Nearly a trillon dollar and still spending

$800 billion – nearly a trillion. That’s how much the U.S. government has spent so far on military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq since the so-called war on terror began in 2001. The US will have spent over a trillion dollar by the time the notorious George Bush leaves the office, according to the Independent newspaper dated 24 Oct 2007.

What a waste of money!!!

The results of those military operations so far: two countries torn into pieces; millions of innocent men, women and children killed; women windowed and subjected to rape and prostitution by coalition forces, children orphaned and their education stopped, people made homeless and poorer, and the list goes on and on.

And we still witness them in our sitting rooms everyday although with no more emotion. Words cannot simply describe the ongoing pain and suffering of Afghans and Iraqis whose lives have been turned upside down by the atrocious actions of the occupying forces of the US and its allies.

Is this how the US and the West introduce democracy and work to bring “stability” and “security” to the world. Hundreds of books can be written on WHY they really went for war. But let’s return to the trillion dollar issue.

Let’s see what a trillion dollar can do for the benefit of the humanity.

It costs an estimated $196 billion per year to stop people around the world dying from starvation and common diseases like hunger, pneumonia, diarrhoea, tuberculosis, malaria and measles.

22 developed countries pledged in the past to contribute 0.7% of their national income to combat poverty and diseases every year. That would bring a collective contribution of $195 billons.

We know that only a handful of countries have kept their pledge and the rest are slow to meet the target. Whatever the contribution, it is very little because thousands of people still die of starvation and diseases every day.

The American wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have only exasperated and expanded human suffering and poverty to an unprecedented level.

But If the US wished, they alone could meet the target of $195 billions every year for many years. This would also put them in line with their alleged intentions to make the world a better safer place for everyone to live in.

Had the US spent a trillion dollar the good way – it would make poverty and the common diseases disappear from the lives of millions of people around the world for FIVE GOOD YEARS. It would also make the world a better and pleasant place for them to live.

Why don’t they spend it the good way?. Well they choose to spend it the wrong way – spend it on unnecessary wars which have so far led to mass destruction of human lives and worldwide chaos.

Where do they get this huge amount of money from?. Some of the US national revenue comes from selling battle weapons, bombs, fighter jets, missiles etc to its allies and other countries. More importantly, a considerable amount comes from our poor countries which pay billions of dollars in interest for loans that they borrowed.

The U.S with its vast financial and other resources could greatly enhance the quality of life of world people if there was a sane regime in power willing to make a positive contribution to the humanity. It appears as though that won’t happen until there is a regime change there.