British Soldiers

Pongos can take agro as well as they can distribute it.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Many British seem oddly ignorant of the influence they exert over the many Americans who tend to view the UK like a brother-nation whose advice they are free to accept, argue with or disregard, anything except ignore it out of hand. Britain is the one country whose words seem to resonate in the US. Perhaps this respect is due more to the credibility of the British character, or maybe it is our shared history and common values, and perhaps it is also because America does not naturally doubt Britain’s motivations. Britain is the one country that can call the emperor naked, flagrantly say we are wrong, and not suffer animosity.

Brits, not Swedes.

[DanaC]

*chuckles* I like that.

[ZenGum]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Brits, not Swedes.

What about leeks?

[aimeecc]

Originally Posted by Sundae Girl

It's funny - Americans believe it important to look after people who choose to put their lives on the line. Nothing wrong with that, I'm pleased they do so. But they can't bear the idea (generalisation) that people might be trapped in poverty, choosing instead to believe that they choose to get pregnant at 14 to an older drug addict boyfriend and have no idea how to bring up a child and support it through school.

Americans look after the returning soldiers (who chose to serve) because they were doing a job for the nation. Uncle Sam told them to go fight. Many signed up for education benefits, not because they actually thought they would be shipped off to war (pre-9/11 recruits). America feels sorry for them, but also feels proud that they do not abandon ship and they go off and fight for a nation when they really only wanted money for college. Not saying these soldiers don't have patrioitism - they most certainly do. Its just that when they joined it was quasi peacetime. Many stay out of sense of duty and obligation, some see no other options that pay as well, and all want to go kick butt for 9/11. The post 9/11 generation (2001-2004 recruits) have a sense of patriotism and want to get back for 9/11. America applauds them. The greenest are ones that are either ultra patriotic and far right, or really have very few options to advance. America feels sorry for them, in different ways (ones naive and ones caught) and thus America supports them as well. You really don't see an outpouring of support for blackwater soldiers, who are viewed as hired guns/mercenaries for big corporate America that's making a buck (or two, or a million.. or billion) off the American taxpayers.

If you take a look at the girl caught in a cycle of poverty, Americans believe the various welfare programs as supporting her. They feel sorry for her, but there is no outpouring of support because she has not sacrficed her life for the nation, and there are several programs designed to assist her. The programs designed to assist vets are being overwhelmed, and thus need help. It can be argued the programs designed to help the girl are overwhelmed... but they've always been overwhelmed, so its no change to the status quo for one more girl to end up on welfare.

Just my perception...

[piercehawkeye45]

I wouldn't really say America looks after its veterans.

25% of veterans are homeless or 25% of homeless are veterans or something like that.

[aimeecc]

Maybe its that Americans make a big show out of attempts to take care of troops. They send care packages, and everyone cares when they first get home, with homecoming parades and organizations popping up left and right to ease their transition. A few months after returning home... the support is usually gone, except the feel good stories of hope and triumph, or the real heart breaking ones.

Also, the homeless ones... they are the ones that got lost in the system, didn't know where to go for help.. and are usually mentally ill.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by piercehawkeye45

I wouldn't really say America looks after its veterans.

25% of veterans are homeless or 25% of homeless are veterans or something like that.

I would have to disagree, I doubt that 25% of vetrans are homeless, the other may be true or it may be higher. But those life circumstances may or may not be related to the fact they served in the military. The reasons people are homeless or not, and some choose to stay that way has many causes, often in conjunction with alcohol and drug addiction. Most of those people with substance abuse issues have failed numerous attempts at rehab, many which were provided by the VA. At some point people need to stop blaming the system for their personal troubles and step up and accept responsibilty for their own behavior.

[classicman]

WASHINGTON (CNN) --Thu November 8, 2007

More than 25 percent of the homeless population in the United States are military veterans, although they represent 11 percent of the civilian adult population, according to a new report.

On any given night last year, nearly 196,000 veterans slept on the street, in a shelter or in transitional housing, the study by the Homelessness Research Institute found.

"Veterans make up a disproportionate share of homeless people," the report said. "This is true despite the fact that veterans are better educated, more likely to be employed and have a lower poverty rate than the general population.".

Sad but true - the why's and how's I do not know, but l think it sucks.

[piercehawkeye45]

I'm not sure but I think mental illness has a lot to do with it. War fucks you up.

[xoxoxoBruce]

A disproportionate percentage of the homeless, and veterans, are male.

[TheMercenary]

None of this changes the fact that personal responsibility plays a large part in this situation for the homeless, vet or not.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Part VI of VIII.

According to some American intelligence officials, “lethal aid” flowing into Iraq is a persistent problem. Most reports state that this aid comes from Syria and Iran. Now, I have traveled up and down the Iranian border and have yet to meet an Iraqi, American or British officer who claims to have captured lethal aid coming from Iran. I have met officers who have captured late-model Iranian munitions already in Iraq, but this in itself is hardly a smoking gun. In fact, having traveled extensively around Iraq, I believe that Iraq could earn a lot of money supplying lethal aid to Syria and Iran, because there is no shortage of weapons in Iraq. And there never has been.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Part VII of VIII

The Welsh Warriors, under Major Steve Webb, set off to recon hiding places for tonight’s VCPs, or vehicle control points. The idea was merely to surprise passersby and politely search their vehicles coming from the direction of Iran—the border was maybe three miles away—for things like surface-to-air missiles and EFPs. No weapons coming across the Iranian border have ever been captured by Coalition forces. Practically nobody lives near the crossing, and the border crossing closes at 1600, so any traffic after that would be suspicious.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Part VIII of VIII

Context is crucial when talking about corruption, whether on a large or small scale. Most of the world’s countries that I have been are openly corrupt. I lived in Poland for about two years and got an eye full. I’ve seen plenty of corruption in Nepal, India and Romania. Thailand is very corrupt and yet booming along. During a break from Iraq, I was in Indonesia in 2007, when police stopped my driver (and others) and took money. My driver just grinned sheepishly and handed it over, like paying a toll on I-75 in Florida. It’s so easy to focus on the corruption in Iraq as if the sky is falling, but countries where corruption is low are islands in a sea of corruption.

Corruption is like arthritis. Not itself a fatal disease, it grinds at the body and slows it down. Corruption makes a country hold itself in contempt. Contempt for having it, for not standing up to it, for casting one’s eyes down to the floor while handing over the change instead of saying NO. Corruption is the absence of justice. Certain types of corruption depend on intimidation and the willingness to be intimidated, and diminish the stature of the nation that allows it to occur. Institutionalized corruption diminishes that nation in the eyes of its own citizens, and in the eyes of the world. Yet it is the job of the Iraqis to stop the corruption. Coalition civilians are assisting with training, technical assistance and capacity building, but the job of the Coalition military at the border is to attempt to interdict lethal aid. The best ameliorate to corruption is a truly free press. Without free press, forget it.

At the border were British soldiers, an Australian captain named Bret Grosser, and three Americans working for Dyncorp. One of the Dyncorp employees mentioned that the x-ray machine was not being used, that its motor had about 500 hours on it from running an air conditioner, but the machine had only taken about 60 images. Word came, too, that Iraqi officials had told all their people to tell the Coalition that no lethal aid was coming through the border. However, some Iraqis admit that it does, including the material being taken by boat down the Shat al Arab River toward Basra.