We moved to Belize 5 years ago today. Of course that coincides with the horrendous events in New York City, that has changed the world that we now live in.
I am no longer immersed in the media of the UK, but now feast on the news of the US which today (September 11th 2006) is subjected to the political shenanigans of it’s politicians trying to score political points on the back of the 9/11 tragedy.
We are all guilty of believing that our governments know what they are doing. That our politicians know their jobs. That our parents knew how to raise us as children. That our bosses at work know what’s good for us and that they know the way to proceed in their businesses. That our religious leaders are divinely inspired and know what they are talking about.
We are all guilty of handing over control of our lives to a 3rd party who we put our trust in and we are all continually let down by leaders who abuse their positions in power. We do not ask questions because we assume that someone else has done this for us. We assume that in government, checks are put in place to stop the abuse of power crazy leaders like George Bush and Saddam Hussein. We are wrong.
In Belize politicians of the government are continually sucking cash out of the country, . The local people have no idea that the Social Security funds that belong to them have been squandered by lawless politicians, that their government plays ping pong with the local Telecoms’ company BTL, which owns the monopoly on the Telecommunications business in Belize. For the cash benefit of a privileged few. That government cash funds and land set up to inspire local business and individuals to prosper are handed out to friends and family like free tickets to a concert.
Today, September 11th 2006, George Bush made another of his speeches for peace in his relentless way, referring to Iraq again and again on a day that had nothing to do with the Iraq war. Yet the American public has been hoodwinked into believing that the Iraq war is directly linked to the war on terror and the 9/11 attacks.
The American public has been badly let down by its government as has the British Public. Bush continually tells us that he wants peace before spending the majority of his speeches talking about war!!! I think a peace loving person would probably spend his time talking about making alliances, friends, relationships with other countries and not devoting the majority of his Christian inspired life fighting wars. As “Pink” recently sung, Bush has come “a long way since whisky and cocaine”.
I repeat again for anyone who does not understand what happened “There has been no provable connection between the former Iraqi regime and the 9/11 attacks”
And lets be real about this. If there was a connection, the US government would have moved heaven and earth to have found it and justify their war in Iraq.
So what the hell are the US/UK forces doing there?
We assume that our leaders know what’s best for us even when Israel bombs the crap out of Lebanon. All of the sane people of the world demand an immediate ceasefire. Apart from the US and the UK governments.
I do not know what inspires Tony Blair. But George Bush wears his faith on his sleeve. He insistently tells the world that he knows best. That he knows what these fanatical terrorists are going to do, if we don’t stop them. He tells his American public that the US has to bring the fight to the terrorists because him and his warmongers in the Pentagon know best. And the people all assume that their government does know best.
How does he know whats good for America? How does he know what these terrorists are going to do next? Is he a mind reader? If he knows what these terrorists are going to do why didn't he stop the attacks in the first place.
We live in a crazy world where peoples’ perceptions of reality are manipulated so easily by media and by governments. Fanaticism or extremism or addiction or any other way you want to describe something just doesn’t work. We all need a healthy balance in life. We do not need our addictions or fanatical beliefs. So lets hope that the Muslim extremism and hatred for the West can be kept in check and eradicated. Lets hope that Bin Laden can be caught and tried for his crimes. Lets hope that George Bush can be caught and tried for his war crimes. And lets hope that after 1,000s of years of fighting we can finally learn to live together in a world that benefits us all.
And that our competitive tendencies and primitive tribal urges can be satisfied on the field of sport and not on the field of war.
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Eloquently put and well considered and a huge here here from me too. I live in Indonesia and if you want another great example of a corrupt government then this is the 6th most corrupt on Earth (Transparency Index 2006).
Why is it that the American public and media are so fooled by the Bush (and no doubt the next) administration. It seems as intoxicated with its own military power as the fantasies and fictions of Hollywood. Bush and Blair claim that the Islamic torrorists are focused on ending western civilation as we know it. This is simply a lie! A lie to create the paranoia needed to keep Bush in power (which has worked well for him). The Islamic terrorists are againt American FOREIGN POLICY in the middle east, most notably the non stop support for the brutal Israeli regime. Islamic extremists may well have issues with perceived decadence and liberalism but that is not the main reason for their atrocities (source: ex Head of the CIA Bin Laden Unit).
As with most conflicts here in Indonesia, the real reason for violence in the world is that a peaceful world is not a profitable world and wherever there is a conflict there is a financial reason somewhere in it. High oil prices, arms sales and reconstruction projects have benefited an elite few....the Bush family is top of that list.
I'm with you Andy, even I don't want to beleive its true .... sadly however it is possible to be flaberghastingly corrupt and still smile to the camera.
glad to c somone else is not hoodwinked by the sham of the world today
the united nations was formed to stop wars.
and as for america when did they ever win a war entirely on there own???
Very well said Andy. It is difficult being an American and living here near New York City and being effected by these tragedies first hand, you kind of want revenge or to beleive your leaders.
Much of the world can not understand how these events have effected the states of NY, NJ and CT...It is a constant reminder everyday of what happened when you go to work, turn on the radio or just sometimes drive through your town. In NJ...Just about Someone, somewhere from every town died on that day.
Unfortunately "The American Public" does not have a choice on what to beleive and do. George Bush does what he wants, when he wants, he he wants and does not really care about his people.
Many people in the country "Including myself" were against the war but it still happened. We have no control over what his actions are and what motivates him and drives him to do the things he does.
Now, the American public has had an awakening over the past year in knowing that our leaders are not leading us...they are leading themselves.
I also feel that American's were so desperate for action on what happened on 9/11 that we would back anything up or anyone that said the "EVIL DO'ERS" were here, there or on the moon.
The War and agenda in my opinion was planned to happen even before 9/11 and this was just an excuse to make it happen.
The country is definitely leaning towards the democrat wing which is awesome and I can't wait to get that "BUSH" out of office.
But until then, we are stuck with him and Bin Laden is still on the loose.
Excellent article. I think it was Eisenhower who warned against the emergence of the Military Industrial Complex & this is exactly what we have now.
The companies profiting hugely from war are also inextricably linked to Bush & his cronies - anyone in business knows that sales budgets always go up every year - so if you are supplying arms to the US Military in 2006, you have to supply MORE arms in 2007.
To achieve peace, it will take some mighty corporations to accept huge revenue drops - that isn't going to happen - winning that war will be infinitely more difficult than any actual armed conflict.
As also being a person that works in NYC and know that his young daughter's best friend's dad persished in the towers there is a constant fear of "the next" terror attack in New York. Yesterday as I was riding into the city from Long Island as we approached the city all service was halted into NYC. A suspicious package had been found. It turned out to have been a false alarm. But this is just one of the many constant reminders we endure here that life has definately changed after 9/11. In fact our Terror Alert which is at orange (second highest to red) has NOT been brought down since 9/11.
One of the only comforts we do have is the releif that not another terror attack has occured here or in the U.S. Is this due to the Bush policy? Of taking the war to the terrorist in Iraq? I don't have the answers to those questions. I do know that before Bush there was two major terrorist attempts on NYC during the Clinton administration ( the first attack on the WTC was in 1993 and after that there was a ring of islamists that were caught and had plans to blow up major targets in NYC). There may eventually be another terror attack after Bush but for now I come to work every day feeling like at least he's doing something about it. And I feel it may be working.
Are the American people hoodwinked by Bush ? I don't think so.
I'm in the Uk and it's the same here, you can make a case for the great british public being fooled but they seldom are. What you are seeing is an acceptence because these matters don't effect the private lives of the mases. While lives ok at home they don't care what goes on abroad.
But, and in fear of being branded as a Bush supporter, when you concider the actions over the last five years by polititions you have concider the world did change with 9/11 and in the UK we were reminded of this fact when our own stuck on the London Underground. The action of polititions since have to be examined with that in mind, people do extraordanary things when their backs are against the wall, in war with fear in their heart.
Some time back in DC there was a prostitute named Teresa Howell who worked under the name Summer Breeze. She died in 2003 and the coroner said it was because she was drunk and fell down her stairs.
John Berlau, a hack journalist with Reason and Insight got fascinated with this and for all anyone knows maybe he had already been fascinated with her, hard to say at this point in time.
No matter why, he did his own investigation of a sort. He went after people who knew her and posted on various prostitution related web sites. I don't know where this got him but it may have been the beginning of his association with the so called sex trade.
John Berlau has worked with the police at least once and maybe more. He did this in the DC area. He helped set up both prostitutes and their customers.
When you got busted the way it worked was that if you would work with John on some book or project he is doing, the police would let you go, but, if you would not work with Berlau, you would be arrested on a prostitution or soliciting charge.
So this is just some friendly advice and stay away from anything that seems to be tied up to this guy Berlau or any of a number of conservative projects. Some of them are REASON magazine and the Competitive Enterprise Institute. At least once he’s worked with a woman posing as a prostitute. Two likely ones are Solveig Singleton and Julie DeFalco, both at CEI right now. But both are brunettes and the rumor is that the woman was a blond but that’s what wigs are for I suppose!
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