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[ Presenting plain-text part of multi-format email ] In response to 3,000 Americans killed by terrorism, America has ramped up defense spending by around 25billion this year, with more increases to come. In addition, a new "homeland defense" was set up, with a price tag of around 30billion dollars (approximately what the education budget is). However, this is not enough! President Bush has come out stating, of the war on terror: "You are either with us or against us!" Well, as expected, the rest of the world responded. In the days immediately following 9/11, countries from North America to Africa offered any support they could give to the US. They felt for the 3,000 civilians that died. What about Africa, where MILLIONS die every year of AIDS? Does the USA only battle scourges that they can "go to war" against (war on drugs, war on terror)? I think it's very ironic that W decided to skip his trip to Africa: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=544&ncid=693&e=3&u=/ap/20021221/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_africa While, in the same day, this story appears: http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=570&ncid=753&e=1&u=/nm/20021221/sc_nm/trade_wto_medicines_usa_dc >>The United States has worked intensively to find a solution that will provide life-saving drugs >to those truly in need, and will continue to work toward that end," said U.S. Trade Representative >Robert B. Zoellick. "We urge others to join us in this moratorium (on WTO dispute settlement actions for patent violations) to help poor countries get access to emergency life-saving drugs," he said. In Geneva earlier, diplomats said the United States had effectively blocked agreement on a global pact to allow poor countries to buy cheap drugs to tackle epidemics such as AIDS (news - web sites), malaria and tuberculosis. << Disgusting. In the economics of life, the following stats don't measure up to 3,000 dead Americans: 5.4 million new AIDS infections in 1999, 4 million of them in Africa. 2.8 million dead of AIDS in 1999, 85 percent of them in Africa. 13.2 million children orphaned by AIDS, 12.1 million of them in sub-Saharan Africa. Reduced life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa from 59 years to 45 between 2005 and 2010, and in Zimbabwe from 61 to 33. More than 500,000 babies infected in 1999 by their mothers -- most of them in sub-Saharan Africa. 5.4 million new AIDS infections in 1999, 4 million of them in Africa. 2.8 million dead of AIDS in 1999, 85 percent of them in Africa. 13.2 million children orphaned by AIDS, 12.1 million of them in sub-Saharan Africa. Reduced life expectancy in sub-Saharan Africa from 59 years to 45 between 2005 and 2010, and in Zimbabwe from 61 to 33. More than 500,000 babies infected in 1999 by their mothers -- most of them in sub-Saharan Africa. http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2000/aids/stories/overview/ Bush demanded the rest of the world to line up behind him, no questions asked, when 3,000 Americans died. Meanwhile, this same administration refuses to help out in Africa, even when faced with the above statistics. I don't know which is more amazing, the way this administration is always trying to convince us that what's best for their wallet is best for America, or the fact that most Americans are buying it. Bush's economics have deemed the remote possibility that some Americans would die eventually from Saddam Hussein is worth an action that may cost over a TRILLION dollars. Africa, on the other hand gets less than the cost of upgrading a Turkish military base. No wonder so many people struggle with economics... --------------------------------- Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail Plus - Powerful. Affordable. Sign up now _______________________________________________ Sent via the discussion list of the Campaign Against Sanctions on Iraq. To unsubscribe, visit http://lists.casi.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/casi-discuss To contact the list manager, email casi-discuss-admin@lists.casi.org.uk All postings are archived on CASI's website: http://www.casi.org.uk