Rumsfeld teaching us how to piss of allies.

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Originally posted by Tracer
I hope for the best, but I would like to see excatly how much money and resources are spent to 'rebuild' the nation.

I heard from some professors at UH that the allocated funds for rebuilding afghanistan is 0. If someone has #s I would like to see them to disprove that potentially false and surely disheartening figure.

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Well, they are already spending the funds they need to build the oil pipeline they so desired.

That pretty much speaks for itself. :\



ps. This is only semi-related, but here is a link to an interview with a Pulitzer Prize winning historian and professor at MIT who discusses the US government's current talk about "nation-building" by comparing Iraq to post WW2 Japan: Link


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Originally posted by Brisco Bold
Sad but true. I gets mad hate up in Montreal.

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Then stop wearing that damn Maple Leafs sweater!! :p

I cheer for the HABS! Been a habs fan all my life.

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Originally posted by Brisco Bold
I cheer for the HABS! Been a habs fan all my life.

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Brilliant! Wear the Habs sweater then and everyone will love you. ;)

The Habs are my second favourite team, after the Devils. I am looking forward to going to see the Devs@Habs at Bell Centre next week. :)

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Originally posted by sggg
I'd like to point out that people in the rest of Canada think Toronto (and the rest of Southern Ontario) is practically American and we don't like them very much. ;)

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There's a "rest of Canada"? ;)

Seriously though, you think we're American, you should head to Alberta some time. Texas north, I tell you. Guns, God and rugged individualism all over.

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Originally posted by spacecowboy

Don't tell me the American Dream is a reality. How many people, besides Carter, succeed in the U.S. to the level that they expect. I'd like everyone to be able to recieve no cost health care, higher quality education, a cleaner environment. Why can't Americans have these things? If we're the best why can't I go to hospital after a car accident and get free medical attention? Why does the U.S. consistently rank behind several European and Asian countries in term of education? I want those things for my fellow citizens.

SC

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Hmm, there was a time where everyone in the U.S. could get medical attention. There was no system however, no big government program. It was a time before the forms and all the regulations, a time before sueing and expectiong Doctors to be Gods. A long time ago when my granddad was a Dr. it was very common place for those who could not pay in money to pay however they could. There was a time when a person could pay with eggs or some meat. But now such things are impossable. There is no way anyone could show such kindness with how envolved the goverenment is in the medical world. The very socilaist ideals that made those health care systems possable in other nations, destroyed that older simpliar system.

No cost health care? Do you know why health care cost something? Becasue to provide care, requires educated people, specially made equipment, and now, insurance, regualtions, and forms. All of those things cost money. Who's going to pay for all of this? In the U.S. the people pay at the desk, in socalist nations, they pay through taxes. But it still doesn't cost as much, and why? Probably because they pay medical workers shit in other contries. Also perhaps becasue they don't have to pay out the ass for insurance. Really, do people in other nations sue for everything? Do other nations have places that their largest sorce of income is medical related laws suits? But I digress on that issue, I could talk all day about how royally screwed over people in the medical field are when it comes to the socialist medical polcies the U.S. Go read up on Law suit capping in Mississippi, that is one current issues. But really, Im all for socialiced medicine. It would be wonderful if Doctors got payed the same thing they are now, but by the governemnt. But the current stuff, like making a Doctor take less money for the same care, and in some cases losing money on something he does, sucks ass. They either need to take the bullshit socalist practices out, or really reform it. What we have now is pure ass.

I have no idea why you are complaing about our level of education. There is a very simple reason why the U.S. ranks lower on that list. The U.S. ranks lower becuase we let ever tom dick and harry take the test, while in other countries they only let the best take it. Anyone who has been in the U.S. puplic school system should have easy time understand why letting "Everyone" take that test would bring us down. For someone who knows so much, how can you ignore the fact that most nations have their school systems set up differently?

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Originally posted by IronPlant
For someone who knows so much, how can you ignore the fact that most nations have their school systems set up differently?

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True. From what I gather, in a lot of countries the wheat is seperated from the chaff kinda early on. Here, that's done in college pretty much. Any coincidence, then, that America has by far the best higher education system in the world?

It's certainly not because American students are dumb!

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Originally posted by StriderKyo
There's a "rest of Canada"? ;)

Seriously though, you think we're American, you should head to Alberta some time. Texas north, I tell you. Guns, God and rugged individualism all over.

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I've heard that more than once... I suppose Alberta is more Texas than Texas is.

ºTracer

Ironplant, one of the reasons why healthcare is so expensive in the US is not becouse doctors in more socialist countries allegedly make less money or whatever.
Its becouse in the US healthcare is a bussuines designed to turn a profit.
In the US blood and plasma are seen as commercial goods and get sold to the highest bidders, hospitals have to turn a profit and the medical industry profits with insane margins from peoples fear to die.
Healthcare in Belgium is among the best in the world and no matter what care is needed a person will never have to pay more then around 1200$ a year for TOTAL coverage.
We can choose oure own doctors, hospitals and care, we have total freedom with that and doctors just like in the US have competition from eachother so we dont have a system like the UK where you have assigned doctors wich are free and private doctors wich provide better care but cost an arm and a leg.
Its gotten to a point in the UK now where they have begged Belgium to help British people in urgent need and Belgian hospitals are now using overcapâcity to help British patients.

Now Belgium is a small country so one might say such a system is easier to manage becouse of that, the underlying system however could be used on a larger scale and could be done in the US on a state level with states taking care of it in the same way Belgium does.
Sadly the medical INDUSTRY in the US will never allow it so you people seem to be stuck with a system where making money and pleasing shareholders seems more important then saving lives and providing care.

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Originally posted by IronPlant
I have no idea why you are complaing about our level of education. There is a very simple reason why the U.S. ranks lower on that list. The U.S. ranks lower becuase we let ever tom dick and harry take the test, while in other countries they only let the best take it. Anyone who has been in the U.S. puplic school system should have easy time understand why letting "Everyone" take that test would bring us down. For someone who knows so much, how can you ignore the fact that most nations have their school systems set up differently?

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You've got to be kidding me... Are you telling me that American schools are just as good as anywhere else? Granted they aren't the worst, but the education system in this country sucks. In Oklahoma, teachers rank 50th in the nation in pay. For teaching children and hopefully leading them to better lives. They deserve more. In many innner cities, schools are down right horrible. Schools in Blanchard, OK can't even afford heating for their schools. Schools in Enid, OK can't afford A/C. Many schools in Texas are sub par in their facilities. These are just examples from my first hand experience. And we do seperate the proverbial "cream from the crop" in this country. It's those who have money who get the nice schools. Everyone else gets the shaft and are forced to make due with the meager supplies they have. Our colleges are some of the best in the world and I should hope so. I'm paying upwards of $60,000 for my education.

SC

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Originally posted by Brisco Bold
I cheer for the HABS! Been a habs fan all my life.

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Pfff, the Habs SUCK! Go Nordiques! Oh wait, I forgot that Canada has turned against their NHL teams.

(Oh and by the way, the Wild own the NHL and all of you!)