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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Tenchusatsu who wrote (272525)	2/6/2006 6:00:58 PM
From: Alighieri	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1573943

Read and weep....Al =================================== Iraq Failing to give UN weapons inspectors enough time to certify if weapons existed in Iraq. Making a case for war which ignored intelligence that there were no Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq. Failing to build a real international coalition prior to the Iraq invasion, forcing the US to shoulder the full cost and consequences of the war. Approving the demobilization of the Iraqi Army in May, 2003 – bypassing the Joint Chiefs of Staff and reversing an earlier position, the President left hundreds of thousands of armed Iraqis disgruntled and unemployed, contributing significantly to the massive security problems American troops have faced during occupation. Having no real plan for the occupation of Iraq. Not equipping troops in Iraq with adequate body armor or armored HUMVEES. Ignoring the advice Gen. Eric Shinseki regarding the need for more troops in Iraq – now Bush is belatedly adding troops, having allowed the security situation to deteriorate in exactly the way Shinseki said it would if there were not enough troops. Ignoring plans drawn up by the Army War College and other war-planning agencies, which predicted most of the worst security and infrastructure problems America faced in the early days of the Iraq occupation. Deriding "nation-building" during the 2000 debates, then engaging American troops in one of the most explicit instances of nation building in American history. Predicting along with others in his administration that US troops would be greeted as liberators in Iraq. Predicting Iraq would pay for its own reconstruction. Wildly underestimating the cost of the war. Trusting Ahmed Chalabi, who has dismissed faulty intelligence he provided the President as necessary for getting the Americans to topple Saddam. Disbanding the Sunni Baathist managers responsible for Iraq's water, electricity, sewer system and all the other critical parts of that country's infrastructure. Including discredited intelligence concerning Nigerian Yellow Cake in his 2003 State of the Union. Announcing that "major combat operations in Iraq have ended" aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln on May 1, 2003, below a "Mission Accomplished" banner – more U.S. soldiers have died in combat since Bush's announcement than before it. Refusing to cede any control of Post-invasion Iraq to the international community, meaning reconstruction has received limited aid from European allies or the U.N. Limiting bidding on Iraq construction projects to "coalition partners," unnecessarily alienating important allies France, Germany and Russia. Diverting $700 million into Iraq invasion planning without informing Congress. Failing to account for $900M of Iraqi reconstruction funds. Showing Iraqis what Democracy is all about by shutting down an Iraqi newspaper for "inciting violence" – the move, which led in short order to street fighting in Fallujah, incited more violence than the newspaper ever had. Counterterrorism Focusing on missile defense at the expense of counterterrorism prior to 9/11. Thinking al Qaeda could not attack without state sponsors, and ignoring evidence of a growing threat unassociated with "rogue states" like Iraq or North Korea. Threatening to veto the Homeland Security department – The President now concedes such a department "provides the ability for our agencies to coordinate better and to work together better than it was before." Opposing the creation of the September 11th commission, which the President now expects "to contain important recommendations for preventing future attacks." Denying documents to the 9/11 commission, only relenting after the commissioners threatened a subpoena. Failing to pay more attention to an August 6, 2001 PDB entitled "Bin laden Determined to Attack in U.S." Repeatedly ignoring warnings of terrorists planning to use aircraft before 9/11. Asking for testimony before the 9/11 commission be limited to one hour, a position from which the president later backtracked. Not allowing national Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice to testify before the 9/11 commission – Bush changed his mind as pressure mounted. Telling Americans there was a link between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda. Failing to adequately secure the nation's nuclear weapons labs. Afghanistan Reducing resources and troop levels in Afghanistan and out before it was fully secure. Not committing US ground troops to the capture of Osama Bin Laden, when he was cornered in the Tora Bora region of Afghanistan in November, 2001. Not providing security in Afghanistan outside of Kabul, leaving nearly 80% of the Afghan population unprotected in areas controlled by Feudal warlords and local militias. Committing inadequate resources for the reconstruction of Afghanistan. Counting too heavily on locally trained troops to fill the void in Afghanistan once U.S. forces were relocated to Iraq. Allowing opium production to resume on a massive scale after the ouster of the Taliban. Weapons of Mass Destruction Opposing an independent inquiry into the intelligence failures surrounding WMD – later, upon signing off on just such a commission, Bush claimed he was "determined to make sure that American intelligence is as accurate as possible for every challenge in the future." Saying: "We found the weapons of mass destruction. We found biological laboratories." Trusting intelligence gathered by Vice President Cheney's and Secretary Rumsfeld's "Office of Special Plans." Spending $6.5 billion on nuclear weapons this year to develop new nuclear weapons this year – 50% more in real dollars than the average during the cold war – while shortchanging the troops on body armor. Foreign Policy Ignoring the importance of the Middle East peace process, which has deteriorated with little oversight or strategy evident in the region. Abandoning the United States' traditional role as an evenhanded negotiator in the Middle East peace process. Undermining the War on Terrorism by preemptively invading Iraq without the support of many of the world's powers losing their support in reconstruction and stabilization efforts. Causing significant harm to existing alliances by brushing aside any suggestions not aligned with a unilateral invasion of Iraq. Confusing namecalling for a specific plan to deal with North Korea or Iran, further radicalizing the two nations and accelerating their quest for nuclear weapons. Economic Running up a foreign deficit of "such record-breaking proportions that it threatens the financial stability of the global economy." Allowing the number or earmarked projects to grow by an order of magnitude in just five years. Failing to veto a single budget busting proposal. Taking no action to stem the outsourcing of American jobs. Passing tax cuts for the wealthy while falsely claiming "people in the 10 percent bracket" were benefiting most." Instituting steel tariffs deemed illegal by the World Trade Organization – later having to repeal them when the European Union pledged to impose retaliatory sanctions on up to $2.2 billion in exports from the United States. Pledging a "jobs and growth" package would create 1,836,000 new jobs by the end of 2003 and 5.5 million new jobs by 2004 and falling 1,615,000 jobs short of the mark. Issuing inaccurate budget forecasts accompanying proposals to reduce the deficit, omitting the continued costs of Iraq, Afghanistan and elements of Homeland Security. Moving to strip millions of overtime pay. Presiding over the near doubling of energy costs. Moving to allow greater media consolidation. Health Ignoring the needs of 45million Americans without health insurance. Allowing the figure to increase by 10% in five years. Not leveling with Americans about the cost of Medicare – the president told Congress his new Medicare bill would cost $400 billion over ten years despite conclusions by his own analysts the bill would cost upwards of $500 billion over that period. We now learn that it is more likely to cost $800B Silencing Medicare actuary Richard Foster when his estimates for the Administration's Medicare bill were too high. Underfunding health care for troops and veterans. Claiming the restrictions on stem cell research would not hamper medical progress. Environment Abandoning the Kyoto Treaty without offering an alternative for reducing greenhouse effect, even after promising to do so. Counting on a voluntary program to reduce emissions of harmful gasses—so far only a tiny fraction of American companies have signed up. Gutting clean air standards for aging power plants. Weakening energy efficiency standards. Weakening environmental standards for snowmobiles and other off-road vehicles while pushing for exemptions for air pollution proposals for five categories of industrial facilities. Opposing legislation that would require greater fuel efficiency for passenger cars. Reducing inspections, penalties for violations, and prosecution of environmental crimes. Misleading the public about the Washington mad cow case and the likely effectiveness of USDA's weak testing program. Withdrawing public information on chemical plant dangers, previously used to hold facilities accountable for safety improvements. Katrina Where to begin?