George Bush's Gifts To Israel

  Let us take a read from an editorial in a newspaper based in Syria concerning all of the military gifts which Israel has gotten from President Bush and others which they are requesting in aid. Weapons to Israel isn't the entire point of the editorial though.

Watching America

Why All These Gifts?

By Ahmad Hamada 2008-6-13
Syria - Al-Thawra - Original Article (Arabic)

The American President George Bush has agreed to increase American military aid to Israel so that it will reach thirty billion dollars over the course of the next ten years.
The Pentagon for its part is informing the American Congress about a proposal to provide Israel with what will amount to 25 T-6A training aircraft along with added equipment in a deal worth 190 million dollars. Among the characteristics [of these aircraft] is that they will lessen fuel requirements by 66 percent.
In addition to the two reports published by the American press, Israel has requested from Washington that they be supplied with 25 F-30 jets [sic, should be F-35 jets] as part of their yearly financial aid.
Perhaps the essential question which presents itself after all this enormous military assistance which Israel continues to receive from its main ally in the world is: what peace are they talking about?! And what kind of peace are they making plans for during the course of the next ten years when military aid reaches this unimaginable level over one decade, [a decade] during which it is assumed will be accomplished a movement towards promoting the establishment of desired peace in the region?!
And when we try to better understand American thinking which continues to insist on wars and inflaming the world and assistance to Israel, then the last question is: where are the plans of the United States to feed more than 40 million hungry Americans. Only yesterday the [United Nations] Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) disclosed at its conference in Rome that [these Americans] need less than a quarter of this amount in order to cross the threshold out of poverty and secure a free and decent life for their families.
Thirty billion dollars in gifts, presents and generosity from one [country] to another is unprecedented in the history of the relations of the countries of the world at a time when this country which is giving all this huge amount to Israel suffers from many problems, the least of which is that 40 million of its inhabitants suffer from miserable poverty!!

Technorati Tags: George Bush,Israel,foreign aid

John McCain: Some Facts On His Support For Troops

BarbinMD at DailyKos put together a little list of a few of John McCain's votes when it comes down to helping our veterans and our current service members. Many of you will know about these votes. For those of you who did not, welcome to reality!

• McCain has repeatedly voted against amendments in the Senate that would have...covered such important services as improving care at veterans’ hospitals, providing mental health services to soldiers with post-traumatic stress disorder and substance abuse problems. [2006 Senate Vote #7, 2/2/2006]
• In 2006, McCain voted against the Kerry amendment that would eliminate increased fees and co-payments for veterans in the TRICARE health care program by raising the discretionary spending limit by approximately $10 billion. The provisions would have been fully offset by eliminating creating corporate tax breaks. [2006 Senate Vote #67, 3/16/2006]
• McCain was one of only 13 Republicans to vote against an amendment that added over $400 million for inpatient and outpatient care for veterans. [2006 Senate Vote #98, 4/26/2006]
• McCain voted against increasing funding for veterans health care by $2.8 billion in 2006. [2005 Senate Vote #55, 3/16/2005]
• McCain joined his Republican Senate cohorts in opposing exempting all military personnel and veterans from means testing in bankruptcy cases. [2005 Senate Vote #13, 3/1/2005]
• McCain opposed an amendment that would reduce from 60 to 55 the age at which certain members of the National Guard and Army reserves could receive retirement benefits. [2004 Senate Vote #136, 6/23/2004]
• Senator McCain opposed $322 million in funding for "battlefield clearance and safety equipment for U.S. troops in Iraq." A reduction in Iraqi reconstruction funds would have funded the additional protection for troops in the battlefield. [2003 Senate Vote #376, 10/2/2003]
• McCain voted against an amendment that would increase spending on the veterans health care program TRICARE by $20.3 billion over 10 years to members of the National Guard and Reserves. The increase would be offset by a reduction in tax cuts. [2003 Senate Vote #81, 3/25/2003]
• McCain opposed an amendment that would have increased veterans spending by $13 billion from 1997-2002 to be offset by closing corporate tax preferences and reinstating expired taxes. [1996 Senate Vote #115, 5/16/1996]

  It would seem that Senator McCain has forgotten all about the help which he received when he returned from Vietnam. He seems to forget a lot of things when it is convenient for him to do so. Should we remind the old man?

   This old liar does not have any business running the country that you and I live in.

   George Bush's third term? No thanks.

Technorati Tags: John McCain,elections,veterans,Republicans,TRICARE