Another reason economists are dorks!

Wed, 30 Jul 2003 01:28:18 -0400, ,
"Eric S. Sande" wrote:

163 and counting.

When there's 3000 dead Americans in Iraq, will that equal 911?

Out of line.

Yes, how very UnCanadian of me.

Take a few minutes to cool off.

That was stone cold. That's what it has thus far cost in real terms
using numbers people can relate to.

If that ain't it, then what is the formula for the "exit strategy"?

5:4 / 2004?
--
zk

"Kevan Smith" /\/\ wrote in message
...
On Wed, 30 Jul 2003 04:15:46 GMT, Mark Hickey from
Habanero
Cycles wrote:

OK then, how much is it worth to liberate 25 million Iraqis and remove
a destabilizing influence from the near east?

That would be worth something. Instead, we put 25 million Iraqis under
martial
law, subject to random incarceration and fear of death and managed to
destablize
at least three borders in the region. That's not worth a plug nickle.

It's only been a couple of months. You can't fix 25 years of idiocy in 90
days.

One option to the current situation would be to just leave. Pack up all the
troops, tanks and aircraft, and just leave. We did that last time (sort of,
except for the aircraft), and it did not go over well. The Iraqi's ready to
overthrow Saddam felt abandoned, and they were. We left them hanging in the
breeze. Then they were persecuted and slaughtered by Saddam.

The other option would have been to let Saddam continue with his previous
practices. Snubbing the UN, killing his own people and neighbors. Would that
have been preferable? Wait until he attacks someone else? Kuwait again,
maybe? Or Jordan? Or wipes out Israel, as was his desire.

Eventually, the Iraqi population will decide their own form of government.
Preferably one that we like, with our guidance, but maybe not. But they will
get to choose.

Give it a little time.

Pete

In article ,
"Eric S. Sande" writes:

It doesn't matter. Counting bodies is sick, no matter who
does it.

You said it! But there, unfortunately, /is/ a body count,
and it's rising.

Maybe it's time to question whether it's worth it?


cheers,
Tom

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In article ,
Kevan Smith /\/\ writes:
On Wed, 30 Jul 2003 05:55:37 GMT, "Pete" from Road Runner High
Speed Online http://www.rr.com wrote:

One option to the current situation would be to just leave.

I like that option. I bet the Iraqi people would, too.

A lot of 'em just want their jobs & electricity back.

They note the oil is flowing again okay.


cheers,
Tom

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Pete wrote:

Eventually, the Iraqi population will decide their own form of government.
Preferably one that we like, with our guidance, but maybe not. But they will
get to choose.

Sarcasm can be so humorous.
--
terry

Kevan Smith /\/\ wrote:

On Wed, 30 Jul 2003 04:15:46 GMT, Mark Hickey from Habanero
Cycles wrote:

OK then, how much is it worth to liberate 25 million Iraqis and remove
a destabilizing influence from the near east?

That would be worth something. Instead, we put 25 million Iraqis under martial
law, subject to random incarceration and fear of death and managed to destablize
at least three borders in the region. That's not worth a plug nickle.

Yeah, they were all living in paradise under Saddam, and the middle
east was a peaceful, stable region, and all Iraq's neighbors were
responsible and cooperative with a goal of peace in the region -
right?

Oh, and I'm sure the Iraqis would MUCH rather have hundreds of
thousands more of their citizens offed by the Baath thugs than have
the US occasionally kill a hostile goon with an AK-47, right?

If the Iraqis would have risen up to try to overthrow Saddam, the body
count would have been horrendous. As it is, they got off very easy.

Of course you would prefer to let Saddam go on killing and oppressing
the Iraqis rather than giving them a chance at self-government - which
is odd since you seem to be so in favor of self-government when it
comes to commerce.

But I'm with Bob Hunt on this one - arguing politics with you is like
teaching that pig to sing.

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

(Tom Keats) wrote:

In article ,
Mark Hickey writes:

OK then, how much is it worth to liberate 25 million Iraqis

How much do you get for it?

I hope we get a representative democracy in the middle of an area that
is ruled by oppressive dictators currently. I hope the Iraqis set
such an example for their neighbors that the population in the rest of
the region demands the same.

That's what I hope to "get for it".

Mark Hickey
Habanero Cycles
http://www.habcycles.com
Home of the $695 ti frame

Kevan Smith /\/\ wrote in
:

On Wed, 30 Jul 2003 04:15:46 GMT, Mark Hickey
from Habanero Cycles wrote:

OK then, how much is it worth to liberate 25 million Iraqis and
remove a destabilizing influence from the near east?

That would be worth something. Instead, we put 25 million Iraqis
under martial law, subject to random incarceration and fear of
death and managed to destablize at least three borders in the
region. That's not worth a plug nickle.

And what condition were they under prior to that? By the way are you
one of those instant gratification types, obviously not a history
major.

"one of the six billion" wrote in message ...
He's complaining about $6.2 million being spent over a whole year to
accomodate people who want to ride their bikes as transportation when the
U.S. is spending almost $4 billion a month to occupy Iraq, more than $130
million every day, $5 million every hour.


So in total, how long does it take the feds to spend $6.2 million? About 8 seconds?

Austin

Wed, 30 Jul 2003 15:41:55 GMT,
, Mark Hickey
wrote:


So tell me - how many US lives IS having a democracy in the near east
worth?

No, I won't waste my breath.

You, explain to their mothers how it was worth it.
--
zk