Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Hilldale's Whos Who

Most likely to survive another Ice age

Lee



Most deserving of a hair cut

Justin

Most likely to hate the bible and everything it stands for!

MATT BENTON

Most likely to play a horrible song on guitar

(Two way tie) Justin and MATT BENTON!!!

Most likely to choke if you come close to there throat

Aimee

Most likely to be a absolute a-hole

Steph Benton sister of MATT BENTON

Most likely to hit on you jokingly

Andy Rickles

Most likely to hit on you non jokingly

Faith's Group

Most likely to look like a retired porn star

Jeff Roberts

Most likely to shake your hand 5,982 times in 2 minutes

Lee

Most likely to be a serial killer

Daniel

Most UNlikely to hook up at Hilldale

Steph and MATT BENTON!!!

Most likely to be awesome

Kevin Brown


Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Matt

Matt is RIGHT

Saturday, May 17, 2008

War in Iraq

In the Beginning


With any story, there most be a beginning. So, my friends, I take you back to the Ottoman Empire....but hundreds of years later. IRAQ! This little, pleasant, part of the world in 1979 was ruled by a pleasant, young, and vigorous man. I call him, Saddam. This prime example of a wonderful, carrying individual used his military power to scare the crap out of his neighbors. Iraq and Iran had a war on in the early 80s, that ended in a stalemate. The views of Saddam included complete military control over the region. No matter who happened to be in the region. This military spending cost Iraqi's 35 cents to the dollar. Saddam wanted more military power to handle problems in nation and keep the prestige of a strong military,but lacked the money to do so. So what all power hungry dictating "presidents", do. Invade smaller, much weaker countries.



At this point in time, Kuwait(the soon to be invaded country) had just started putting a government together, and having a military was not in the framework. If Iraq invaded Kuwait then they would own 20 percent of the world's fuel reserves. To a money hungry Saddam, this was appealing. A weak country, with no way t defend its borders and no military in sight. Perfect. Tenting was kinda awkward between Iraq and Kuwait, to Iraq's war with Iran , which Kuwait helped neither side and Iraq said you owe us money because we stooped Iran from invading you. Kuwait didn't buy the story. (to make matters worse, Kuwait lowered there gas prices and there for dropped Iraq's prophets)



August 2nd, 1990, at one o'clock in the morning, Iraq invaded Kuwait. It was probably over at one o two o'clock that morning. Iraq was dangerously gaining control of 20 percent of the worlds reserves.



This scared the holy golden calf out of Saudi Arabia.(Who also was sitting on 20 percent of the worlds oil) With all the military power in the region, Saudi King Fahd called on buddy and great Alli, Pres Bush. Bush the ordered an immediate deployment of troops which was the start of "Desert Shield." If Saddam would have attacked Saudi Arabia when we was on the door step then he could have been half way across the country by the time America could even think of getting troops over there to help. But, he hesitated. There was a build up of American, British, French, Egyptian, and Syrian troops to help with keeping Iraq out.



On the 30th of January, 91, Iraq attacked a small town Al-Khafji in Arabia. And then the butt kickin began. The build up of allies ripped Iraq a new one. (Wachoviaed them! Matt andy Jeff**) In February 28th, Iraqi's high tailed it out of Kuwait.




In the Later Beginning

9/11/01


America was attacked by suicide bombers. 2,948 people lost there lives. This sparked a wave of patriotism, love for our fellow neighbors, compassion, and complete hatred! The hunger Pres Bush(Village Idiot) did what all we wanted him to do. Go Wachovia the people that did this to us. Our main target was Osama Bin Laden, the leader of the terrorist group that CIA and FBI thought that was in charge of the bombing. We bombed and tore up the back country of Afghanistan.


Two years later, FBI and CIA "intelligence"(lies, all lies) said that Iraq has weapons of mass destruction. President Bush came on tv and said that Iraq helped Osama and is now developing WMDs which they are going to aim at us and they are an immediate threat to our freedom and way of life. Once again, we railed the troops and ripped something new in Iraq. Prior to this, the United Nations wanted to check out this whole WMDs story and sent there Chief Inspector, Hans Blix. Hans came back saying that there are absolutely no such thing as WMDs in Iraq. Bush still sent troops.


That was 03. This is 08. War still on.


Much Later than the Beginning (Buy the number$)



So, Its 2008 and we are still in Iraq. Just what in the heck are we fighting for. We have that Saddam guy out. Whats the problem? Well, my great intelligent asking friends, we are trying to install our version of free market and democracy in the wonderful land of Iraq. Didn't know they wanted one. Something so great that we owe $9,357,174,161,490.38. I don't know about you but that is impressive. The estimated population of America stands at 304,014,898 people. Each person would have to pay $30,778.67. Chump change to the wealthy Iraq.THE village idiot went on to say " A free Iraq will fight terrorists rather than harbor them." As Kat Williams so innocently asked, "Have you even seen a Iraqi soldier uniform? Its a turban with a blank tank top, sweat pants and flip flops!" Comfy. Taxpayers in just Birmingham, Alabama will pay $206 million for Iraq war spending. What else could we have done with this money? Glad you asked.





85,878 People could have health care for a year OR


152,092 Homes could run with Renewable electricity OR


5,702 Public Safety officers could be hired OR


2,499 Affordable housing units OR


4,143 Elementary School teachers OR


215,534 Children could have health care for a year


Thousands of kids could be healthy and possibly live. There is no OR after that.





This war has had a huge effect on our economy to this day. Paul Kennedy who wrote the well read book Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, stated that "America's global commitments are greater than its capacity t fun them." This was back in 1987. Since then we have spent four times our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) than our economic rival Japan, and twice as much as Germany. He continued to say "war is burden, but continuous high levels of defense spending can generally have turned a major power to a minor one." Now I'm not saying America is going to turn to a small power just because our economy isn't looking good right now. We have been in a slump before and have been fine. One argument against this "war is bad" theory is that it did get us out of the depression during WWI and WWII. Also then you have to factor in that must of our labor was not sent over seas. Now when we cut down a tree, we send it to China for them to make some furniture piece for us, which we get taxed for, just so they can send the furniture piece back.(Tax free I might add. Thanks Bill:)) Back then, war created jobs. Now, not so much.(except for soldiers)





Going back to what Kat Williams said, we are sitting in a war zone that our enemy dresses like the Innocent civilians and drives cars and trucks loaded with bombs into our soldiers. To date, the U.S deaths stand at 4,079. 174 this year. The worst year was the last year at 902, 2004 saw 849 with 05 just three short of that mark and 06 saw 822 family members, friends, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, mothers, and fathers dead. The total death by violence is 83,687- 91,344.





Bush went on to say that "Defeating this enemy in Iraq will make it less likely we ill face this enemy here at home." All I'm going to say is, if you step on an ant bed, do the ants stay in the ground our do the attack what steeped on them. Does the ants stop if you kill one? Or half? or 99 percent?





In MY opinion


I was all for any war after 9/11. I have grown and would like to say have learned some things. I am a better Christian and person than what I used to be. I now think war is never good. Whenever you have to kill/ hurt people, its not a good thing. I'm not sure what else we could have done as a nation besides war tho. These type of extremist, I don't think you can show love to and change there ways. I'm not talking about Iraqis, I am talking about the terrorists. They are brought up to kill all Christians and especially the ones that try to disrupt what they are trying to do. I think on paper, having Iraq a free democracy is a great idea....on paper. If Iraq got a democracy it would be democrazy. (dumb) There would be more killings and assassination than probably ever. Those who think Bush is over there for the oil, then once again he is doing a bad job. We still pay $4 a gallon. I just think little Bush decided to try to leave a legacy by taking out Osama and Saddam. I think we can use our resources on alot more important things than Iraq. Such as economy, aids research, Africa, people here at home, less dependency on oil, anything! The war is going on 3 years past its expression date. This is when you take your hand and slap your forehead and mutter, D'oh!!