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US Aid Tied to Purchase of Arms
WASHINGTON - Just before Christmas, the US President, Barack Obama, signed into law one of his country's biggest aid pledges of the year. It was bound not for Africa or any of the many struggling countries on the World Bank's list.
An Iraqi army soldier poses for a picture with his weapon during a mission in Mahmudiyah, Iraq, March 30, 2008. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Richard Del Vecchio) (www.army.mil) It was a deal for $US2.77 billion ($3 billion) to go to Israel in 2010 and a total of $US30 billion over the next decade.
Israel is bound by the agreement to use 75 per cent of the aid to buy military hardware made in the US: in the crisis-racked US economy, those military factories are critical to many towns.
For the first time the US is also providing $US500 million to the Palestinian Authority, including $US100 million to train security forces, under the strict proviso that the authority's leadership recognises Israel.
For many years Israel has been the largest recipient of US foreign aid, followed by Egypt ($US1.75 billion), which also receives most of its assistance in tied military aid.
The Congressional Research Service says that the US spent 17 per cent of its total aid budget - or $US5.1 billion - on military aid in 2008, of which $US4.7 billion was grants to enable governments to receive equipment from the US.
The lion's share of political and strategic aid to Iraq and Afghanistan comes from separate funds and from the defence budget. Between 2003 and last year $US49 billion was poured into Iraq through the Iraq Relief and Reconstruction Fund and the defence budget. The Afghanistan program over the same period consisted of $US11 billion in traditional foreign aid and another $US15 billion in defence funds.
Under the Obama Administration, this year's aid budget has been increased by 10 per cent to nearly $US50 billion to support his counter-terrorism strategy.
Assistance to Pakistan was recently tripled, with an additional $US1.5 billion a year for the next five years.
The author of the bill, Senator John Kerry, said it would ''build a relationship with the people [of Pakistan] to show that what we want is a relationship that meets their interests and needs''.
But officials at the US embassy in Islamabad have alleged that Pakistan has diverted elsewhere 70 per cent of the $US9 billion in military assistance paid since 2001.
The Obama Administration is finding that other expensive fronts are emerging in the fight against terrorism, the latest being Yemen. In the 2010 fiscal year US development and security assistance to Yemen is expected to rise 56 per cent to $US63 million.
But this does not include so-called 1206 Pentagon counter-terrorism funds. Last year Yemen received $US67 million of those, up from just $US5 million.
After the events of the past week or so, countries like Yemen are highly likely to receive significantly more this year.
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57 Comments so far
Show AllWar is good for America.
For its rulers I think you mean.
Exactly! War is profitable for the Corporatist-Militarist Ruling Class, but disastrous for everyone else.
No. That's not what I mean.
Over half of the taxes paid by all American citizens is used for military expenditures. That money is spent mainly with U.S. based suppliers. The U.S. military, directly plus indirectly, is the largest employer of Americans. The American economy is based of military spending. It is the source of economy wealth for Americans, again, directly and indirectly.
Yes. War is immoral. And America's economy, foreign policy, domestic policy is predominately based on War. America has been in a state of constant War since WWII, once again, directly and indirectly.
Well, you are correct but is that really "good for America"?
I think peace would be better.
All this military aid should be cancelled and used for better things.
Because this war monster is a result of the evolution of persistant military enforced financial domination of the planet, it will take a combination of bad Karma Vs lots of good folks' songs and social awareness and action to get us through the storms of the Tens... the 2010's.
Now is everywhere... good luck and Karma
War is immoral.
Do the American people have to go to an Australian newspaper to find out about some of these aid "deals" to countries like Pakistan where the funds are mis-appropriated or those like Egypt which (the article doesn't mention and who really knows about this?) has engaged in an invasion of Somalia in the past and is right now engaged in a sustained effort at genocide against the Somalian population within its own borders? We (sort of) know about the scandal of U.S. armament of Israel for its aggressions against Palestine, but who knew about the bribe of the Palestinians to "recognize" Israel? When these deals pass through almost without public notice, it's clear that we are a democracy in name only and that our media which should be informing us of these things is a free press in name only. Common Dreams is owed a great deal of credit for scouring the world press and bringing stories like this about what is happening in our own country.
If war is good for America, then we should reinstate the military draft, with no exemptions, so that all Americans can benefit. We all have relatives and loved ones who would have to participate in the wars waged for profit by a few wealthy and greedy (and heartless) citizens. Even their children would have to go...then, let us revisit the comment that "war is good for America."
Switch your registration to third party January 13 th
Besides God, who is really controlling the world here and now 2010AD?
Satan?
It is up to us. God in us, our hope of peace.
"Know ye not that ye art Gods?" Jesus
We are Gods in potential. We the people have the power, but we have to seize it,
we have to get off our asses and get involved!
Om Shanti Om Shanti Om Shanti Om
"Without sharing there can be no justice;
without justice there can be no peace;
without peace there can be no future...
Man must change or die.
There is no other course."
Maitreya, the World Teacher
http://www.share-international.org
No money for socialized health care or single payer option for Americans , but there is plenty of money for socialized aid for the military industrial complex, keep making those weapons of war at tax payers expense for country's abroad.
We are without a doubt the most trusting and stupid people on the planet.
But in defense of all my American brothers and sisters, if you dont know any better, you cant make informed decisions.
Happy new year to the government and corporate controlled main stream media, you are the gate keepers that can open the flood gates of real news and save America and its Constitution.
I wont pray for you, because you know only one God, Corporate welfare.
The facts listed below come from articles dated to 2007. Some of the figures may have changed and much more could be said but let's face it we here in The Homeland should be proud of such accomplishments. It's not easy being the most bellicose kid on the block.
We're # 1!: America a Nation of Firsts!
U.S. Takes Gold in Arms Olympics
Hey, aren't we the most exceptional nation in history? George Bush and his pals thought so -- and they were in a great American tradition of exceptionalism. Of course, they were imagining us as the most exceptional empire in history (or maybe at the end of it), the ultimate New Rome. Anyway, explain this to me: Among all the exceptional things we claim to do, how come we never take credit for what may be the most exceptional of all, our success of successes, the thing that makes us uniquely ourselves on this war-ridden planet -- peddling more arms to Earthlings than anyone else in the neighborhood? Why do we hide this rare talent under a bushel?
They don't call us the sole superpower for nothing. Paul Wolfowitz might be looking for a new job right now, but the term he used to describe the pervasiveness of U.S. might back when he was a mere deputy secretary of defense -- hyperpower -- still fits the bill.
Face it, the United States is a proud nation of firsts. Among them:
First in Oil Consumption:
The United States burns up 20.7 million barrels per day, the equivalent of the oil consumption of China, Japan, Germany, Russia, and India combined.
First in Carbon Dioxide Emissions:
Each year, world polluters pump 24,126,416,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the environment. The United States and its territories are responsible for 5.8 billion metric tons of this, more than China (3.3 billion), Russia (1.4 billion) and India (1.2 billion) combined.
First in External Debt:
The United States owes $10.040 trillion, nearly a quarter of the global debt total of $44 trillion.
First in Military Expenditures:
The White House has requested $481 billion for the Department of Defense for 2008, but this huge figure does not come close to representing total U.S. military expenditures projected for the coming year. To get a sense of the resources allocated to the military, the costs of the global war on terrorism, of the building, refurbishing, or maintaining of the U.S. nuclear arsenal, and other expenses also need to be factored in. Military analyst Winslow Wheeler did the math recently: "Add $142 billion to cover the anticipated costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; add $17 billion requested for nuclear weapons costs in the Department of Energy; add another $5 billion for miscellaneous defense costs in other agencies…. and you get a grand total of $647 billion for 2008."
Taking another approach to the use of U.S. resources, Columbia University economist Joseph Stiglitz and Harvard Business School lecturer Linda Bilmes added to known costs of the war in Iraq invisible costs like its impact on global oil prices as well as the long-term cost of health care for wounded veterans and came up with a price tag of between 1 trillion and $2.2 trillion.
If we turned what the United States will spend on the military in 2008 into small bills, we could give each one of the world's more than 1 billion teenagers and young adults an Xbox 360 with wireless controller (power supply in remote rural areas not included) and two video games to play: maybe Gears of War and Command and Conquer would be appropriate. But if we're committed to fighting obesity, maybe Dance Dance Revolution would be a better bet. The United States alone spends what the rest of the world combined devotes to military expenditures.
First in Weapons Sales:
Since 2001, U.S. global military sales have normally totaled between $10 and $13 billion. That's a lot of weapons, but in fiscal year 2006, the Pentagon broke its own recent record, inking arms sales agreements worth $21 billion. It almost goes without saying that this is significantly more than any other nation in the world.
__________
For the first time in history the population of US federal, state and local prisons has surpassed two million people, consolidating the US lead over China, Russia and even Belarus in both absolute numbers of inmates and the rate of incarceration, according to new figures made public Sunday.
But the numbers released by the justice department's bureau of justice statistics may not reflect the full picture.
"If you include INS, the territories, military jails, the Indian country and juvenile facilities, we did surpass the two-million mark back in 1999," Paige Harrison, one of the authors of the report, said.
According to the report, the 50 US states along with the District of Columbia and the federal government held behind bars as many as 1,355,748 people as of June 30, 2002, while 665,475 individuals were under lock and key in municipal and local jails.
The rate of incarceration was 702 inmates per each 100 000 US residents, up from 690 at midyear 2001. This means that one in every 142 people living in the United States was in jail in the middle of last year.
The figures show the United States remains the absolute world leader in both the overall number of inmates and their ratio to the population at large.
Brings new meaning to the Land of the FREE!
mcoyote, great summary of 'our' firsts ---- actually they are not 'our' firsts, but the firsts of the ruling-elite Global corporate/financial/militarist Empire that controls our former country by hiding behind the facade of its two-party 'Vichy' sham of democracy --- but who's keeping track.
This past year we do have some up-dated 'firsts' to brag about:
The U.S. is now not only first in global weapons sales but has for the first time exceeded 2/3rds (67%) of ALL international weapons sales. Wow, celebrating this #1 should certainly call for a special new Global "Merchants of Death" Trophy --- wouldn't you agree? (Those nasty old ex-commies in Russia got only 6% of weapons sales in 2009).
The U.S. of course has long been #1 in both energy waste and pollution (via traditional dumping of negative externality costs into the atmosphere), but in 2009 the U.S. set a new first, and took its game to a 'whole new level', by setting a record for both inventing and dumping a whole new generation of more ethereal (but equally dangerous) negative externality costs on the world --- in the form of 'debt bombs' (or as Warren Buffet called derivatives like CDSs, "financial WMDs"). Yea, our team!!
However, the U.S. in 2009, while it was able to easily overcome both China and Russia in posting a higher GINI Coefficient of Income Inequality (at 0.49), was unable to secure the record from Robert Mugabe's utopian paradise of Zimbabwe. But this should only cause us to redouble our efforts in 2010, which if joblessness and the economy keeps going as the Empire 'hopes' will allow the U.S. to break 0.53 and best even Zimbabwe in having the highest GINI Coefficient of Income Inequality in the whole world. We will obviously have to work harder in eliminating the last residue of the middle-class, but by further pushing down the poor and working-classes, and continuing to destroy the last vestiges of home values with the help of our new inspiring leader and patriotically names banks we 'hopefully' will be able to 'change' the outcome and finally grab the #1 spot in the world income inequality in 2010.
Let's 'hope' that this year we will be able to add this shout-out to our long list of firsts ---- "We're number one in income inequality!!"
Alan MacDonald
Sanford, Maine
PS. I've been working on a new index,which has not yet been accepted by any governing global bodies, but which I 'hope' might be formally recognized.
I call it the Empire Index.
The 'Empire Index' for any country that is to be evaluated on its 'Empireness' would include that country's:
1. Percentage of world wide weapons sales multiplied by
2. it's number of global military bases multiplied by
3. it's GINI Coefficient of Income Inequality of it's own citizens multiplied by
4. it's percentage of citizens imprisoned.
Since the US is responsible for 68% of world-wise weapons sales (times) 757 global military bases (times) a high GINI Coefficient of income Inequality at 0.49 [which is far worse than all Western democracies, and matched only be Robert Mugabe's dictatorial plutocracy of Zimbabwe] (times) over 7% of our citizens being imprisoned, the US 'Empire Index' works out to be 185.38.
Whereas, the acknowledged former "evil" Soviet Empire, which is now the country of Russia would have an 'Empire Index' of --- 6% of world-wide weapons sales (times) 201 global military bases (times) a lower/fairer GINI Coefficient of Income Inequality 0.41 (times) a lower citizen prison ratio of less than 6%, its "Empire Index' works out to only 2.96.
Take my word for it --- no other country in the world, including China, Iran, Venezuela, etc. has an 'Empire Index' even in the double digits!
The US is a hidden Empire --- not a democracy. And those are the word games and "contested concepts" that have to be set straight to win the peace and prosperity that all of us deserve in restoring our own true democracy.
Alan MacDonald
Sanford, Maine
Excellent post Alan, I always look for your summaries and explications on Empire.
Have you seen the Global Peace Index (GPI)? Good old Uncle Same ranks #97 (out of 140) on that one. Many of the countries below the US are in the cross hairs of the US so even at 97 you might say the US is getting the benefit of the doubt. Here's the link on that:
Global Peace Index Rankings:
http://www.visionofhumanity.org/gpi/results/rankings/2008
You are exactly correct on my improper use of 'our' which is something I'm usually more careful about. Some grammatical things should be let go but that is a case where one must pay attention to the proper use of the pronoun. Thanks for the reminder.
Thanks back to you, mcoyote, I hadn't seen that index --- and it's a very good source, which I just bookmarked.
Looks like many of the countries toward the top of the GPI were unfortunately among those that our private equity pirates, hedge fund whores, and Empire banksters stuck with their poisonous derivatives and CDSs.
Ironic that the good get ****ed by the bad.
Best,
Alan
While an "empire index" is not a bad idea, I am not sure you are measuring it appropriately. I mean, what does the percent imprisoned have to do with empire? Or income distribution? I can see factors like arms sales, number of bases, and amount of money spent on armaments figuring in. Numbers of soldiers in uniform might be included. Numbers wounded in combat, too.
For an economic metric, I would devise a "capitalism index" or a "Friedman index". It would consist of such things as measures of income inequality, personal indebtedness, national debt, percent of taxes spent on corporate subsidies, and more. Maybe have some negative correlates, too--stuff like percent of GDP spent on education, housing, medical care of the poor, etc. Wouldn't know how to weight the factors. Hasn't someone done this before?
drosera, my basic idea in including both foreign imperialist (warlike) factors and domestic economic oppression and citizen tyranny factors was to attempt to take into account Hannah Arendt's analysis that, "Empire abroad (always) entails tyranny at home" --- ie. that Empireness inexorably includes both a colonial and domestic pathology.
Per your suggestion of including an economic metric such as "income inequality", the GINI Coefficient is precisely that, a measure of income inequality. My additional rationale in using the GINI rather than other economic metrics is that the CIA has found (from experience) that the GINI has the highest correlation with 'civil unrest' when the level of 0.45 is exceeded.
But this is just a first brush swag on my part, and your suggestions that other factors should also be included in an 'Empire Index' is very helpful and appreciated.
And, no, someone hasn't done this before --- which disappoints me.
Best,
Alan
Another first for America:
The first Nobel Peace Prize winning "Economic Hitman" president who facilitates war around the world with money that he forces taxpayers to borrow from the "communist menace" of China.
US controller class doesn't care if aid money is diverted to criminal purposes, so long as they get their cut.
Now how is this any different form the old "Command Economy" of the USSR ?
In that economy one Government run factory would make cast iron bathtubs. There was no market for Cast iron bathtubs so the tubs would be loaded up, shipped to another factory, and then recylced for their raw material wherein said material would be sent back to the first site to make cast iron bathtubs.
Here we have very much the same and people think they live in a "free market".
Now keep in mind that those Cast Iron bathtubs built with Government revenues were not used to kill women and children .
Thirty Billion Dollars for Israel to kill Palestineans? Did our Peace Prize Winning President spend a dime to feed and shelter and clothe Palestineans?
3 billion dollars, not 30 billion. That's Michele Bachmann math. "What's a zero here or there?" I agree with your argument, just keep the numbers right. Right Wingers, lacking any substance, are masters at nit picking.
From the 2nd paragraph of the article: "and a total of $US30 billion over the next decade."
And what's all this fuss about "one Nation under God, and "In God we trust" the 'wingers rant...which one are they talking about, exactly, the one who demands blood sacrifice? Or the One whom we now and ultimately belong to by our very being here? Time to make that distinction and act accordingly!
In reality, everyone has a different opinion of what "God" means. The younger of my two sisters is a fundamentalist "Christian", submissive to the will of her husband. Her idea of God (if she actually has any ideas of her own) is _far_ different than my views, or those of our older sister. I feel that I've moved beyond the restrictions of the church in which I grew up, and my belief "system" has elements of many cultures in it.
Every American should take to the streets and raise hell. Blackwater is apparently an arm of the organized crime which is now running our government. Hitler would have loved the Blackwater group and his judges would have done the same for them.
That would be great for everyone to take to the streets, but obviously most American's minds are full of the hogwash that they get from corporate news.
Gotta go. "Dancing with the Stars" is on TV.
Blackwater mercenaries are the US government's equivilent of Nazi Germany's SS troops.
"Every American should take to the streets..."
Many Americans ARE taking to the streets.
It's called homelessness.
Aw, but just wait for the Obama austerity budget planned for the US. No funds for cash strapped States, plenty for the War Profiteers!
We have no economy but a weapons economy and we have to shift our priorities from the Military to US infrastructure and plain ole' manufacturing of consumer goods. It is unfortunate that the US subsidizes the weapons industry with very little complaints from the public, but if you try to subsidize manufacturing, like the Auto Industry, it is called socialism. Socialist BOMBS are OK?
If you work for Lockheed/Martin or any other Government subsidized weapons contractor your salary is subsidized by the the US tax payer, and so many of those employed bitch about paying taxes, but you can't subsidize Steel Workers or Auto Workers or any of the trades that build long lasting public infrastructure for the public good. What is wrong with our thinking?????
That's what the Repuglican'ts have been doing to US for decades, cutting funds necessary to assist the less fortunate to become contributing members of society. Rich, conservative Repugs think they are better than the rest of America and they deserve _all_ of the wealth, not just what they have now.
Obama did NOT make huge tax cuts that benefit the filthy rich. He's trying to figure out a way to fix the mess that Bush handed to him. It took Bush 8 years to _almost_ finish the destruction that was started when Gerald Ford gave the first big tax breaks to corporations. That was followed by Ron (I wasn't even a good actor) Reagan and his "trickle down stupidity".
Kerry messed-up. He shoulda included a provision in his bill that they spend a sizable amount of that aid on HEINZ KETCHUP.
No wonder the guy didn't become president.
(LOL)
Bankers and wankers:
America has become a corporate military dictatorship.
America's business is war; anyone who disagrees is unpatriotic.
So the US/Israel cartel is ultimately "the Antichrist"...
"The exporting from the United States of warlike instruments and military stores is not to be interfered with." - George Washington(1793) as quoted by Theodore Roosevelt.
Gun runners from the getgo!
Thirty Billion Dollars is one hell of a Green Light for Israel to continue ethnic clensing and illegal settling of occupied Palestine. The Israelis are bombing Gaza from US planes to celebrate as I write this.
Cowards.
This is hideous news. We need to find a way to shut down the pentagon permanently.
Apparently too many Americans believe the lies - that say the department of "defense" is a force for good in the world, that it keeps us free and that the soldiers are heroes. If it wasn't for the work of the peace activists and Benjamin Creme, i would see the situation as totally hopeless.
Before, and during, WW-I, it was known as the WAR Department. They changed the name to Defense Department after WW-I, and we've been involved in wars almost every year since.
This is not news
The US has provided military "aid" to Israel for at least twenty years.
And they are not the only ones receiving military "aid"
Israel has received over $120B in "aid" from the US.
This for a nation of 5 million Jews.
AIPAC's investments have paid off pretty well, huh?
We were supplying them with weapons long before the 1967 War.
Reading how pissed you Americans are with your pathetic gov't inspires me to take action here in Canada. Only in French-speaking Quebec can Canadians find any open
criticism of our neo-conservative gov't. Being bilingual here is one of the few ways we can access mainstream media that openly criticizes the oil-industry controlled gov't.
Please don't let Canada get as bad as the U.S. I may have to move there some day.
this is just great. So while the US falls into economic decline and social disgrace, we just had to give that pathetic stinking sand box called israhell all this christmas money while the bankers laugh all the way to Hyannas Port, MA and health insurance companies score another victory against US consumers.
So fuck you John Kerry for putting us in more debt and supporting continued US sponsered aparthied.
Ya gotta love those zionist whores who took over the banks and the US government 9 years ago, they really know how to buy off US congress critters, control the media, and ruin an otherwise terrible christmas for many amerikan and Palestinians.
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Vote Obama for change you can believe in.
Ha, ha, ha, ha.