Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Things that make me mad

Reading and listening to the news this week so far I found the following stories which makes me mad.

In Poland, workers found a mass grave of at least 1,800 German men, women and children, all nude with nothing, not even papers or any identification. They were all killed by the Russians in their push to Berlin during WW II. Ok, long ago, but still raises the question of why. Innocent people, not soldiers, and for what?

It's been reported Israel is using phosphorus artillery shells against the Palestinians in Gaza. And against civilians. Innocent men, women and children. Phosphorus burns on contact with skin, to the bone. It burns through clothes and into the skin. Why? This is terrorism, nothing less and totally unnecessary. And it stays on everything it falls, ready to burn the first person who touches it.

Israel is telling people in Gaza to abandon their homes in areas they intend to shell. Why? If Israel is after Hama militants and rocket launching sites, then go after them, but indiscriminate bombing of suburban areas of innocent civilians? And you're telling us you're using equivalent force against a few rockets? What's the ratio of Palenstinians killed and Isrealis? Last I heard it's running about 100 to 1. That's humane?

Why are we still listening to Dr. Kissinger? He's the architect of Nixon's illegal military and covert spying campaigns and the voice of overthrowing democracies to install military leaders or dictators favorable to the US. He's done so much harm to our international relations he should be forgotten, or maybe as some have suggested, tried on war crimes. It's time to stop listening to him and his 1960's political coldwar rhetoric.

Isreal's Prime Minister Olmert called President Bush to have Secretary of State Rice abstain from voting on a UN Resolution condeming Israel's actions in Gaza, one Ms. Rice help draft. Israel is telling us what to do? And Bush, you know "the decider" backed down, er changed his mind, after talking with Mr. Olmert?

We, meaning taxpayers, gave $45 Billion to CitiGroup and we guarranteed $306 Billion in securities and loans, and they agreed to sell Smith-Barney, which they're doing with Morgan Stanley. And now we learn it wasn't enough. They're facing a $100 Billion shortfall from this last quarter alone, and they want more TARP money. That takes a lot of corporate balls to ask us for money we haven't seen a cent of in accountability or returns.

Military official overseeing the trials of "terrorists" admit "some" detainees at Guantanamo Bay were in fact tortured, engaging in techniques which were life threatening. Gee, that's not new or news, just to those who didn't and haven't wanted to admit it. It's fairly well assumed we didn't violate the Geneva Convention, and as bad as probably many nations we condenm for their torture.

But then for the extreme cases, we were smart to use extraordinary rendtion to send the people to our enemy who hold no limits on or fears of using torture. They were our allies in the war on terrorism because they did what we knew we couldn't do, torture beyond any reasonable or realistic limits. And they we retrieved these folks back to Gitmo. Gee, saving them from what and for what?

Did you know about $25 Billion of the TARP money went to Bank of America? And for what prey tell? To offset their losses, but also to make of the difference in their purchase of Merril-Lynch Company. They're a bank and they don't have enough money to buy the company? So, they're not borrowing from us, but being given money from us to make up the difference along with about half of their $630 Billion toxic loans. Our money for a bank to buy a Wall Street investment and financial company that's going bust? And BoA has indicated it's not enough and they want more TARP money.

The TARP money was for bailing our home loans from foreclosure. And so far $350 Billion has been spent but none on that at all, just bailiing out failing financial and investiment companies and banks. Gee, it's the new trickle down economics practiced by Congress and the Secretary of the Treasury. So, when we will actually get some of our own money back? We've already given $1,000+ per person with another $1,000+ in their pocket. Not ours, theirs.

I'm sure I can find more, but that's enough for one day.

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