"But the world isn't like that"

[Terrance]

"Arne Herløv Petersen" wrote:
> 
> It's not so easy for us poor Europeans, so could someone please explain
> me the difference between evil weapons of mass destruction, which Saddam
> Hussein may acquire before 2010, and good and uplifting weapons of mass
> destruction, which George Bush as commander in chief can choose to
> employ anywehere?


I'm not sure why  Europeans should consider themselves poor (in terms of
understanding these issues). Europeans are in the mix. This sort of
anti-Bush, anti-Americanism is very poor indeed. No, I'm not defending
the President or the USA. But the Europeans are as much involved as
anyone else. 

>From the USA

Bush has congressional support. He will get the support of the UN. He
will build a coalition. He will wage war on Iraq. These are only my
predictions. 

Of course it is not impossible that SH will step down. That would be an
interesting development. 

Sure, the President of the USA is powerful and as we read in Thoreen's
essay on VL has been steadily gaining power to use the military abroad
and at home. 9-11 is an "Emergency" and the policy is "a war on
terrorism." Domestically we are only beginning to realize how our rights
have been eroded by this new war.  

To answer your question 

It's the stupid economies (including energy) and the WMD. 



In the USA, the massive expenditure on weapons by the Congress deprives
the people both in the USA and in the world of funds desperately needed
for development programs. 
The congress, with its incumbency system,  and not the President, decade
after decade, as Presidents come and go, spends billions of dollars on 
manufactured of weapons. Moreover, when the congress sends money to
poorer countries it also sends weapons. The purchase of weapons, is
often a condition of foreign aid. This is not only true of USA policy.
German, for example,  is not the new pacifist on the block. Not as long
as it continues to flood the world with WMD. And, for example, out in
California they have heavy defense and aerospace industries.
Legislators,  and not the President,  vote to perpetuate this permanent
WMD dependent economy.

Campaign financing, by which elected officials and legislation are
bought and paid for  makes legislation for disarmament and economic
conversion from an economy dependent on WMD impossible.  Defense
industries finance a political campaign, the elected official votes for
more defense spending. More weapons are designed, built, bought and
sold, deployed. Yes, the USA is like that. And so is much of Europe. 
Short of getting rid of the war economy what can we poor people do?