.5% of GDP (!) Germany: ~ 3.5% of GDP .. reasoning goes that a raise of spending for weapons beyond a general percentage is a precursor for war - as it has always been the actual values don't seem to matter much - the fact that the US just have a _huge_ GDP does count a lot .. >>$400 _billion_ military expenses a year are 'only' 5.5% .. the ~$26 billion offered to turkey are interesting, too. far more interesting are the ~$15 _million_ for post-war refugee help (UNHCR). another question: how could iraq to something decent using its money, considering the sanctions and the interweavement of countries these times? - old ammunition and weapon technologies have to be -uh- put out of service political reasons: - gaining access to he iraq oil fields would lessen the influence of OPEC, thus the oil price - solving the palaestina/israel conflict would compromise israel - disrupting europe unity means keeping relative strength pyschological reasons: - giving in to europe would mean losing face - admiting one was wrong would mean losing face - searching problems everywhere else but at home is far easier than facing reality - powerlessness (e.g. regarding 9/11) of oneself usually results in applying power to others .. just guessing. I'm pretty sure there are more in each category. Count -- Andreas Kotes - ICQ: 3741366 - The views expressed herein are (only) mine. Unser Leben ist das, wozu unser Denken es macht. -- OpenPGP key 0x8F94C228 Our Life is what our thinking makes it.. Your mind is a weapon! Arm it .. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
