U.S. needs to keep fire tanker funding
Oakland Tribune, Nov 27, 2005
WHILE trying to slash billions of dollars from the federal budget to help cover the costs of the Iraq war and Hurricane Katrina, the Bush administration wants to cut funding, a move that would ground much of the federal fire-fighting tanker fleet.
This would be a bad idea.
Think Telco execs don't think they did anything wrong complying with the government's warrantless wiretap requests, well take a look at to whom they're donating their money.
Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-West Virignia) has found himself on the receiving end of 10s of thousands in donations from telephone company executives this year. A level of donation that is is stark contrast to an previous year.
One month before the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Saddam Hussein offered to go into exile in exchange of $1 Billion. Contrast that with the Bush Administration's current request for another $195 Billion to continue the war.
Each day seems to bring another excuse Bush can use to justify his forthcoming war with Iran. Today comes news of Iran firing shells into Iraq. That's an actual, honest to God, act of war.
Reuters has the story of the shelling. It seems that independence minded Kurds are not only a thorn in Turkey's side, but in Iran's as well. As a result, Iran is shelling rebel positions on the Iraq side of the border.
And it should be the law: If you use the word `paradigm' without knowing what the dictionary says it means, you go to jail. No exceptions. -- David Jones