Well, at least that trillion dollars didn't go to some BS socialist program started by Obama for the benefit of US citizens. Although I do wonder how many US citizens could have gotten a college education for that trillion dollars. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2020577920101220 Mon, Dec 20 2010 WASHINGTON, Dec 20 (Reuters) - Waste and fraud in U.S. efforts to rebuild Afghanistan while fighting al Qaeda and the Taliban may have cost taxpayers billions of dollars, a special investigator said on Monday. Arnold Fields, special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction, said the cost of U.S. assistance funding diverted or squandered since 2002 could reach "well into the millions, if not billions, of dollars." "There are no controls in place sufficient enough to ensure taxpayers' money is used for the (intended) purpose," said Fields, whose independent office was created in 2008 to energize oversight of what U.S. auditors have described as a giant, poorly coordinated aid effort that has sunk some $56 billion into Afghanistan since 2002. Of that sum, some $29 billion has gone to building up Afghanistan's nascent security forces, many of whose members cannot read and are just learning to shoot. Another $16 billion has gone to trying to develop this poor country, where life expectancy is just 45 years and only 28 percent of people are literate, and to strengthening governance, said Fields, a retired Marine Corps major general. Experts believe it will take years to build an effective government that can provide basic services in Afghanistan, where corruption and the lack a functional justice system have driven many villagers into the arms of the Taliban. Efforts to bolster Afghanistan's weak central government and in many cases its dysfunctional local leadership took center stage last week when a White House review of the nine-year-old war reported some military success but cautioned there was more to be done on improving governance and curbing corruption. President Barack Obama is under pressure to show results in Afghanistan in the first half of 2011 so he can start bringing U.S. troops home in July. U.S. and NATO partners hope Afghan forces will be able to take control by the end of 2014 as the West looks to curtail its involvement after nine years that at the present level of effort costs U.S. taxpayers at least $113 billion a year. More than 700 foreign troops have been killed in 2010, the most violent year since the Taliban was toppled in 2001. Afghan casualties are far higher. U.S. reconstruction activities are a major component in an even bigger outside assistance effort involving dozens of donor countries and hundreds of aid groups large and small. Field's office, known as SIGAR, described in a report issued this fall a 'confusing labyrinth' of agencies and contractors in that aid effort. (Reporting by Missy Ryan; editing by Philip Barbara)
Yep, but a teacher making a good wage deserves to get blasted by a panel on Fox news, LOL What a ****ed up country we live in
Two good books I am or have just finished reading: Obama's War and Graveyard of Empires...give you some insight into the morass we are involved in. Funny thing, its mostly Pakistan that is our problem, but they are our "ally"... Still, a lot of dead extremists have gone to their 72 virgins, so at least there is some benefit.
This country has been doing this crap a long time. All the do gooders bend over backward to give to the rest of the world, give to all the illegals in this country, adopt kids from Africa and give them the good life etc etc etc. All that time and effort and money could really do some good here.... but that isn't a good enough touchy touchy feel good press conference. We're broke ASS AMERICAN'S!! We're "broke" & can't help our own Seniors, Veterans, Orphans, Homeless etc........... We allow illegal aliens to enter our country, have babies that we provide FREE housing, medical care, food stamps, welfare, education that cost us broke ass Americans 22 BILLION a year...not to mention the thousands of Americans that have been victims of crimes and DUI's. In the recent past we have provided aid to Haiti, Chile, and Turkey. Our retired seniors living on a 'fixed income'receive no aid or get any breaks while our government and religious organizations pour Hundreds of Millions of $$$$$'s and Tons of Foodinto Foreign Countries! We have hundreds of adoptable children who are shoved aside to make room for the adoption of foreign orphans. USA, a country where we have homeless without shelter, children going to bed hungry, elderly going without 'needed' meds, and mentally ill without treatment - etc,etc... YET.................. They have a 'Benefit' for the people of Haiti on 12 TV stations, ships and planes lining up with food, water, tents clothes, bedding, doctors and medical supplies. Imagine if the *GOVERNMENT* gave 'us' the same support they give to other countries. And don't forget our new Health Care Law mandates that we all pay into it or pay a fine, or go to Jail if we don't. Yet Illegal Mexicans and Arabs still get free Health Care in our country at our expense! It is written in the bill that way! Sad isn't it. We're Broke Ass Americans I'M SICK OF TAKING CARE OF THE WOES OF THE WORLD
Speak it David. Speak it, I love it. In my lifetime their is going to be a revolution of some sort. I'not really sure what kind or what form it will take, but the good people of this country are so fed up with this type of bullcrap that they are about ready to crack.
Unfortunately every time someone mentions spending money on American Citizens someone else crys about government spending and how we need to cut it. If everyone that pissed and moaned about government spending, and the need to cut it, would instead, piss and moan about redirecting government spending to our own citizens then maybe some of this "foreign aid" would stop and become "domestic aid". If we took half the foreign aid we spend on citizens of other countrys and spent it on our own citizens we could remedy a lot of the issues David speaks of. Can someone tell me why we have spent trillions of dollars in Afghanistan and Iraq but cut spending here in our country?
yeah, because for the most part...American's aren't blowing us up, or driving air planes into our own buildings I'd rather we go back to letting Americans take care of Americans w/o the governments help. We did it before...we can do it again. We don't need a big government. Check into the Johnstown's floods to see how Americans take care of Americans.
Sean, Bruce is not talking about military funding...he is talking about "assistance funding" OR BS funding that is poorly monitored and wasted.
Timothy Mcveigh wasn't an American? Do you really think those wars are preventing anything? Hell, those wars are costing more American lives and treasure than anything a terrorist can do. They're laughing all the way to Pakistan. I'm not talking about big government. I'm talking about taking the money we give to other countrys and giving it to Americans. Do you know how much money we have given to Egypt (a dictatorship by the way) in the last 10 years? WTF for? Isn't American government taking care of Americans the same thing? Why is it OK for the American government to spend trillions on foreign countrys but the minute someone suggests the American goverment spend it on Americans it becomes "big government" and a bad thing?
Bring are soldiers home. the need to invade every country at a drop of a hat is simple war monger mentality. we dont declare war were just stop by your place and see if you have any natural resources we can f### you out of in the name of terrorism. The Russians didn't do so well there either. Not sure which country's government is more corrupt are's or theirs.
I'm with you except we need to cut our foreign aid as well as programs here in the United States. We give out out plenty of money to help out people here in the US but so much is wasted before it gets to the people it intends to help. I'm ready for Americans to realize that they don't need the government to take care of them every time something goes wrong in their life. It's time for Americans to step up for each other and tell the government that they are too big and out of control to actually help anyone effectively.
McVeigh - was one... Radical Islam is the biggest issue Bruce...and we are sadly friends with the biggest violators because our reliance on oil from the nations who support this. For the better part of my adult life I have been involved in this... I could go on for hours about what I have seen, done and been involved in over the last decade.
