Perhaps the CIA is not the most reliable, but based on the statement on the page you directed me to, they admit to being biased right out of the box.
My source is the CDI. From everything I have heard of them, they are a very reliable source:
"History
CDI was founded in 1972 by recently-retired, senior U.S. military officers. CDI became an independent monitor of the Pentagon, and a watchdog on wasteful defense spending. In the 1980s, it played an active role in the debate about U.S. nuclear arms programs, such as the deployment of the MX mobile missile. CDI worked with grass-roots groups, state governors, church leaders, civic groups and national policy-makers on these issues. CDI also is credited with having produced in the 1980s, the first detailed analysis of so-called black programs at the Pentagon – projects so secret that their budgets are hidden from public scrutiny.
CDI has evolved into one of the foremost organizations in the nation conducting security-related research – and is unique among major think tanks in its policy of total independence from vested interests.
The Board of Directors and staff include retired military officers, former U.S. government officials, and civilians expert in a wide range of domestic and international security, defense and military arenas.
Through a variety of publications and services, CDI provides information and analyses to policy-makers around the globe – including the U.S. Congress, government, international agencies, the media and the public. On television, radio, the Internet, and in print, CDI serves as an authoritative, impartial monitor of global security issues, while continuing to meet the increasing worldwide demand for information and independent ideas."
As I have said before, military personnel wages are higher in the US than China. We have expended much on pursuing the liberation of Iraq, reducing our stockpiles and other non-recurring military expenditures. China has no foreign bases to spend on. They are stockpiling weapons at a very rapid pace.
True but then they are funding Vietnam, N. Korea and other satellites they control. Frankly, I think getting an accurate defense number for China must be fairly difficult. Having said that, the rest of the countries on the military spending list are so far down from the US that I firmly believethat American spending is way out of line......notwithstanding the above info you posted.
China is engaged in a conflict over maritime rights with Japan who is preventing China from mapping the sea bottom near a Southern Island. China is believed to be interested in this to prepare for submarine war with the US. China is preparing for war with the US.
This is conjecture nothing more. And its a form of conjecture that is reinforced with a kind of paranoia that is all too pervasive among certain groups in this country. I believe it is why defense spending is so high.
Apparently, her looks have kept you from truly hearing her words.......they so full of anger and prejudice that you have to wonder what was done to her as a child. Keep her in the forefront and the right can be assured the schism between the right and the left will grow deeper.>/i>
She is not in the forefront of the right. She is a useful warrior to countervail the relentless leftist dogmatic attack machine. I watched her against the chairman of the California Dem party; he interrupted her every time she spoke, her called her names and made accusations of her veracity. She calmly kept repeating her points and used facts to rebut his dogmatic biased attacks. He came off looking like a partisan political lap dog.
Sorry, Peter, she is not "a useful warrior for the right". She encourages and promotes the schism that is growing between the red and blue voters. She is dangerous and clearly unAmerican.
The left has attacked every successful communicator for the right. The louder you get about people like Coulter the more credibility she must have. The leftist unethical are A OK, but let an effective communicator emerge on the right and they must be attacked.
I disagree. There are communicators from the right who are not offensive........people like Frist or Buchanan or McCain. I may not believe in their politics but I do not feel angry or slimed after they finish speaking. People like Hannity, Coulter, Rush and O'Reilly do your cause a disservice. They are the equivalent of the mullahs of Iran or the leaders of Hamas. Their language is a language of hate and defiance and arrogance. I am very sorry that you don't see it. If people like you and Tim Fowler who are the more reasonable members of the right don't object to the ugly spin coming from these distasteful people, then there can be no healing of the schism that exists between right and left.
ted |
