Taxation!

[knightss]

Sorry I just kinda jumped into this discussion since I am so new here. I just get where y'all are coming from, and understand what y'all are saying.

The more the merrier

[dejona84]

Sorry I just kinda jumped into this discussion since I am so new here. I just get where y'all are coming from, and understand what y'all are saying.

Its so nice to meet you! I'm Star The girl who won't shut up

Hi Star! I am the new girl jumping in the conversation!

[knightss]

I've read it, very interesting and thought provoking read. And I have nothing but LOVE for those who risk it all, not just overseas...but everyday heros, right here. It takes courage to take risks. I admire your courage Knightss, pardon me Derek, for just doing this right here. Making people aware. Putting it out there! Courage And I wasn't disagreeing with you...you told me to rant lol so there you go! and thank you for making me more aware...we tend to forget when we get caught up in our everyday.

except i don't risk anything by voicing my opinion. that's one of the good features about America.. for the time being anyway lol

[Tracey Neal]

I've read it, very interesting and thought provoking read. And I have nothing but LOVE for those who risk it all, not just overseas...but everyday heros, right here. It takes courage to take risks. I admire your courage Knightss, pardon me Derek, for just doing this right here. Making people aware. Putting it out there! Courage And I wasn't disagreeing with you...you told me to rant lol so there you go! and thank you for making me more aware...we tend to forget when we get caught up in our everyday.

except i don't risk anything by voicing my opinion. that's one of the good features about America.. for the time being anyway lol

but risk is good in this case, glad you speak so freely and for the greater good. "The American Sheep" Derek?? Not speaking out, voicing our opinions, well we lose the "hair" off our precious backs. the government wins..

[Tracey Neal]

Sorry I just kinda jumped into this discussion since I am so new here. I just get where y'all are coming from, and understand what y'all are saying.

Its so nice to meet you! I'm Star The girl who won't shut up

Hi Star! I am the new girl jumping in the conversation!

Sweet

[Libellus]

"Nothing is certain but death and taxes" - War brings these too certainties together.
Nobody wins wars - you just lose less!
War wont stop terrorism. -That only stops when the two sides recognise each others right to exist and think the way they want to ... and start talking about how that can be equitably arranged (look at Ireland.)

Totally agree that all the gazillions of <insert currency> wasted on trying to impose your will on others (aka beat into submission) could be better spent trying to make things better both at home and abroad.

I dont want to depreciate the efforts (and sacrifices) of servicemen/women and their families - they are just doing the job asked of them, and I applaud their bravery.
As for the <expletive> cretins who placed them in this untenable position - I have nothing but contempt for them.

This is not a just war (if such a thing exists).
This was not responding to a request for help.
This was just cynical regime replacement wrapped up in a War on Terror package.

I dont know what the answer is - but it isnt what we have now.
Sorry for the rant

[Tracey Neal]

"Nothing is certain but death and taxes" - War brings these too certainties together.
Nobody wins wars - you just lose less!
War wont stop terrorism. -That only stops when the two sides recognise each others right to exist and think the way they want to ... and start talking about how that can be equitably arranged (look at Ireland.)

Totally agree that all the gazillions of <insert currency> wasted on trying to impose your will on others (aka beat into submission) could be better spent trying to make things better both at home and abroad.

I dont want to depreciate the efforts (and sacrifices) of servicemen/women and their families - they are just doing the job asked of them, and I applaud their bravery.
As for the <expletive> cretins who placed them in this untenable position - I have nothing but contempt for them.

This is not a just war (if such a thing exists).
This was not responding to a request for help.
This was just cynical regime replacement wrapped up in a War on Terror package.

I dont know what the answer is - but it isnt what we have now.
Sorry for the rant

Well put Libellus

[Scott]

I basically agree with everything everyone has said in this thread, especially with Derek's opening post.

From the perspective of taxpayers and most American citizens, the war in Iraq looks like an expensive blunder that will end up having wasted trillions of dollars and making America less safe. Of course, when the taxpayers are forced to pay a trillion dollars, that means there are people receiving a trillion dollars; to those people, it isn't a blunder; it's profit. That's the fundamental problem with taxation and government spending, in my opinion: One group of people can't be trusted to spend the money of another group.

While I apologize about posting another list of links, I have made some blog posts about the Iraq war as well:

$13 Trillion Wasted
Less Safe Six Years Later
9/11: A Lesson Learned?
Iraq Occupation Endangers us People

Coincidentally, I made a post that also loosely connected the war on drugs (such as marijuana) and the war in Iraq as both being needless expenses of taxpayer dollars, entitled Funding Security.

Finally, about war in general, I made the following post: Lo taamod al dam reakha

Thanks,
Scott