I completely agree with my colleges stance on our social security problem. I am a full time college student working 20 hours a week and I am appalled at the amount I am loosing from my already pathetic paychecks for social security. This "security" that I potentially may need one day if our country cant even afford to pay current recipeints of their social security. Many Americans need this money, such as the disabled workers, and senior citizens. Unless reforms are made with the whole social security system disabled people suffer as well as the younger generation like you and I will be in a worse position than the elderly are in now.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Send our kids to college not to Iraq
The war in Iraq is a heavy issue weighed on the minds of many United States citizens and really the world over. There is no denying the United States entered Iraq in 2001 after the tragic 9/11 attack under vary different circumstances than today. We thought Iraq possessed “weapons of mass destruction”, had a strong affinity for the US among its people, and a tyrant terrorist leader, Sadaam Hussein. Some skeptics may add that Iraq’s dominance, second to Saudi Arabia, of the oil industry to the list. Today we have learned that there were no weapons of mass destruction, only a minority of Iraqi supporters of US invasion, and the elimination of Sadaam Hussein, one terrorist, would not suffice to eliminate terrorism. With the coming 2008 election we are faced with a difficult choice between staying there and continuing the fight disregarding all the new information, or get out. I strongly believe it is time to throw in the towel and get our boys and girls home.
The effects of this war have cost United States over 350 billion dollars, 3,363 citizens their lives, and has left more than 24,310 citizens wounded. At home our wounded soldiers are receiving less than adequate treatment, as the graphic pictures of the Walter Reed Hospital show. Receiving even less treatment from the government are the over one third of veterans with PTSD who often are ignored and redeployed. In my few months at ACC I have met three young veterans’ men with awful scars from the war only one of whom were actually physical. These men are modern day heroes overlooked by their own governments. In my workplace I constantly talk to mothers whose sons and daughters are fighting for their lives overseas. There is no escaping the victims of this war. Even those of us lucky enough to be too old, too young or in college can attest to the changes war in Iraq has brought about. The Protect America Act cost us our privacy by allowing spying on Americans abroad and giving the government wide powers to force communication service providers such as cell phone companies and ISPs to make their networks available to government eavesdroppers. The war has also cost Americans millions of tax dollars, terror every time we fill up at the pump, as well as clouding over other more important issues at home like health care and border control.
The effects of war in Iraq are even more horrid for the people living in Iraq who did not ask for this war or a new “democratic” form of government. Since the war began fewer and fewer Iraqi’s want us there and who can blame them. Their county is in utter upheaval and there is ocean to separate it from the fighting. About 100 Iraqis are currently being killed daily millions of others are fleeing to seek refuge in other countries. Just like we Americans have written unalienable rights, all people of the world have basic human rights regardless of their nationality or beliefs. On a daily basis Iraqis are having their human rights violated. They are not permitted to speak out freely against the US, they are not given any sort of criminal due process, and are occasionally unjustly deployed to detainee camps. It has become no secret what happens to Iraqis inside these camps. Our nation continues to tiptoe around the true definition of torture in order to legally keep employing these harsh practices including mocked drowning, electrocution, and mutations that would be absolutely protested if any American were to subject to undergo it. The United States has completely disregarded the rules set up in the Geneva Convention for treatment of captured prisoners and suspected criminals by continuing prison abuse like in Abu Ghraib. The United States is completely overwhelmed in reconstructing Iraq. Funding of reconstruction efforts began with the creation of the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund in April of 2003 managed by US agencies. Initally 2.5 million was given to Iraq for food medicine and shelters. The IRFF has not been as successful as originally hoped partially because the managing agencies changed so much and partially because all funds were given to the wrong people. Many companies with contracts with the US donated to the fund, like Halliburton, but overcharged the US government. Despite its failure, the IRFF was passed to Iraqi diplomats who have been unable to do much with the funding or even retrieve it. The United States may have also been over presumptuous in its establishment of government in Iraq. The framework of the new Iraqi government is remarkably similar to that of Great Britain except for the existence of a president who acts simply as a figure head. The new Iraq is very unstable and in turmoil over political and religious divisions that the US could not possible understand. It is important for the US at this point to let Iraqis sort out their political problems because our help is only hurting Iraq. Just like during the unstable and doubtful political beginnings of our nation Iraq is unstable for now too. If Iraqi’s are ever to achieve their sovereignty again they need to have direct control over their own future with little assistance from other nations even at times when it seems impossible. This is a requirement of any nation.
The consequences of war in Iraq are easy to list and easy to dislike, but the important thing to consider is where we go next. Recently I went over all 18 potential presidential candidates, both republicans and democrats, stances on what to do about Iraq. All democrats voted that knowing what they know now about Iraq they would vote not to invade. On the republican end only one candidate, Ron Paul voted no to Iraq. In the end it doesn’t really matter where the candidates stand on invasion but what they plan to do next. Ten out of 18 candidates, mostly democrats, voted against a troop increase a very important first step in ending the war. Most democratic candidates are currently supporting “phased withdrawal”. Only John Edwards was willing to give his withdraw plan a timeline of 18 months and a cap on spending while Mike Gravel voted to withdraw now. Democrat Dennis Kucinich boldly voted to cut all funding immediately and begin withdraws. All republican candidates voted the same way in regards to leaving Iraq, to gradually transfer power to the Iraqi governments and maintaining troop levels. It is important for the general public to know where their candidate stands on Iraq and vote accordingly because something has to be done before the climate in Iraq escalates even more.
It is easy to see for anyone to see that the war in Iraq is flawed even if you support it. It is my opinion that we have done far too much damage to our own citizens and Iraqis, wasted far too much capital that could have been better spent on interior programs, and lost credibility among the worlds leading powers. I strongly believe the war must end soon and must be ended in a peaceful way. To me, John Edwards plan for Iraq is the most plausible. To continue to fight is Iraq as many republicans seek to do would just add fuel to the fire. We have been fighting for too long with too little reward. A gradual troop withdraw from Iraq is best, especially when the word ‘gradual’ is actually defined, is best bet for our citizens and Iraqis. Cutting funding or capping it off is the only way to begin ending the war. We cannot keep funding something we say we want to end. If you have an opinion about the war and are eightteen or older, the election of 2008 is the place to assert it.
*all statistical data and candidate polls were gathered from www.newyorktimes.com
The effects of this war have cost United States over 350 billion dollars, 3,363 citizens their lives, and has left more than 24,310 citizens wounded. At home our wounded soldiers are receiving less than adequate treatment, as the graphic pictures of the Walter Reed Hospital show. Receiving even less treatment from the government are the over one third of veterans with PTSD who often are ignored and redeployed. In my few months at ACC I have met three young veterans’ men with awful scars from the war only one of whom were actually physical. These men are modern day heroes overlooked by their own governments. In my workplace I constantly talk to mothers whose sons and daughters are fighting for their lives overseas. There is no escaping the victims of this war. Even those of us lucky enough to be too old, too young or in college can attest to the changes war in Iraq has brought about. The Protect America Act cost us our privacy by allowing spying on Americans abroad and giving the government wide powers to force communication service providers such as cell phone companies and ISPs to make their networks available to government eavesdroppers. The war has also cost Americans millions of tax dollars, terror every time we fill up at the pump, as well as clouding over other more important issues at home like health care and border control.
The effects of war in Iraq are even more horrid for the people living in Iraq who did not ask for this war or a new “democratic” form of government. Since the war began fewer and fewer Iraqi’s want us there and who can blame them. Their county is in utter upheaval and there is ocean to separate it from the fighting. About 100 Iraqis are currently being killed daily millions of others are fleeing to seek refuge in other countries. Just like we Americans have written unalienable rights, all people of the world have basic human rights regardless of their nationality or beliefs. On a daily basis Iraqis are having their human rights violated. They are not permitted to speak out freely against the US, they are not given any sort of criminal due process, and are occasionally unjustly deployed to detainee camps. It has become no secret what happens to Iraqis inside these camps. Our nation continues to tiptoe around the true definition of torture in order to legally keep employing these harsh practices including mocked drowning, electrocution, and mutations that would be absolutely protested if any American were to subject to undergo it. The United States has completely disregarded the rules set up in the Geneva Convention for treatment of captured prisoners and suspected criminals by continuing prison abuse like in Abu Ghraib. The United States is completely overwhelmed in reconstructing Iraq. Funding of reconstruction efforts began with the creation of the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund in April of 2003 managed by US agencies. Initally 2.5 million was given to Iraq for food medicine and shelters. The IRFF has not been as successful as originally hoped partially because the managing agencies changed so much and partially because all funds were given to the wrong people. Many companies with contracts with the US donated to the fund, like Halliburton, but overcharged the US government. Despite its failure, the IRFF was passed to Iraqi diplomats who have been unable to do much with the funding or even retrieve it. The United States may have also been over presumptuous in its establishment of government in Iraq. The framework of the new Iraqi government is remarkably similar to that of Great Britain except for the existence of a president who acts simply as a figure head. The new Iraq is very unstable and in turmoil over political and religious divisions that the US could not possible understand. It is important for the US at this point to let Iraqis sort out their political problems because our help is only hurting Iraq. Just like during the unstable and doubtful political beginnings of our nation Iraq is unstable for now too. If Iraqi’s are ever to achieve their sovereignty again they need to have direct control over their own future with little assistance from other nations even at times when it seems impossible. This is a requirement of any nation.
The consequences of war in Iraq are easy to list and easy to dislike, but the important thing to consider is where we go next. Recently I went over all 18 potential presidential candidates, both republicans and democrats, stances on what to do about Iraq. All democrats voted that knowing what they know now about Iraq they would vote not to invade. On the republican end only one candidate, Ron Paul voted no to Iraq. In the end it doesn’t really matter where the candidates stand on invasion but what they plan to do next. Ten out of 18 candidates, mostly democrats, voted against a troop increase a very important first step in ending the war. Most democratic candidates are currently supporting “phased withdrawal”. Only John Edwards was willing to give his withdraw plan a timeline of 18 months and a cap on spending while Mike Gravel voted to withdraw now. Democrat Dennis Kucinich boldly voted to cut all funding immediately and begin withdraws. All republican candidates voted the same way in regards to leaving Iraq, to gradually transfer power to the Iraqi governments and maintaining troop levels. It is important for the general public to know where their candidate stands on Iraq and vote accordingly because something has to be done before the climate in Iraq escalates even more.
It is easy to see for anyone to see that the war in Iraq is flawed even if you support it. It is my opinion that we have done far too much damage to our own citizens and Iraqis, wasted far too much capital that could have been better spent on interior programs, and lost credibility among the worlds leading powers. I strongly believe the war must end soon and must be ended in a peaceful way. To me, John Edwards plan for Iraq is the most plausible. To continue to fight is Iraq as many republicans seek to do would just add fuel to the fire. We have been fighting for too long with too little reward. A gradual troop withdraw from Iraq is best, especially when the word ‘gradual’ is actually defined, is best bet for our citizens and Iraqis. Cutting funding or capping it off is the only way to begin ending the war. We cannot keep funding something we say we want to end. If you have an opinion about the war and are eightteen or older, the election of 2008 is the place to assert it.
*all statistical data and candidate polls were gathered from www.newyorktimes.com
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