The State Of The Union Speech...

[superdude]

Original article Posted on http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americ...sp?story=482947 (http://news.independent.co.uk/world/americas/story.jsp?story=482947)

George W Bush and the real state of the Union

Today the President gives his annual address. As the election battle begins, how does his first term add up?


20 January 2004


232: Number of American combat deaths in Iraq between May 2003 and January 2004

501: Number of American servicemen to die in Iraq from the beginning of the war - so far

0: Number of American combat deaths in Germany after the Nazi surrender to the Allies in May 1945

0: Number of coffins of dead soldiers returning home from Iraq that the Bush administration has allowed to be photographed

0: Number of funerals or memorials that President Bush has attended for soldiers killed in Iraq

100: Number of fund-raisers attended by Bush or Vice-President Dick Cheney in 2003

13: Number of meetings between Bush and Tony Blair since he became President

10 million: Estimated number of people worldwide who took to the streets in opposition to the invasion of Iraq, setting an all-time record for simultaneous protest

2: Number of nations that Bush has attacked and taken over since coming into the White House

9.2: Average number of American soldiers wounded in Iraq each day since the invasion in March last year

1.6: Average number of American soldiers killed in Iraq per day since hostilities began

16,000: Approximate number of Iraqis killed since the start of war

10,000: Approximate number of Iraqi cililians killed since the beginning of the conflict

$100 billion: Estimated cost of the war in Iraq to American citizens by the end of 2003

$13 billion: Amount other countries have committed towards rebuilding Iraq (much of it in loans) as of 24 October

36%: Increase in the number of desertions from the US army since 1999

92%: Percentage of Iraq's urban areas that had access to drinkable water a year ago

60%: Percentage of Iraq's urban areas that have access to drinkable water today

32%: Percentage of the bombs dropped on Iraq this year that were not precision-guided

1983: The year in which Donald Rumsfeld gave Saddam Hussein a pair of golden spurs

45%: Percentage of Americans who believed in early March 2003 that Saddam Hussein was involved in the 11 September attacks on the US

$127 billion: Amount of US budget surplus in the year that Bush became President in 2001

$374 billion: Amount of US budget deficit in the fiscal year for 2003

1st: This year's deficit is on course to be the biggest in United States history

$1.58 billion: Average amount by which the US national debt increases each day

$23,920: Amount of each US citizen's share of the national debt as of 19 January 2004

1st: The record for the most bankruptcies filed in a single year (1.57 million) was set in 2002

10: Number of solo press conferences that Bush has held since beginning his term. His father had managed 61 at this point in his administration, and Bill Clinton 33

1st: Rank of the US worldwide in terms of greenhouse gas emissions per capita

$113 million: Total sum raised by the Bush-Cheney 2000 campaign, setting a record in American electoral history

$130 million: Amount raised for Bush's re-election campaign so far

$200m: Amount that the Bush-Cheney campaign is expected to raise in 2004

$40m: Amount that Howard Dean, the top fund-raiser among the nine Democratic presidential hopefuls, amassed in 2003

28: Number of days holiday that Bush took last August, the second longest holiday of any president in US history (Recordholder: Richard Nixon)

13: Number of vacation days the average American worker receives each year

3: Number of children convicted of capital offences executed in the US in 2002. America is only country openly to acknowledge executing children

1st: As Governor of Texas, George Bush executed more prisoners (152) than any governor in modern US history

2.4 million: Number of Americans who have lost their jobs during the three years of the Bush administration

221,000: Number of jobs per month created since Bush's tax cuts took effect. He promised the measure would add 306,000

1,000: Number of new jobs created in the entire country in December. Analysts had expected a gain of 130,000

1st: This administration is on its way to becoming the first since 1929 (Herbert Hoover) to preside over an overall loss of jobs during its complete term in office

9 million: Number of US workers unemployed in September 2003

80%: Percentage of the Iraqi workforce now unemployed

55%: Percentage of the Iraqi workforce unemployed before the war

43.6 million: Number of Americans without health insurance in 2002

130: Number of countries (out of total of 191 recognised by the United Nations) with an American military presence

40%: Percentage of the world's military spending for which the US is responsible

$10.9 million: Average wealth of the members of Bush's original 16-person cabinet

88%: Percentage of American citizens who will save less than $100 on their 2006 federal taxes as a result of 2003 cut in capital gains and dividends taxes

$42,000: Average savings members of Bush's cabinet are expected to enjoy this year as a result in the cuts in capital gains and dividends taxes

$42,228: Median household income in the US in 2001

$116,000: Amount Vice-President Cheney is expected to save each year in taxes

44%: Percentage of Americans who believe the President's economic growth plan will mostly benefit the wealthy

700: Number of people from around the world the US has incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba

1st: George W Bush became the first American president to ignore the Geneva Conventions by refusing to allow inspectors access to US-held prisoners of war

+6%: Percentage change since 2001 in the number of US families in poverty

1951: Last year in which a quarterly rise in US military spending was greater than the one the previous spring

54%: Percentage of US citizens who believe Bush was legitimately elected to his post

1st: First president to execute a federal prisoner in the past 40 years. Executions are typically ordered by separate states and not at federal level

9: Number of members of Bush's defence policy board who also sit on the corporate board of, or advise, at least one defence contractor

35: Number of countries to which US has suspended military assistance after they failed to sign agreements giving Americans immunity from prosecution before the International Criminal Court

$300 million: Amount cut from the federal programme that provides subsidies to poor families so they can heat their homes

$1 billion: Amount of new US military aid promised Israel in April 2003 to offset the "burdens" of the US war on Iraq

58 million: Number of acres of public lands Bush has opened to road building, logging and drilling

200: Number of public-health and environmental laws Bush has attempted to downgrade or weaken

29,000: Number of American troops - which is close to the total of a whole army division - to have either been killed, wounded, injured or become so ill as to require evacuation from Iraq, according to the Pentagon

90%: Percentage of American citizens who said they approved of the way George Bush was handling his job as president when asked on 26 September, 2001

53%: Percentage of American citizens who approved of the way Bush was handling his job as president when asked on 16 January, 2004

[junkyardking]

US has made world a better place: Bush

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/01/21/1074360814753.html


an oldie but a goodie http://members.cox.net/dardin/union.wmv

[junkyardking]

What Australians think of the speech.

http://smh.com.au/polls/world/results.html

[4th gen]

i wonder how long it&#39;ll take our righteous american members to try and play down or deny these facts <_<


great post though, :)

[vidcc]

Originally posted by 4th gen@21 January 2004 - 06:57
i wonder how long it&#39;ll take our righteous american members to try and play down or deny these facts <_<


great post though, :)
Well i would like to go on record as stating that i think GW Bush is the worst presedent in US history. Not just for his handling of world affairs but also for his handling of the economy and other social home issues.
My view has nothing to do with my polical beliefs as it would be the same for any president that had the same record.
I do realise that this post will become a hotbed of namecalling as usual but please remember most of the people that have defended US actions on this board have actually been the biggest critics of Bush

[superdude]

Originally posted by 4th gen@20 January 2004 - 23:57
i wonder how long it&#39;ll take our righteous american members to try and play down or deny these facts&nbsp; <_<


great post though,&nbsp; :)
You know, sometimes when you are living something you just dont realice it until someone tell you. Thats what is happening with many Citizens of the United States...

(NOT AMERICANS&#33;&#33; american is someone from america, which is the continent, which means from argentina all the way to canada. ok?)

they seem to be blind to what is going on. Its kinna like when the us invades all these little countries all around the world... they really arent a threat to their &#39;national security&#39; i mean, look at cuba, nicaragua, god&#33; if i heard my president say that Cuba was a threat to our national security i would just laugh my ass off&#33; I mean, look at Iraq, those guys are just starving&#33; how can they possibly be a threat to the US? (obviolsy the us did something to them, they dont are defensive... But in the us, you really take it seriously becuz u live under all that propaganda... i dont, and people all around the world dont either...

[<TROUBLE^MAKER>]

Originally posted by junkyardking@21 January 2004 - 01:44

US has made world a better place: Bush

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/01/21/1074360814753.html


an oldie but a goodie http://members.cox.net/dardin/union.wmv
A better place for Americans, that&#39;s my perception of the world that revolves around myself. :unsure:

[Alex H]

Same here. It really is amazing how paranoid a whole country can get and how people in the US actually believe what Bush says&#33;

When Saddam was caught the Pentagon was coming out and saying things like "We will be questioning him as to the whereabout of Osama bin Laden". Saddam and Osama have hated each other for years&#33; After 9/11 Bush said it was Al Quaeda who carried them out but that it was likely that Iraq may have supported them. And weeks later over 40% believed Iraq was involved in 9/11.

From this track record of blind faith in the Prez, I wonder what would happen if Bush said "I come from the moon, my real name is Masoomanaki and we must all run down to the see and swim into the next dimention".

Anyone think that people would try?

[Rat Faced]

Originally posted by Alex H@23 January 2004 - 06:02


From this track record of blind faith in the Prez, I wonder what would happen if Bush said "I come from the moon, my real name is Masoomanaki and we must all run down to the see and swim into the next dimention".

Anyone think that people would try?
About 45% would believe him (Judging by past polls) and half of these would probably do it :lol: :lol: :lol:





I&#39;M JOKING HOBBES........leave me alone :&#39;(

[superdude]

About 45% would believe him (Judging by past polls) and half of these would probably do it

I think about 55% would believe him, and 99.999% of the b4 mentioned would proly do it...&#33;&#33;&#33;

[Dr Wily]

232: Number of American combat deaths in Iraq between May 2003 and January 2004
For such a large-scale war this number is still very low. The only wars with lower body counts would be Gulf War I and the Afghanistan war. http://www.va.gov/pressrel/amwars01.htm


501: Number of American servicemen to die in Iraq from the beginning of the war - so far
Considering we invaded and then occupied a country the size of California for 9 months - not too bad.


13: Number of meetings between Bush and Tony Blair since he became President
Wow, is this suppose to be bad? Bush meeting with a major ally and friend on more than one occasion? For shame&#33;


2: Number of nations that Bush has attacked and taken over since coming into the White House
Afghanistan: No longer ruled by the oppressive Taliban regime. Iraq: No longer ruled by the largest mass murderer alive today. GOOD.


16,000: Approximate number of Iraqis killed since the start of war
Proof. Now. Looks as if they lumped civilian and combatant deaths together to inflate the number as high as possible, which would explain the next...


10,000: Approximate number of Iraqi cililians killed since the beginning of the conflict
400,000: number of Iraqi civilians to be found scattered across mass graves in Iraq.


92%: Percentage of Iraq&#39;s urban areas that had access to drinkable water a year ago
60%: Percentage of Iraq&#39;s urban areas that have access to drinkable water today
By October, 2/3 of potable water was restored and that has only gone up. http://www.cpa-iraq.org/transcripts/200310...merpresscon.htm (http://www.cpa-iraq.org/transcripts/20031009_Oct-09Bremerpresscon.htm)


32%: Percentage of the bombs dropped on Iraq this year that were not precision-guided
If true, this would the largest percentage of precision-guided bombs dropped for this type of war. You think they&#39;d be happy about this? Nah.


&#036;374 billion: Amount of US budget deficit in the fiscal year for 2003
Actually, it has gone down in terms of percentage to the GDP.


1st: This year&#39;s deficit is on course to be the biggest in United States history
Getting desperate now are we? Notice how they use &#39;on course to be&#39; trying blaming Bush for something which hasn&#39;t even happened yet. I could just as easily say that with the GDP growth at 8.2%, the economy is on course to be the biggest in United States history&#33;


1st: The record for the most bankruptcies filed in a single year (1.57 million) was set in 2002
That&#39;s usually what happens when one hits a recession.


10: Number of solo press conferences that Bush has held since beginning his term. His father had managed 61 at this point in his administration, and Bill Clinton 33
...and?


&#036;113 million: Total sum raised by the Bush-Cheney 2000 campaign, setting a record in American electoral history

&#036;130 million: Amount raised for Bush&#39;s re-election campaign so far

&#036;200m: Amount that the Bush-Cheney campaign is expected to raise in 2004

&#036;40m: Amount that Howard Dean, the top fund-raiser among the nine Democratic presidential hopefuls, amassed in 2003
Do I detect sour grapes over the popularity of Bush and Cheney?


3: Number of children convicted of capital offences executed in the US in 2002. America is only country openly to acknowledge executing children
A 17 year old should be held accountable for his actions. Murder, rape; these "children" aren&#39;t exactly newborn babes here.


1st: As Governor of Texas, George Bush executed more prisoners (152) than any governor in modern US history
Okay, so you don&#39;t like capital punishment. We get it already.


221,000: Number of jobs per month created since Bush&#39;s tax cuts took effect. He promised the measure would add 306,000
So your complaint is that Bush isn&#39;t creating jobs fast enough?


80%: Percentage of the Iraqi workforce now unemployed

55%: Percentage of the Iraqi workforce unemployed before the war
No shit, Sherlock. They did disband the entire Iraqi army and the Bat&#39;thist government.


43.6 million: Number of Americans without health insurance in 2002
Nothing really new. You&#39;d be surprised how many Americans don&#39;t want to do what it takes to get health insurance.


130: Number of countries (out of total of 191 recognised by the United Nations) with an American military presence
That&#39;s way too many. Let&#39;s get our boys out and let them change their own diapers for a change.


40%: Percentage of the world&#39;s military spending for which the US is responsible
You&#39;re welcome.


44%: Percentage of Americans who believe the President&#39;s economic growth plan will mostly benefit the wealthy
"45%: Percentage of Americans who believed in early March 2003 that Saddam Hussein was involved in the 11 September attacks on the US" I guess you can hold more validity of one survey of Americans over another as long as it proves your point?


700: Number of people from around the world the US has incarcerated in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
Oh hand me a freaking Kleenex. But hey, since you&#39;re such a humanitarian, how about we let them stay in your neighborhood?


1st: George W Bush became the first American president to ignore the Geneva Conventions by refusing to allow inspectors access to US-held prisoners of war
Captives at Gitmo are not POWs and therefore exempt from the Geneva Conventions.


54%: Percentage of US citizens who believe Bush was legitimately elected to his post
Again, you hold one survey of Americans to be more valid over another. If one survey shows that Americans believe that Saddam had a part in 9/11 then it means they&#39;re stupid or naive, but if they believe something you believe such as Bush being illegitimately elected then it somehow makes it truer.


1st: First president to execute a federal prisoner in the past 40 years. Executions are typically ordered by separate states and not at federal level
You mean Timothy McVeigh? Yeah, he was such a nice guy, wasn&#39;t he?


35: Number of countries to which US has suspended military assistance after they failed to sign agreements giving Americans immunity from prosecution before the International Criminal Court
Right, because prosecuting US soldiers should be priority number one above REAL criminals such as Assad, Arafat, Mugabe, Saddam, Castro and hundreds of other dictators, terrorists and mass murders out there. Let them pound sand for all I care.


29,000: Number of American troops - which is close to the total of a whole army division - to have either been killed, wounded, injured or become so ill as to require evacuation from Iraq, according to the Pentagon
An extremely disingenuous statistic.

[hobbes]

Dr. Wily,

This is called a "back slapping" thread. All the anti-Bush people gather here and chuckle over a list of statistics. Makes &#39;em feel all warm and fuzzy.

For those who have been around, this sort of "copy and paste"post falls below the radar of something that merits a response.

Save yourself the research time and laugh at this thread, don&#39;t get aggravated. It wasn&#39;t intented to be taken seriously.

[Abe]

Stop making trouble.


I am a American and have little faith in Bush.And that one guy who went crazy in a speech ... Dean.... Where the hell do these people come from?


Where are all the good ol presidents that had logic , intelligence and a sence of when and to pull the trigger? Too bad the U.S has the best trained military in the world and these new and future presidents to serve under. <_<

[kAb]

Originally posted by Abe@24 January 2004 - 23:11
Stop making trouble.

Who&#39;s making trouble?

He&#39;s posting facts.

[Abe]

Personaly I think Clinton should be back in office , the whole sex scandel was taken way too seriously. :D

Just posting facts about US mistakes from a U.K. news website is asking for trouble.

It&#39;s been seen over and over, By Americans too.

:frusty:

EDIT: I&#39;m going to bed I have to work

[echidna]

Dr Wily are you on the campain trail right now?

you seem to not be able to read between the lines
(which is a very bush-like quality)

aside from the hideous waste of lives prez shrub has wrought in his war of deception

he is severly excaserbating the fact that the USA has a debt of
http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/debtc.gif (http://www.brillig.com/debt_clock/)
(and still shrub wants to spend more cash looking for the weapons which aren&#39;t there)
you&#39;re defending shrubs reclessness despite the threat of an extreme disaster of hyper-inflation,
the likes of which will leave weimar germany&#39;s experience looking like an adjustment.

You and I both know that the USA can&#39;t front that cheque.

PS :: don&#39;t kid youself that the rest of the world is at all glad that the USA spends 40% of the military spending,

It will pay you to learn the differences between respect and fear.

[E-squirrel]

Here&#39;s a paper on the good coming out of Iraq each and every day since it&#39;s all that you liberal assholes seem to focus on is the doom and gloom:

From the Commanding Officer at MWSS-171 to his Marines.
>
> As we approach the end of the year I think it is important to share a
few
> thoughts about what you&#39;ve accomplished directly, in some cases, and
> indirectly in many others. I am speaking about what the Bush
Administration
> and each of you has contributed by wearing the uniform, because the
fact
> that you wear the uniform contributes 100% to the capability of the
nation
> to send a few onto the field to execute national policy. As you read
about
> these achievements you are a part of, I would call your attention to
two
> things:
>
> 1. This is good news that hasn&#39;t been fit to print or report on TV.
>
> 2. It is much easier to point out the errors a man makes when he
makes
the
> tough decisions, rarely is the positive as aggressively pursued.
>
> Since President Bush declared an end to major combat on May 1...the
first
> battalion of the new Iraqi Army has graduated and is on active duty.
> ... over 60,000 Iraqis now provide security to their fellow
citizens.
>
> ... nearly all of Iraq&#39;s 400 courts are functioning.
>
> ... the Iraqi judiciary is fully independent.
>
> ... on Monday, October 6 power generation hit 4,518
megawatts-exceeding
the
> prewar average.
>
> ... all 22 universities and 43 technical institutes and colleges are
open,
> as are nearly all primary and secondary schools.
>
> ... by October 1, Coalition forces had rehab-ed over 1,500 schools -
500
> more than scheduled.
>
> ... teachers earn from 12 to 25 times their former salaries.
>
> ... all 240 hospitals and more than 1200 clinics are open.
>
> ... doctors salaries are at least eight times what they were under
Saddam.
>
> ... pharmaceutical distribution has gone from essentially nothing to
700
> tons in May to a current total of 12,000 tons.
>
> ... the Coalition has helped administer over 22 million vaccinations
to
> Iraq&#39;s children.
>
> ... a Coalition program has cleared over 14,000 kilometers of Iraq&#39;s
27,000
> kilometers of weed-choked canals which now irrigate tens of thousands
of
> farms. This project has created jobs for more than 100,000 Iraqi men
and
> women.
>
> ... we have restored over three-quarters of prewar telephone
services and
> over two-thirds of the potable water production.
>
> ... there are 4,900 full-service telephone connections. We expect
50,000
> by year-end.
>
>
> ... the wheels of commerce are turning. From bicycles to satellite
dishes
> to cars and trucks, businesses are coming to life in all major cities
and
> towns.
>
> ... 95 percent of all prewar bank customers have service and
first-time
> customers are opening accounts daily.
>
> ... Iraqi banks are making loans to finance businesses.
>
> ... the central bank is fully independent.
>
> ... Iraq has one of the worlds most growth-oriented investment and
banking
> laws.
>
> ... Iraq has a single, unified currency for the first time in 15
years.
>
> ... satellite TV dishes are legal.
>
> ... foreign journalists aren&#39;t on 10-day visas paying mandatory and
> extortionate fees to the Ministry of Information for "minders" and
other
> government spies.
>
> ... there is no Ministry of Information.
>
> ... there are more than 170 newspapers.
>
> ... you can buy satellite dishes on what seems like every street
corner.
>
> ... foreign journalists (and everyone else) are free to come and go.
>
> ... a nation that had not one single element - legislative, judicial
or
> executive - of a representative government, now does.
>
> ... in Baghdad alone residents have selected 88 advisory councils.
> Baghdad&#39;s first democratic transfer of power in 35 years happened
when the
> city council elected its new chairman.
>
>
> ... today in Iraq chambers of commerce, business, school and
professional
> organizations are electing their leaders all over the country.
>
> ... 25 ministers, selected by the most representative governing body
in
> Iraq&#39;s history, run the day-to-day business of government.
>
> .. the Iraqi government regularly participates in international
events.
>
>
> Since July the Iraqi government has been represented in over two
dozen
> international meetings, including those of the UN General Assembly,
the
Arab
> League, the World Bank and IMF and, today, the Islamic Conference
Summit.
> The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today announced that it is reopening
over
30
> Iraqi embassies around the world.
>
> ... Shia religious festivals that were all but banned, aren&#39;t.
>
> ... for the first time in 35 years, in Karbala thousands of Shiites
> celebrate the pilgrimage of the 12th Imam.
>
> ... the Coalition has completed over 13,000 reconstruction projects,
large
> and small, as part of a strategic plan for the reconstruction of
Iraq.
>
> ... Uday and Queasy are dead - and no longer feeding innocent Iraqis
to
the
> zoo lions, raping the young daughters of local leaders to force
cooperation,
> torturing Iraq&#39;s soccer players for losing games, or murdering
critics.
>
> .. children aren&#39;t imprisoned or murdered when their parents
disagree
with
> the government.
>
> ... political opponents aren&#39;t imprisoned, tortured, executed,
maimed, or
> are forced to watch their families die for disagreeing with Saddam.
>
> ... millions of longsuffering Iraqis no longer live in perpetual
terror.
>
> ... Saudis will hold municipal elections.
>
> ... Qatar is reforming education to give more choices to parents.
>
> .. Jordan is accelerating market economic reforms.
>
> ... the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded for the first time to an
Iranian
>
> a Muslim woman who speaks out with courage for human rights, for
democracy
> and for peace.
>
> ... Saddam is gone.
>
> ... Iraq is free.
>
> .. President Bush has not faltered or failed.
>
> ... Yet, little or none of this information has been published by
the
Press
> corps that prides itself on bringing you all the news that&#39;s
important.
>
> Iraq under US lead control has come further in six months than
Germany did
> in seven years or Japan did in nine years following WWII. Military
deaths
> from fanatic Nazi&#39;s and Japanese numbered in the thousands and
continued
for
> over three years after WWII victory was declared.
>
> It took the US over four months to clear away the twin tower debris,
let
> alone attempt to build something else in its place.
>
> Now, take into account that Congress fought President Bush on every
aspect
> of his handling of this country&#39;s war and the post-war
reconstruction; and
> that they continue to claim on a daily basis on national TV that this
> conflict has been a failure.
>
> Taking everything into consideration, even the unfortunate loss of
our
> brothers and sisters in this conflict, do you think anyone else in
the
world
> could have accomplished as much as the United States and the Bush
> administration in so short a period of time?
>
> These are things worth writing about. Get the word out. Write to
someone
> you think may be able to influence our Congress or the press to tell
the
> story.
>
> Above all, be proud that you are a part of this historical precedent.
>
> God Bless you all. Have a great Holiday.

[Busyman]

Originally posted by 4th gen@21 January 2004 - 07:57
i wonder how long it&#39;ll take our righteous american members to try and play down or deny these facts <_<


great post though, :)
sighhhhhh You&#39;re just anti-American so STFU.

btw I am American and Bush can eat shit.

[4th gen]

Originally posted by Busyman+25 January 2004 - 22:40--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Busyman @ 25 January 2004 - 22:40)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-4th gen@21 January 2004 - 07:57
i wonder how long it&#39;ll take our righteous american members to try and play down or deny these facts&nbsp; <_<


great post though,&nbsp; :)
sighhhhhh You&#39;re just anti-American so STFU.

btw I am American and Bush can eat shit. [/b][/quote]
When I posted that, I had hobbes and j2k4 in mind, not yourself :)

[Busyman]

Originally posted by E&#045;squirrel@25 January 2004 - 18:24
Here&#39;s a paper on the good coming out of Iraq each and every day since it&#39;s all that you liberal assholes seem to focus on is the doom and gloom:

From the Commanding Officer at MWSS-171 to his Marines.
>
> As we approach the end of the year I think it is important to share a
few
> thoughts about what you&#39;ve accomplished directly, in some cases, and
> indirectly in many others. I am speaking about what the Bush
Administration
> and each of you has contributed by wearing the uniform, because the
fact
> that you wear the uniform contributes 100% to the capability of the
nation
> to send a few onto the field to execute national policy. As you read
about
> these achievements you are a part of, I would call your attention to
two
> things:
>
> 1. This is good news that hasn&#39;t been fit to print or report on TV.
>
> 2. It is much easier to point out the errors a man makes when he
makes
the
> tough decisions, rarely is the positive as aggressively pursued.
>
> Since President Bush declared an end to major combat on May 1...the
first
> battalion of the new Iraqi Army has graduated and is on active duty.
> ... over 60,000 Iraqis now provide security to their fellow
citizens.
>
> ... nearly all of Iraq&#39;s 400 courts are functioning.
>
> ... the Iraqi judiciary is fully independent.
>
> ... on Monday, October 6 power generation hit 4,518
megawatts-exceeding
the
> prewar average.
>
> ... all 22 universities and 43 technical institutes and colleges are
open,
> as are nearly all primary and secondary schools.
>
> ... by October 1, Coalition forces had rehab-ed over 1,500 schools -
500
> more than scheduled.
>
> ... teachers earn from 12 to 25 times their former salaries.
>
> ... all 240 hospitals and more than 1200 clinics are open.
>
> ... doctors salaries are at least eight times what they were under
Saddam.
>
> ... pharmaceutical distribution has gone from essentially nothing to
700
> tons in May to a current total of 12,000 tons.
>
> ... the Coalition has helped administer over 22 million vaccinations
to
> Iraq&#39;s children.
>
> ... a Coalition program has cleared over 14,000 kilometers of Iraq&#39;s
27,000
> kilometers of weed-choked canals which now irrigate tens of thousands
of
> farms. This project has created jobs for more than 100,000 Iraqi men
and
> women.
>
> ... we have restored over three-quarters of prewar telephone
services and
> over two-thirds of the potable water production.
>
> ... there are 4,900 full-service telephone connections. We expect
50,000
> by year-end.
>
>
> ... the wheels of commerce are turning. From bicycles to satellite
dishes
> to cars and trucks, businesses are coming to life in all major cities
and
> towns.
>
> ... 95 percent of all prewar bank customers have service and
first-time
> customers are opening accounts daily.
>
> ... Iraqi banks are making loans to finance businesses.
>
> ... the central bank is fully independent.
>
> ... Iraq has one of the worlds most growth-oriented investment and
banking
> laws.
>
> ... Iraq has a single, unified currency for the first time in 15
years.
>
> ... satellite TV dishes are legal.
>
> ... foreign journalists aren&#39;t on 10-day visas paying mandatory and
> extortionate fees to the Ministry of Information for "minders" and
other
> government spies.
>
> ... there is no Ministry of Information.
>
> ... there are more than 170 newspapers.
>
> ... you can buy satellite dishes on what seems like every street
corner.
>
> ... foreign journalists (and everyone else) are free to come and go.
>
> ... a nation that had not one single element - legislative, judicial
or
> executive - of a representative government, now does.
>
> ... in Baghdad alone residents have selected 88 advisory councils.
> Baghdad&#39;s first democratic transfer of power in 35 years happened
when the
> city council elected its new chairman.
>
>
> ... today in Iraq chambers of commerce, business, school and
professional
> organizations are electing their leaders all over the country.
>
> ... 25 ministers, selected by the most representative governing body
in
> Iraq&#39;s history, run the day-to-day business of government.
>
> .. the Iraqi government regularly participates in international
events.
>
>
> Since July the Iraqi government has been represented in over two
dozen
> international meetings, including those of the UN General Assembly,
the
Arab
> League, the World Bank and IMF and, today, the Islamic Conference
Summit.
> The Ministry of Foreign Affairs today announced that it is reopening
over
30
> Iraqi embassies around the world.
>
> ... Shia religious festivals that were all but banned, aren&#39;t.
>
> ... for the first time in 35 years, in Karbala thousands of Shiites
> celebrate the pilgrimage of the 12th Imam.
>
> ... the Coalition has completed over 13,000 reconstruction projects,
large
> and small, as part of a strategic plan for the reconstruction of
Iraq.
>
> ... Uday and Queasy are dead - and no longer feeding innocent Iraqis
to
the
> zoo lions, raping the young daughters of local leaders to force
cooperation,
> torturing Iraq&#39;s soccer players for losing games, or murdering
critics.
>
> .. children aren&#39;t imprisoned or murdered when their parents
disagree
with
> the government.
>
> ... political opponents aren&#39;t imprisoned, tortured, executed,
maimed, or
> are forced to watch their families die for disagreeing with Saddam.
>
> ... millions of longsuffering Iraqis no longer live in perpetual
terror.
>
> ... Saudis will hold municipal elections.
>
> ... Qatar is reforming education to give more choices to parents.
>
> .. Jordan is accelerating market economic reforms.
>
> ... the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded for the first time to an
Iranian
>
> a Muslim woman who speaks out with courage for human rights, for
democracy
> and for peace.
>
> ... Saddam is gone.
>
> ... Iraq is free.
>
> .. President Bush has not faltered or failed.
>
> ... Yet, little or none of this information has been published by
the
Press
> corps that prides itself on bringing you all the news that&#39;s
important.
>
> Iraq under US lead control has come further in six months than
Germany did
> in seven years or Japan did in nine years following WWII. Military
deaths
> from fanatic Nazi&#39;s and Japanese numbered in the thousands and
continued
for
> over three years after WWII victory was declared.
>
> It took the US over four months to clear away the twin tower debris,
let
> alone attempt to build something else in its place.
>
> Now, take into account that Congress fought President Bush on every
aspect
> of his handling of this country&#39;s war and the post-war
reconstruction; and
> that they continue to claim on a daily basis on national TV that this
> conflict has been a failure.
>
> Taking everything into consideration, even the unfortunate loss of
our
> brothers and sisters in this conflict, do you think anyone else in
the
world
> could have accomplished as much as the United States and the Bush
> administration in so short a period of time?
>
> These are things worth writing about. Get the word out. Write to
someone
> you think may be able to influence our Congress or the press to tell
the
> story.
>
> Above all, be proud that you are a part of this historical precedent.
>
> God Bless you all. Have a great Holiday.
Hey E-squirrel that shit does not directly help

AMERICA

Sure it&#39;s great for Iraqis.
Maybe Bush should try being President of Iraq &#39;cause he sure has not been President of the US.

If you can&#39;t see his agenda to be "closer" to Iraqi oil then you are an automaton for the Republican party. You do not help another country at the serious expense to your own.

His tax breaks helped his buddies and that is all.
Dick Cheney&#39;s former employer Halliburton received a fucking "no bid" contract with kickbacks to Cheney. That stinks of rampant corruption.
There hasn&#39;t been this much lauded job growth which he sold Congress on for the tax break.
His tax break comes at a time when government actually NEEDS money.

I can&#39;t wait until he tries to muscle in on Iraq for some sort of oil rights or "arrangement" and Iraq says, "Oh no that&#39;s ok we don&#39;t need you anymore. You did help us yes but we didn&#39;t ASK for your help. You were looking for weapons were you not?" :lol: :lol: :lol:

Bush is so stupid it doesn&#39;t even seem like the decisions he makes are his own. Just a figurehead of Cheney. :lol:

[hobbes]

Originally posted by 4th gen+26 January 2004 - 00:46--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (4th gen &#064; 26 January 2004 - 00:46)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>
Originally posted by Busyman@25 January 2004 - 22:40
<!--QuoteBegin-4th gen@21 January 2004 - 07:57
i wonder how long it&#39;ll take our righteous american members to try and play down or deny these facts <_<


great post though, :)
sighhhhhh You&#39;re just anti-American so STFU.

btw I am American and Bush can eat shit.
When I posted that, I had hobbes and j2k4 in mind, not yourself :) [/b][/quote]
I have NEVER supported Bush.

[E-squirrel]

Liberals make me giggle :D

[Illuminati]

Number of topics on KLboard in 2003 related to either Bush, Blair and/or Iraq: Too bloody many to count.

Do we really need another one to fan the flames? :huh:

[j2k4]

Originally posted by Illuminati@26 January 2004 - 12:55
Number of topics on KLboard in 2003 related to either Bush, Blair and/or Iraq: Too bloody many to count.&nbsp;

Do we really need another one to fan the flames? :huh:
Certainly not, but they are free to act on their obsession, yes?

Illuminati-we are not aligned politically :D , but don&#39;t sweat another "Bash Bush-Fest".

They live for it, and you would certainly not stifle their expression, eh?

BTW-Happy New Year to you (and yours, if you have any). ;)

[Busyman]

Originally posted by j2k4+26 January 2004 - 18:15--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (j2k4 @ 26 January 2004 - 18:15)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Illuminati@26 January 2004 - 12:55
Number of topics on KLboard in 2003 related to either Bush, Blair and/or Iraq: Too bloody many to count.

Do we really need another one to fan the flames? :huh:
Certainly not, but they are free to act on their obsession, yes?

Illuminati-we are not aligned politically :D , but don&#39;t sweat another "Bash Bush-Fest".

They live for it, and you would certainly not stifle their expression, eh?

BTW-Happy New Year to you (and yours, if you have any). ;) [/b][/quote]
Actually I usually post in response to what I see as inaccuracies.

@Illuminati- no offense but if you don&#39;t like it take a bye-bye or join in. It&#39;s not all that bad.

[Illuminati]

Originally posted by Busyman@26 January 2004 - 18:28
@Illuminati- no offense but if you don&#39;t like it take a bye-bye or join in. It&#39;s not all that bad.
I joined into a few a few months back and let&#39;s just say that I wasn&#39;t one to resort to the usual anti-American remarks - The key is to get new ones that are true ;)

It&#39;ll take a bit, but over time it&#39;ll become obvious that these arguments are a hell of a hassle and effort to be a part of and find that the end result is still nothing - So I&#39;ll take a bye-bye :)

Good luck to both sides :D

[superdude]

Originally posted by E&#045;squirrel@25 January 2004 - 10:24
quotes from E-squirrel @ 25 January 2004 - 18:24
Thanks for replying. This is my goal. Making consience of what your contry is. trying to open your eyes over the propaganda. I would like to make some comments towards e squirrels post.


...by wearing the uniform, because the
fact
> that you wear the uniform contributes 100% to the capability of the
nation
> to send a few onto the field to execute national policy.

Thats great&#33; The army dies for mr. baby bush that is having a BBQ in Texas. I read someone else posted that the us has the best army. It does. and it is also used for the worst means. There is only one congressman with a child in the military. Most of the army elements, are poor americans, that need money, to finish college. thats why the joined up, to be able to pay for college, they are not rich like the sons of great corporate owners.


This is good news that hasn&#39;t been fit to print or report on TV

Ah come on&#33; The US press is sooooooooooooooooo sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo corrupted. they inform you of what they want,. its part of the propaganda.


over 60,000 Iraqis now provide security to their fellow
citizens.

I would feel safer if mexican police watched over me, instead of FBI elements. Anyway id there is now an army, why is the US still occuping? Go Home&#33;
Actually that happened in the airport, FBI units were doing AFI jobs. Fuckers&#33;


on Monday, October 6 power generation hit 4,518
megawatts-exceeding
the
> prewar average.

Ehm... Who reconstructed the power plants? Who operates them? American Corps. I shall say&#33;



... all 22 universities and 43 technical institutes and colleges are
open,
> as are nearly all primary and secondary schools.

Education is very important. spreading american freedom propaganda over schools, is just part of the process. Better converting them by peace than by force&#33; Children: buy cocacola because it is good&#33;&#33;


... teachers earn from 12 to 25 times their former salaries.
>
> ... all 240 hospitals and more than 1200 clinics are open.
>
> ... doctors salaries are at least eight times what they were under
Saddam.


Of course they earn more&#33; They need money to spend on newly came american products dont they?


... pharmaceutical distribution has gone from essentially nothing to
700
> tons in May to a current total of 12,000 tons.
... the Coalition has helped administer over 22 million vaccinations
to
> Iraq&#39;s children.

Again, Someone sells the medicines. If u said US corps, You are RIGHT&#33;&#33;


... a Coalition program has cleared over 14,000 kilometers of Iraq&#39;s
27,000
> kilometers of weed-choked canals which now irrigate tens of thousands
of
> farms. This project has created jobs for more than 100,000 Iraqi men
and
> women.

Farms that belong to? Products that are sold where? To who? Someone pays for the rent ya know... And someone else recieves it... US corps again...


... we have restored over three-quarters of prewar telephone
services and
> over two-thirds of the potable water production.
>
> ... there are 4,900 full-service telephone connections. We expect
50,000
> by year-end.

Again, The telephones are not property of the Iraquies, And the Water pumps? That are powered with electricity generated from american controlled plants...


the wheels of commerce are turning. From bicycles to satellite
dishes
> to cars and trucks, businesses are coming to life in all major cities
and
> towns

Well i mention again, that dishes are operated by US corps, cars n trucks r sold by them 2... etc...



... the central bank is fully independent.

Oh yeah SURE&#33;&#33;&#33; Its hard to be independent when a bunch of soldiers guard your banks, your homes and your people...


... Iraq has one of the worlds most growth-oriented investment and
banking
> laws.

Growth here means: Helping the corps get richer faster at expense of the iraquis.



... Iraq has a single, unified currency for the first time in 15
years.

I know, its harder to control an economy with several currencies.


... satellite TV dishes are legal.

No one likes to miss out on the satelite TV bussines do we?&#33;


... there is no Ministry of Information.

Oh yeah, i think that when sadam&#39;s regime came down, that included all of the ministries, didnt it?


... foreign journalists (and everyone else) are free to come and go.

I would always like to enter a US military base in iraq. visit the place where sadam was captured, and enter and exit his palaces freely. Man thats so cool&#33;&#33;



... a nation that had not one single element - legislative, judicial
or
> executive - of a representative government, now does.
>
> ... in Baghdad alone residents have selected 88 advisory councils.
> Baghdad&#39;s first democratic transfer of power in 35 years happened
when the
> city council elected its new chairman.
>
>
> ... today in Iraq chambers of commerce, business, school and
professional
> organizations are electing their leaders all over the country.
>
> ... 25 ministers, selected by the most representative governing body
in
> Iraq&#39;s history, run the day-to-day business of government.
>
> .. the Iraqi government regularly participates in international
events.


All of this, has been commented before. Has anyone ever seen a Puppet Show?



... the Coalition has completed over 13,000 reconstruction projects,
large
> and small, as part of a strategic plan for the reconstruction of
Iraq.


YEah, and nice, friendly US Corporations payed for it entirely and expect nothing back&#33; now thats great&#33; isnt it?

There are a couple of quotes about sadam&#39;s regime torturing people that didnt agree. I really agree with that point . it doesnt happen anymore. But what happens if u dont agree with the US ocupation? Maybe hey will shoot you to death, you are just one more iraqui. Or if you are another country, they just rename their food. I honestly doubt that in the United States, you can really have fredom of speech, Note the is no official communist party, and i recall that some decades ago, you got send to jail for supporting communists.

There are some other quotes about things that dont have anything to do with iraq. an iranian that wins the nobel prize, some saudis that hold elections (why didnt u invade the saudis to make them a republic and be democtratic?&#33;)

It says " Iraq is free" Actually it is really relative. No body in the world, in no country is ever free to do as they choose. You cant be free, and obiously you cant be a free country when you have foreign troops &#39;guarding&#39; your ministries...



Taking everything into consideration, even the unfortunate loss of
our
> brothers and sisters in this conflict

I mention in the opening post that Mr bush has NOT ATTENDED ANY SINGLE FUNERAL of the KIA soldiers.



do you think anyone else in
the
world
> could have accomplished as much as the United States and the Bush
> administration in so short a period of time?

Excuse me? i thought iraq was free... well mr bush should govern the US not iraq&#33;

At the end it says: &#39;God bless you all&#39;. That assumes that whoever said that belongs to a certain religion. kinna liek what is printed in US money...

MAke concience&#33;

E-squirrel: Get a report called "the proyect for the new american century" If you can find it i would be really impressed, if you live in the US. I cant find it either. it was never printed or published... at least publicly... if u have it, make it an E.book&#33;


Edit:: I messed up typing this so fast, i am really in a hurry. sorry if you cant undestand it very well. The message is clear to understand: The us is governed by corporations, the american people are just like anyone else, part of a market, thats why they dont kill the iraquies, they want them to be another market, to buy their products.Thats the way it is, and we must understand it to be able to do something about it&#33;&#33;&#33;

[dwightfry]

I&#39;ve been against the war from the beginning, but honestly if we were going to invade, then we were going to control while things are settling down. Imagine the reaction people would have if we had went in and destroyed there country and then just abandoned them to straighten things out. Bush should have never went in, but now that we did, we have to stick around. He could allow construction contracts from countries that didn&#39;t support the war though. There is now point of holding grudges. This isn&#39;t about us, this is about Iraq, we need to do what is best for them.