This past Wednesday April 12, 2017, the Opinion Section of the Schenectady Daily Gazette published a letter by Mr. Lief Larsen. It was titled "Others should be outraged over Syria."
Mr. Larsen talked about the atrocities in Syria (against civilians) and said the following:
"The USA responded with force to that use of banned chemical weapons (by the Assad regime) and rightfully so in my opinion." He also asked: "Where is the rest of the world? Is it assumed by others that it is America's sole responsibility to police the world against these kinds of crimes? I think not. I think that other nations should take a hard look at which direction their moral compass is pointing."
I think that the rest of the world is looking and wonders where president Trump got the proof that Assad, the Syrian president, gassed those families. I suspect that this latest US missile strike reminds the rest of the world (and many Americans- including me) of how the Iraqi war started- with faulty intelligence, or lies by George W. Bush and his administration.
And now it is the Trump administration that seems to be positioning for war. In fact, several days ago the US dropped a huge non-atomic bomb on Afghanistan's terrorist hide outs, or underground tunnels.
The world also sees how US confrontations are escalating with Russia on a weekly basis, and how accusations are fueled by many American politicians and the mainstream media. They are inciting and feeding the fire (war rhetoric) by constantly accusing Russia of being an aggressor.
The world asks these questions; Who is the world's bully? Who is the real aggressor? Is it Russia or the USA? So, let's look at the facts, instead of listening to US propaganda.
The US has military bases all over the world. Russia has only a few. The USA has about 20 aircraft carriers. Russia no more than three! The US has NATO troops on the borders with Russia! Russia has none on our borders!
According to the WORLD MILITARY BALANCE REPORT, the US spends a lot more, than Russia (double- 50% more). In 2015 the USA spent as much as 11 rich countries! Which include China, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, Russia, India, France, Japan, Germany, South Korea Brazil and Australia! The US military budget in 2015 was almost $600 billion! $597 BILLION to be exact! (Source: www.businessinsider.com/us-military-spending-dwarfs-rest-of…)
Mr. Larsen, don't you think that this is immoral? When there are almost 47 million Americans living in poverty? And 800 million poor in the world? Isn't this a taxpayer waste of resources? Millions that could be better used to fund the US economy? By investing in clean renewable energy, saving the environment, funding research and education (instead of slashing them!), and investing also on needed social programs for working families?
No, instead President Trump is proposing to increase military spending by 10% in FY 2018 (an increase of $54 billion), in addition he wants to cut education by 13.5%, cut the EPA, health care, medicare, and many other programs that benefit the middle class.
Isn't this an outrage!? Don't you think that the world sees this hypocrisy? I do, and so many Americans! And that's not all! This president has already spent over 20 million on golf trips to Florida! And there's more! Trump is on pace to surpass 8 years of Obama travel spending! And he's only been in office several months! I wonder how big his tab will be by the time he leaves office! Remember we're paying his tab with our tax dollars!
On 12 April, Trump spent millions in bombing Syria, but now he plans on cutting foreign aid, and DOESN'T CARE THAT 20 MILLION ARE ON THE BRINK OF STARVATION! On April 12, I also read, and was saddened by an article (also published in the Schenectady Gazette), written by Max Bearak and Laris Karklis, both from the Washington Post. It was titled: "Wars in four countries brings famine to 20M!"
I quote only one paragraph below, that tells you how the US, and Britain, contribute the suffering of poor African nations.
"The physical destruction has mostly been the work of the Saudi-led coalition – advised and supplied by the United States, Britain and others – that has sided with Yemen’s Sunni president against the Houthis, a Shiite militia that controls the capital, Sanaa, and much of the country’s western coast." (Source: https://www.abqjournal.com/986243/starving-to-death-wars-in-four-countries-have-left-20-million-people-on-the-brink.html)
Mr. Larsen, I suspect that we get our news information from different sources. I personally look at many news sources, because that's the only way to tell the truth form propaganda. I read local and major newspapers, the Internet and Italian news.
So, it is fair to say that the rest of the civilized world asks why the US accuses others (lately Russia) to be the aggressor and others of being murderers, when the US has its share of sins!? I'll just mention its past wars, like the Iraq war and the policy of regime change (like the ones in Iraq and Libya). Which have resulted in millions of refugees fleeing their countries and seeking safety and peace in Europe. Has president Trump shown compassion and opened the doors to these miserable people? No! That's what the world sees too! A president and his administration that has no heart! NO COMPASSION!
So, I am not convinced, and neither is the rest of world, by this missile attack, for this simple fact; Syrian children have been dying, left and right, and this president doesn't care enough to intervene to stop the slaughter and destruction!
It is evident that many US media outlets have become one sided; they present a distorted side, a crooked portray of facts- partial pictures of the facts/truth. The media paints a pro-war and anti- peace reality; it paints distorted views, half truths and incomplete truths. In other words, the media is manipulated by self serving interests (the war/defense industry/ business) that aim to deceive the public with the objective to convince Americans that the only solution is bombing other countries, and/or starting another war.
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