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The New York Times calcuates that, for the amount spent on the Iraq War, the US could have paid for universal health care, nursery education for 3-4 year olds, free immunisation programmes for children globally and still have half the money left. What a wasted opportunity for America to join the modern world.

Yes that is one way of looking at it but death and destruction is still more profitable it seems.

Cynical but true.

GWB's mates in the arms and oil industry are hardly philantropists. Much better that US tax dollars go to them than improving education, healthcare, housing, inner cities etc.

Hey!!

Just another case of the rich getting richer through the suffering (one way and another) of not just the poor but the not so rich!! Which ever party is in power money still governs EVERY decision they make. The biggest concerns make the biggest party "Donations" and help get that second term
which they al crave so much. And what do you know it seems that the oil and arms industrys have the most money at the moment. Well I wonder why?? The whole thing makes me sick to my stomach!!

As I wrote someone recently, we have a government of big business, by big business, and for big business.
I retain some hope when the Demos get in power, but not a whole lot...not sure they are much better.

I agree! I heard that when former pres. Clinton was in office he created more jobs for people. But if you remember those jobs were MINIMUM WAGE jobs. (Jah work tree jobs mon!) We're still trying to solve this problem by raising the minimum wage but it still ain't enough. These democtrats are what they call "centerists" or "moderate" dems. They are suppose to appeal to everybody or more for the republicans.

You must remember American politicians are backed to the hilt by Rockwell, General Dynanics, Lockheed etc, the World's biggest arms makers. As Dave Mustaine wrote "killing is my business, and business is good". America will fight war anywhere as long as it isn't on their home soil.

Yeah, you're dead right. Of course most of the $500 billion spent has been lost but a lot of it's gone back to the American rich. Plus $20 billion of Iraqi money that vanished in the first months of the occupation (went to American contractors to build stuff that was never built).

That's why America loses, along with Iraq - only American billionaires have won.

One of the ways that American democracy has been hobbled is that there's no genuine left any more (since the 50s). You have right-of-centre Dems and right wing Republicans, with a straight choice of one or the other. America doesn't have a multi-party democracy like most European states do. And of course both Dems and Reps are up to their eyes in big business corruption.

America - All the gear, but no idea.