Comments on: Dying for Crooks: US Troops in Afghanistan http://jimbovard.com/blog/2009/11/18/dying-for-crooks-us-troops-in-afghanistan/ Author James Bovard Mon, 15 Mar 2010 14:58:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Dirk W. Sabin http://jimbovard.com/blog/2009/11/18/dying-for-crooks-us-troops-in-afghanistan/#comment-122246 Dirk W. Sabin Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:58:20 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/?p=1274#comment-122246 One cannot offer much more than Mr. Baker and Mr. Blanton and so I'll simply leave off with a "....Oh, and this country's political system is not based upon backsheesh?" Washington advised against "foreign entanglements" in his Farewell Address. His namesake city , a kind of Freebooting City State thinks it is following tradition but the the only problem is, to Washington D.C., the rest of the country is foreign and everything beyond tax tribute is a foreign entanglement. They have bigger fish to fry everywhere but at home One cannot offer much more than Mr. Baker and Mr. Blanton and so I’ll simply leave off with a “….Oh, and this country’s political system is not based upon backsheesh?”

Washington advised against “foreign entanglements” in his Farewell Address. His namesake city , a kind of Freebooting City State thinks it is following tradition but the the only problem is, to Washington D.C., the rest of the country is foreign and everything beyond tax tribute is a foreign entanglement. They have bigger fish to fry everywhere but at home

]]> By: Jim http://jimbovard.com/blog/2009/11/18/dying-for-crooks-us-troops-in-afghanistan/#comment-122245 Jim Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:20:25 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/?p=1274#comment-122245 Tom - excellent link at the Sibel Edmonds's website. She continues as one of Washington's top hellraisers... Tom - excellent link at the Sibel Edmonds’s website. She continues as one of Washington’s top hellraisers…

]]> By: Jim http://jimbovard.com/blog/2009/11/18/dying-for-crooks-us-troops-in-afghanistan/#comment-122244 Jim Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:19:54 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/?p=1274#comment-122244 Tom, if Afghanistan was not more corrupt than the U.S., why would the Washington Post be writing about Afghan corruption on its front page? If we can't trust the Post, who can we trust? Tom, if Afghanistan was not more corrupt than the U.S., why would the Washington Post be writing about Afghan corruption on its front page?

If we can’t trust the Post, who can we trust?

]]> By: Tom Blanton http://jimbovard.com/blog/2009/11/18/dying-for-crooks-us-troops-in-afghanistan/#comment-122241 Tom Blanton Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:30:15 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/?p=1274#comment-122241 Ooops, I forget to answer the question about why any American agree to risk his neck to prop up this band of thieves. The answer is to prop up our own American band of thieves. American soldiers have a proud tradition of propping up American thieves - it's what they do. An interesting article about some of this is on Sibel Edmonds new site: http://www.boilingfrogspost.com/2009/11/09/in-the-name-of-a-general-his-son-a-spook-the-godmother-of-neocons/ "Afghan Carpetbaggers Hit Pots of Gold in Washington" Ooops, I forget to answer the question about why any American agree to risk his neck to prop up this band of thieves. The answer is to prop up our own American band of thieves. American soldiers have a proud tradition of propping up American thieves - it’s what they do.

An interesting article about some of this is on Sibel Edmonds new site:

http://www.boilingfrogspost.com/2009/11/09/in-the-name-of-a-general-his-son-a-spook-the-godmother-of-neocons/

“Afghan Carpetbaggers Hit Pots of Gold in Washington”

]]> By: Tom Blanton http://jimbovard.com/blog/2009/11/18/dying-for-crooks-us-troops-in-afghanistan/#comment-122240 Tom Blanton Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:09:51 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/?p=1274#comment-122240 I have a hard time believing that Afghanistan is so corrupt. Their system of corruption seems to be rather informal and unsophisticated, and the dollar amounts are relatively low. In America, we have a very sophisticated multi-tiered system of corruption that involves local, state, and federal players and payment schemes that vary. In America, you have to pay a bribe, er I mean political contribution, just to get face time with a politician in order to arrange for a further bribe to obtain what you want. Ordinary citizens must pay tribute, um taxes, for the privilege of living in a certain geographical area. On the highest levels, cartels may have to fork over hundreds of millions of dollars over a long period of time to a great number of politicians in order to buy favors or to obtain a cut of the spoils taken from the rubes, er uh citizens. Many people may not even realize they are paying for bribes as their payments are included in the prices they pay for goods, services, union dues, association dues, etc. There is almost a certain innocence to the simplicity of just paying some politician a wad of cash to get a deal worked out. If I owned a business, I would just as soon pay the bastard off in cash up front rather than have to make him an executive in my company later on or pay the clown 50 grand to give a boring speech over some business breakfast at the Hyatt once his term expires. It's high time that Americans demand to be recognized as a great nation when it comes to grand institutionalized corruption. The entire political system, which is the greatest in the world, is built upon our complex integrated system of corruption. I refuse to accept that some third rate nation like Afghanistan can beat America at a game we have perfected. I have a hard time believing that Afghanistan is so corrupt. Their system of corruption seems to be rather informal and unsophisticated, and the dollar amounts are relatively low.

In America, we have a very sophisticated multi-tiered system of corruption that involves local, state, and federal players and payment schemes that vary.

In America, you have to pay a bribe, er I mean political contribution, just to get face time with a politician in order to arrange for a further bribe to obtain what you want.

Ordinary citizens must pay tribute, um taxes, for the privilege of living in a certain geographical area. On the highest levels, cartels may have to fork over hundreds of millions of dollars over a long period of time to a great number of politicians in order to buy favors or to obtain a cut of the spoils taken from the rubes, er uh citizens.

Many people may not even realize they are paying for bribes as their payments are included in the prices they pay for goods, services, union dues, association dues, etc.

There is almost a certain innocence to the simplicity of just paying some politician a wad of cash to get a deal worked out. If I owned a business, I would just as soon pay the bastard off in cash up front rather than have to make him an executive in my company later on or pay the clown 50 grand to give a boring speech over some business breakfast at the Hyatt once his term expires.

It’s high time that Americans demand to be recognized as a great nation when it comes to grand institutionalized corruption. The entire political system, which is the greatest in the world, is built upon our complex integrated system of corruption.

I refuse to accept that some third rate nation like Afghanistan can beat America at a game we have perfected.

]]> By: W Baker http://jimbovard.com/blog/2009/11/18/dying-for-crooks-us-troops-in-afghanistan/#comment-122239 W Baker Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:30:49 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/?p=1274#comment-122239 Yea, Jim, I've read what Vic has read several places. What I've read is that the CIA picked him as a mujahedeen fighter in the '80's, and he's sort of been the go to guy for proposed pipelines and now el Supremo puppet! What have you come across in your research that links Karzai and Bush, I and II? Yea, Jim, I’ve read what Vic has read several places. What I’ve read is that the CIA picked him as a mujahedeen fighter in the ’80’s, and he’s sort of been the go to guy for proposed pipelines and now el Supremo puppet! What have you come across in your research that links Karzai and Bush, I and II?

]]> By: Vic http://jimbovard.com/blog/2009/11/18/dying-for-crooks-us-troops-in-afghanistan/#comment-122238 Vic Thu, 19 Nov 2009 18:58:25 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/?p=1274#comment-122238 Did I read somewhere that (Afghan President) Karzai was a consultant to President Bush while he was governor of Texas, and energy companies Enron and Unocal? Did I read somewhere that (Afghan President) Karzai was a consultant to President Bush while he was governor of Texas, and energy companies Enron and Unocal?

]]> By: Jim http://jimbovard.com/blog/2009/11/18/dying-for-crooks-us-troops-in-afghanistan/#comment-122236 Jim Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:16:18 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/?p=1274#comment-122236 Wes, some excellent points - thanks! I suppose at some point we will need to approve a new foreign aid program for Afghanistan to help them dismantle the central planning that we have bankrolled there since 2001. Wes, some excellent points - thanks!

I suppose at some point we will need to approve a new foreign aid program for Afghanistan to help them dismantle the central planning that we have bankrolled there since 2001.

]]> By: Jim http://jimbovard.com/blog/2009/11/18/dying-for-crooks-us-troops-in-afghanistan/#comment-122235 Jim Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:15:30 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/?p=1274#comment-122235 The US involvement in Afghanistan certainly stimulates the opportunity for foreign policy experts to gasbag on TV, regardless of how many people died because those same experts' errors on Iraq. The US involvement in Afghanistan certainly stimulates the opportunity for foreign policy experts to gasbag on TV, regardless of how many people died because those same experts’ errors on Iraq.

]]> By: Vigilante http://jimbovard.com/blog/2009/11/18/dying-for-crooks-us-troops-in-afghanistan/#comment-122234 Vigilante Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:04:53 +0000 http://jimbovard.com/blog/?p=1274#comment-122234 No more dithering! I call it a "slam dunk" It costs $1,000,000 to send one pair of U.S. boots per year "over there". $26,000,000,000 could be saved by withdrawal. But if President - I mean 'General' - McChrystal's recommendation is followed, we will be "investing" $734,000,000,000 in Chaosistan. Is that more than the military budget of the Bush administration? That can't be! Are we 'over there' in order to stimulate economic over here?? No more dithering! I call it a “slam dunk”

It costs $1,000,000 to send one pair of U.S. boots per year “over there”.

$26,000,000,000 could be saved by withdrawal. But if President - I mean ‘General’ - McChrystal’s recommendation is followed, we will be “investing” $734,000,000,000 in Chaosistan. Is that more than the military budget of the Bush administration? That can’t be!

Are we ‘over there’ in order to stimulate economic over here??

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