Akela
03-26-2008, 07:37 AM
The information that follows is readily available and can be accessed at: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL32492.pdf
The upcoming presidential election is one that demands our attention to detail and our critical thinking. We must take the time to separate the wheat from the chaff if we are to gain the understanding we need of the issues and the candidates to make a responsible decision as to who will lead our great nation for the next four years. There is much at stake and we must educate ourselves.
Whatever your politics, however you feel about the current administration, this report should open your eyes and put you on a path towards formulating even more questions.
What follows is a summary of a 28 page report prepared for the members of Congress by the Congressional Research Service.
Military losses - 1980 through 2006
As tragic as the loss of any member of the US Armed Forces is, please consider the following statistics:
The annual fatalities of military members while actively serving in the armed forces from 1980 through 2006:
1980 ......... 2,392 (Carter Year)
1981 .......... 2,380 (Reagan Year)
1984 .......... 1,999 (Reagan Year)
1988 .......... 1,819 (Reagan Year)
1989 .......... 1,636 (George H W Year)
1990 .......... 1,508 (George H W Year)
1991 .......... 1,787 (George H W Year)
1992 .......... 1,293 (George H W Year)
1993 .......... 1,213 ( Clinton Year)
1994 .......... 1,075 ( Clinton Year)
1995 .......... 2,465 ( Clinton Year)
1996 .......... 2,318 ( Clinton Year)
1997 ............. 817 ( Clinton Year)
1998 .......... 2,252 ( Clinton Year)
1999 .......... 1,984 ( Clinton Year)
2000 .........1,983 ( Clinton Year)
2001 ............. 890(George W Year)
2002 .......... 1,007 (George W Year)
2003 .......... 1,410 (George W Year)
2004 .......... 1,887 (George W Year)
2005 ............. 919 (George W Year)
2006.............. 920 (George W Year)
2007............899 (George W Year)
Clinton years (1993-2000): 14,000 deaths
George W years (2001-2006): 7,932 deaths
If you are surprised when you look at these figures, so was I. These figures mean that the loss from the two latest conflicts in the Middle East are LESS than the loss of military personnel during Bill Clinton's presidency; when America wasn't even involved in a war!
And, I was even more shocked when I read that in 1980, during the reign of President (Nobel Peace Prize winner) Jimmy Carter, there were 2,392 US military fatalities! By now you may be thinking what I’m thinking - that many members of our media and our politicians pick and choose the information on which they report. Of course we all know that they present only those 'facts' which support their agenda-driven reporting.
But why do so many of them march in lock-step to twist the truth?
Where do so many of them get their marching-orders for their agenda?
Now consider the following:
The latest census of Americans shows the following about the distribution of American citizens, by race:
European descent ..........................69.12%
Hispanic ......................................... 12.5%
Black ...............................................12. 3%
Asian ................................................ 3.7%
Native American ..............................1.0%
Other ...............................................2.6 %
Now... here are the fatalities by race from the past three years in Iraq:
European descent (white) .............74.31%
Hispanic ....................................... 10.74%
Black ............................................... 9.67%
Asian ............................................... 1.81%
Native American ............................. 1.09%
Other ................................................ 0.33%
I was surprised again. . . and it was becoming increasingly clear to me that the mainstream media continues to spin these figures (for political gain). Nothing more. It's all about politics and some
politicians are now famous for turning American against American for a vote. (Consider Bill Clinton and his recent comments about South Carolina, Jesse Jackson, and the 'blacks' voting for the 'black' candidates) or Hillary's stump speech after her Super Tuesday 'victory' stating that the current administration does not 'listen' to anyone and continues the war costing precious American lives.
Yes, I might even agree with her, but she should be made to acknowledge that during her husband's administration, without having an actual war, more soldiers were sent to their death -while also forcing the military to release Osama when we actually had him detained.
I hope that between now and November Americans will begin to decipher the facts from the spin and the spinners from the leaders - those who seek even more power from those that seek justice - the dividers from the uniters.
During the coming months let's all be good listeners and hear who tries to divide our nation and who wants to unite our nation. Who wants to control how our money is spent and who wants our money spent the way we would spend it. Who seeks power and who seeks justice? And, who spins the facts and who is genuine.
Check out the complete report published by Congressional Research Service at: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL32492.pdf
The upcoming presidential election is one that demands our attention to detail and our critical thinking. We must take the time to separate the wheat from the chaff if we are to gain the understanding we need of the issues and the candidates to make a responsible decision as to who will lead our great nation for the next four years. There is much at stake and we must educate ourselves.
Whatever your politics, however you feel about the current administration, this report should open your eyes and put you on a path towards formulating even more questions.
What follows is a summary of a 28 page report prepared for the members of Congress by the Congressional Research Service.
Military losses - 1980 through 2006
As tragic as the loss of any member of the US Armed Forces is, please consider the following statistics:
The annual fatalities of military members while actively serving in the armed forces from 1980 through 2006:
1980 ......... 2,392 (Carter Year)
1981 .......... 2,380 (Reagan Year)
1984 .......... 1,999 (Reagan Year)
1988 .......... 1,819 (Reagan Year)
1989 .......... 1,636 (George H W Year)
1990 .......... 1,508 (George H W Year)
1991 .......... 1,787 (George H W Year)
1992 .......... 1,293 (George H W Year)
1993 .......... 1,213 ( Clinton Year)
1994 .......... 1,075 ( Clinton Year)
1995 .......... 2,465 ( Clinton Year)
1996 .......... 2,318 ( Clinton Year)
1997 ............. 817 ( Clinton Year)
1998 .......... 2,252 ( Clinton Year)
1999 .......... 1,984 ( Clinton Year)
2000 .........1,983 ( Clinton Year)
2001 ............. 890(George W Year)
2002 .......... 1,007 (George W Year)
2003 .......... 1,410 (George W Year)
2004 .......... 1,887 (George W Year)
2005 ............. 919 (George W Year)
2006.............. 920 (George W Year)
2007............899 (George W Year)
Clinton years (1993-2000): 14,000 deaths
George W years (2001-2006): 7,932 deaths
If you are surprised when you look at these figures, so was I. These figures mean that the loss from the two latest conflicts in the Middle East are LESS than the loss of military personnel during Bill Clinton's presidency; when America wasn't even involved in a war!
And, I was even more shocked when I read that in 1980, during the reign of President (Nobel Peace Prize winner) Jimmy Carter, there were 2,392 US military fatalities! By now you may be thinking what I’m thinking - that many members of our media and our politicians pick and choose the information on which they report. Of course we all know that they present only those 'facts' which support their agenda-driven reporting.
But why do so many of them march in lock-step to twist the truth?
Where do so many of them get their marching-orders for their agenda?
Now consider the following:
The latest census of Americans shows the following about the distribution of American citizens, by race:
European descent ..........................69.12%
Hispanic ......................................... 12.5%
Black ...............................................12. 3%
Asian ................................................ 3.7%
Native American ..............................1.0%
Other ...............................................2.6 %
Now... here are the fatalities by race from the past three years in Iraq:
European descent (white) .............74.31%
Hispanic ....................................... 10.74%
Black ............................................... 9.67%
Asian ............................................... 1.81%
Native American ............................. 1.09%
Other ................................................ 0.33%
I was surprised again. . . and it was becoming increasingly clear to me that the mainstream media continues to spin these figures (for political gain). Nothing more. It's all about politics and some
politicians are now famous for turning American against American for a vote. (Consider Bill Clinton and his recent comments about South Carolina, Jesse Jackson, and the 'blacks' voting for the 'black' candidates) or Hillary's stump speech after her Super Tuesday 'victory' stating that the current administration does not 'listen' to anyone and continues the war costing precious American lives.
Yes, I might even agree with her, but she should be made to acknowledge that during her husband's administration, without having an actual war, more soldiers were sent to their death -while also forcing the military to release Osama when we actually had him detained.
I hope that between now and November Americans will begin to decipher the facts from the spin and the spinners from the leaders - those who seek even more power from those that seek justice - the dividers from the uniters.
During the coming months let's all be good listeners and hear who tries to divide our nation and who wants to unite our nation. Who wants to control how our money is spent and who wants our money spent the way we would spend it. Who seeks power and who seeks justice? And, who spins the facts and who is genuine.
Check out the complete report published by Congressional Research Service at: http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/natsec/RL32492.pdf