Promoting stable democracies and all, in the middle east, and elsewhere, is a laudable objective, worthy of great consideration. There are many options, paths and strategies towards that objective.
The administration seems to polarize the debate by implying there is only one such strategy -- direct and bloody intervention -- and if you are against that, you are against promoting stable democracies in the middle east. A true falsehood. Alternative to violent intervention is a strategy to raise the level of access to education at all levels of society, better health and nutrition in impovershed areas, etc. Instead of sending warriors and bombs, consider the alternative result if those war funds had been focussed as a huge infusion to the middle east to improve education and health. Take the figures below for education and health. Multiple by 5-10 for lower costs to provide in Middle east. Then leverage by a factor of 5 or so by matching contributions by oil states, and an encouraged EU community for such a venture. Both adjustments together creating a factor of 25-50. Target ALL three objectives below, that is triple the cost, and the new factor become 10-15x. Extend the time frame for head start and medical issurance from 1 to ten years. Switch funds around to target about 100 milllion. Adjust accordingly. Thusly, the following could be provided in the middle east: 160 million students four-year scholarships at public universities. which could be implemeted as 16 million students four-year scholarships at public universities over an entire decade. 90 million children to attend a year of Head Start FOR TEN YEARS. 102 million children provided medical insurance for for TEN years. There are only 230 million total population in the middle east. Assuming 1/3 of this would be of school age over 10 years, thats about 80 million. Use the "surplus" for outlying areas -- afganistan, parts of pakistan, etc. What is the probability the result of such be * any worse than the current situation? * significantly better than the current situation? ====================== --- In [email protected], new.morning <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > The War in Iraq Costs in Iowa $2,601,252,922 > > The War in Iraq Costs in US $343,557,944,110 > > Instead, we could have provided > > 16,654,940 students four-year scholarships at public universities. > > 45,504,402 children to attend a year of Head Start. > > 205,723,584 children provided medical insurance for for one year. > > > http://nationalpriorities.org/index.php?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=182 > > Slice and dice it in many ways. >
