BANKRUPTING AMERICA

DJ March 29, 2011

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First it was Egypt. Then came Libya, Syria, Yemen and Bahrain. And others will follow. But is anyone asking the million dollar question: can the United States really afford continuing to be the world’s police?

According to news reports, each missile we launch or weapon we use in our current conflict in Libya costs the United States between $10,000. to $100,000. EACH! Which means that a few more weeks of enforcing a Libyan “no fly” zone will cost America in the billions.

Last night, President Obama took to the airwaves to defend the American-led military assault in Libya, saying it was in the national interest of the United States to stop a potential massacre that would have “stained the conscience of the world.” He also answered critics by saying that the Libyan conflict is being paid for through the existing Pentagon budget. But exactly how much of this can we afford?

Nearly 2 decades ago, the United States successfully tricked the former Soviet Union into an arms race that completely bankrupt their country and caused it to break up. Is it possible that we are being led into an identical bankruptcy trap with devastating national consequences? And exactly how will we pick and choose in the future which nations we will help and which ones we won’t? Hmmm…

IS AMERICA GOING BANKRUPT?

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DJ March 29, 2011

5 1 minute read

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Truthiz

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March 29, 2011 2:30 PM

Great post DJ! "IS AMERICA GOING BANKRUPT?"Welp..smh. All I can say is…if *WE* aren't yet there, *WE* are so close to it that it's NOT funny.There just seems to be NO END in sight to the madness that caused this Great nation to be in such a financial quandry. I am reminded of the "Military Industrial Complex Speech" given by President Eisenhower, to the nation, 3 days prior to leaving office in 1961.Excerpt:We have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportions. Added to this, three and a half million men and women are directly engaged in the defense establishment. We annually spend on military security more than the net income of all United States corporations.This conjunction of an IMMENSE Military *establishment* and a LARGE Arms *industry* is new in the American experience. The total influence — economic, political, even spiritual — is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government.… Read more »

Beth Stanton

March 29, 2011 2:48 PM

Truthiz you're beginning to sound like a fiscal conservative. 😉 I am against our involvement in Libya, not because I don't believe the activities there are abhorrent, but because we simply cannot afford it. DJ is right in posing the question how do we pick or choose who to help? I feel badly for the people of Libya. However, at some point we will run out of money and be unable to help anyone, perhaps even ourselves.

March 29, 2011 4:03 PM

I don't like us sticking our nose in everybody elses business all the time and I don't like how much money it usually costs us either. But we couldn't sit back and watch Gahdafi kill off his people and not say or do nothing. We're supposed to be leaders of the free world so we have to act like leaders. That doesn't make us world police but it does make us lead by example.Good to see you around Beth.

March 29, 2011 4:58 PM

I feel you BD..and IF "Operation Odyssey Dawn" was simply restricted to the U.S. leading a *Humantarian Mission* (and a short-term one at that) it would have my full support. But it's NOT just a Humanitarian Mission. WE are now literally fighting not 1…not 2..but 3 WARS. And I don't care what the President or other NATO members say, Everybody knows who's bearing the cost of THIS military operation. THE. U.S.No doubt the President made what he felt was the right decision, given the potential risk for even more Libyans being killed by Gaghafi's goons. But the massive military drain of yet another war could NOT have come at a worse time for Us, as *WE* are trying to claw our way OUT of a deep recession.I'm all for leading by example. But I don't trust the M.I.C. or its twisted partners-in-crime, the neoCONS.