Com que ja no tenen gaires arguments polítics o militars amb els que oposar-se a la guerra de l’Iraq, els demòcrates pretenen agafar-se ara a la recessió de l’economia nord-americana i atribuïr-la no tant a les “subprimes” com a la despesa militar. Amb l’ajuda del Nobel Stiglitz, ja han començat a donar la tabarra. La veritat, però, és que ho tenen difícil per convèncer a ningú. En els cinc anys de guerra, el govern nord-americà ha gastat 750.000 milions (de billion) de dòlars, és a dir, l’1% dels 63 bilions (de trillion) de dòlars del PIB en el mateix període.More important, the real question we ought to be asking ourselves is what is the cost of freedom? While the Left refuses to acknowledge it, the undeniable fact is that the United States homeland has not been attacked since September 11. Meanwhile, over in Iraq, al Qaeda and other extremist terrorist groups have been utterly routed by U.S. forces. It’s another fact the Left hates to acknowledge.Via Extrême-Centre
Perhaps the anti-war forces should recall the portion of John F. Kennedy’s inaugural address, where he called on Americans to pay any price, and bear any burden, in order to preserve freedom, liberty, and democracy. Do these folks actually think 1 percent of GDP is too large a price, too heavy a burden? I sure hope not.
And by the way, despite the current slowdown, during the five years of the Iraq war the U.S. economy has performed remarkably well. Real GDP has increased by 16 percent, or 3 percent annually. The unemployment rate has hovered below a historically low 5 percent for quite some time. Nearly 10 million jobs have been created. Household net worth has increased by $20 trillion. Industrial production has expanded by 13.5 percent. Even home prices, despite the current correction, have increased by 20 percent.
ADDENDA.- Si voleu expressar el vostre suport al general Petraeus podeu fer-ho clicant la imatge:
