Results tagged “iraq” from theInput.net

Solar Power Rocks brings us an unabridged bar graph comparing the cost of the War in Iraq versus energy R&D investments in 2007.

Tallest. Bar Graph. Ever.

The precipitous fall of the US Dollar in the world currency market is no secret, and with the current administration and its policies, I see no end in sight. The Financial Times brings us a chart from Sempra Metals that details just how bad the situation has become (click to enlarge):

• The US dollar has now lost more than a third of its value (-35%) against a basket of major currencies since Feb 2002.
• The decline is accelerating. The USD has shed -12.5% of its value in the last year, -3.5% in the last month, and -1.5% in the last week alone.

This is scary data. Made even scarier by the fact that the US Dollar would be even lower if foreign countries like China were not buying our debt. This exacerbates the problem by making us beholden to countries, like China, with bad human rights records and incompatible moral outlooks.

Combine this with the real estate market crash in the US, the ongoing and expensive conflict in Iraq (to say nothing of the Bush Administration's inflamatory actions towards Iran as of late, and possibly hinting at their want for armed conflict with Iran), and the terribly botched foreign policy decisions of this administration (most recently the monetary support and other aid given to Musharraf, military dictator of Pakistan, who recently declared martial law and has squashed any hope of democracy for now in Pakistan), and its hard to see any way for the US to avoid an economic depression.

Even US culture is reflecting an awareness that US economic might is no longer top dog.

The first signs? Exhibit A: the new Jay-Z (a popular rap artist in the US) music video "Blue Magic" features the rapper no longer brandishing large denomination, (mostly) green US Dollar bills as a symbol of wealth - he's now brandishing large denomination Euro bills. Even American rappers get it.

When will this administration get it? When will they change their economic and foreign policies to steer this Titanic away from her iceberg?

I hope soon, and if not, I hope the next administration has enough time to repair the damage.

Once again, the Bush administration proves its track record of providing immunity and escape routes to those screwing up under their watch. The Associated Press reports on the routine immunity granted to private contractors that is interfering with the investigation into the killings of 17 Iraqi civilians, causing an uproar in the Iraqi government:

The immunity deals, first reported by The Associated Press, have delayed the U.S. criminal inquiry of the Sept. 16 shootings that has enraged Iraqis.

Senior law enforcement officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the ongoing investigation, said the legal protections offered by the State Department could derail prosecution if investigators are unable to unearth other evidence from a crime scene now six weeks old.

In Baghdad, the Iraqi government approved draft legislation lifting immunity for foreign private security companies — one of the nation's most serious disputes with the U.S. since last month's shooting. Iraq is demanding the right to launch its own prosecution of the Blackwater bodyguards despite the company's insistence they acted in self-defense.

Initial reports and investigations have found that the attacks on the Iraqi civilians by Blackwater contractors were unprovoked and in violation of applicable Iraqi laws. The immunity deals that have been extended prevent official reports and statements from being used as evidence against the Blackwater agents involved.

The Bush administration can't seriously consider further protecting Blackwater in the face of mounting evidence pointing to the atrocities committed by Blackwater in Iraq. Blackwater's actions speak of exactly the kind of evil America has long claimed they've been fighting, and protecting these mercenaries will only further expose American hypocrisy and lead to even more resentment abroad, further helping terrorist cells in their recruitment efforts.