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Bill Sykes' Newsletter
from America.
(May 2004)
An ex-Brit gives his views-(without fear
or favor)---of the American Scene
Late breaking news:
-
 Shortly
after Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon visited
the White House, with what one would assume to be
the intention of informing President Bush of Israel’s
plans to vacate a few of the smaller Israeli settlements
on the Gaza strip and the West Bank with the obvious
intention of trying to appease world opinion---the
next leader to appear upon the Washington scene was
Prime Minister Tony Blair, who once again appeared
to agree with President Bush’s support of the
Israeli proposals.
My comment: For whom the bells toll. Prime Minister
Blair I respect you for your tenacious adherence to
your principals, but on the other hand I am appalled
at the obvious subservience of yourself and the British
Government to the will of a President who many characterize
as a pompous similitude of the Great Dictator. You
know of course Mr. Blair that your attitude with respect
to the war in Iraq and the Palestinian question is
going to be your downfall and quite probably the end
to your political career.
Question: Was it worth it not only for you, but also
for the British people?
-
A member of Congress is floating a current proposal,
that in order to even the playing field between the
service men, who are currently serving their country
in fighting Americas wars in Afghanistan and Iraq,
which he claims are disproportionate in the numbers
of members of the lower financial and lower educational
strata when balanced against the more affluent and
higher educated individuals, who he believes should
also take their share of bearing some of the hardships
of war. In other words his proposal is to re-introduce
the draft.
My Comment: The re-introduction of the draft would
of course set the cat amongst the pigeons. Many people
believe that persons joining the National Guard, (and
are being paid for that duty), are rightly subject
to being called up for service to fight America’s
wars wheresoever those wars may be located.
On the other hand, I’m sure that there are many
families that believe that their fathers, sons, daughters,
brothers, sisters, etc, allegiance is to defend the
American homeland on American soil, and not fight
the bloody wars of attrition on foreign soil in the
name of American National Security.
-
Reality has set in and Spain, Honduras, and the Dominican
Republic, are arranging for the withdrawal of their
forces from Iraq. Wonder how many more nations will
follow suit?
-
The American cost of the war with Iraq is escalating
on a daily basis from the initially quoted figure
of around $50B a year, to as much as $60B and may
escalate further, and that is the cost for the war
against Iraq and apparently does not include the cost
of the continuing war in Afghanistan
-
Many of the American General’s conducting
the war in Iraq, are finally, but somewhat reluctantly
admitting that they do not have sufficient troops
in country to conduct the policing of post war Iraq
and are finally coming forward with requests that
more troops be provided. America currently has 135,000
troops engaged in the Iraqi conflict.
Although the President and Secretary of Defence Rumsfeld
openly state, "That if you are short of manpower
to do the job then all you have to do is ask and we
will provide you with the reinforcements that you
require".
The Administration has promised the shipment of twenty
thousand new and inexperienced troops to Iraq in response
to the call for more troops.
So will the Generals get their badly needed reinforcements
- perhaps - the Pentagon have conveniently delayed
the return of troops that have been in country for
as long as twelve months, and have extended their
tour of duty for an unknown length of time.
Is this bad for military morale? You can bet your
last will and testament that it is.
-
Pictures have been published recently showing military
airplanes arriving at Dover Air force Base, (under
the cover of darkness), carrying the coffins of American
service personnel killed in Afghanistan and Iraq.
These photographs appeared in several American and
international newspapers and on a website. The Pentagon
who had banned the showing of such coffins was obviously
angered when the pictures appeared and condemned the
release and publication of the photographs.
It has been suggested that the Pentagon ban was a
politically motivated move aimed at concealing the
reality of war. Surely the photographs of the coffins
were not meant to intrude upon the grief of family
members who have lost their loved ones in battle,
but are meant more as a symbol of public concern for
the American troops involved in the Iraqi and Afghanistan
battles, and a display of public respect and honour
for the young men and women who are coming home in
those coffins.
-
In addition to members of the coalition of the not
so willing who are pulling their troops out of Iraq,
some major companies, (who were supposed to participate
in the reconstruction of the Iraqi infrastructure),
are suspending their operations and bringing their
employees home out of the very dangerous situation
that is current day Iraq.
-
Paul Bremer, the American chief administrator in
Iraq, was quoted as  saying
that the ban on placing previous senior members of
the defeated Baath Party back in power has been lifted
and that they now will be considered for senior posts
in the new Iraq.
Comment: This will probably be acceptable to the Sunni
Muslims in Fallujah, but certainly will greatly anger
the Shiite Muslims in the south of the country. This
again is a no win situation and has been likened to
placing ex-Nazis back in power in Germany after their
defeat during World War Two.
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It has been reported that Aerial Sharon informed
President Bush during the recent meeting that he has
released himself and Israel from the pledge not to
attack, or remove, Yassar Arafat. So what do you do
about the Mid-East peace plan now Mr. President.
-
King Abdullah the Second of Jordan, who is an intelligent,
well educated, and caring person, recently cancelled
a pre-arranged meeting with the American President.
Could it be that President Bush’s latest agreement
with Ariel Sharon’s plans for Israel was the
last straw, and angered his Majesty.
We welcome feedback about any of the contents of these
newsletters. Please send all correspondence to bill_sykes@huddersfield1.co.uk
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