Sunday, October 12, 2014

Shaking My Head In Wonder....

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said today that $4 billion was needed to reconstruct the coastal strip of Gaza after the 50-day war that ended on Aug. 27th. Several countries around the world have promised to donate funds to aid in this reconstruction effort - including the United States who has pledged $212 million. 

Let's see how that worked out last time. We gave hundreds of millions of dollars to the Palestinian government over the last few years that was supposed to be used for humanitarian purposes. We gave them the money knowing they had recently signed an agreement with the terrorist organization Hamas and that they rule jointly in Gaza as the Palestinian Authority. 

When Hamas began its attack on Israel in July, Israel eventually retaliated and ended up invading Gaza in an effort to destroy Hamas' abilities to wage war. During that invasion Israeli soldiers found dozens of tunnels under the border. These tunnels were well constructed with concrete walls and ceilings, electricity, fans, etc., and were estimated to cost at least $1 million apiece. 

The Palestinian Authority purchased construction materials from Israel with the stated purpose of building housing, schools, etc. It is estimated that up to $90 million was spent constructing the tunnels. It's not really difficult to figure out where the money came from. And now we're poised to do it all over again.

But have no fear. Palestinian President Abbas has promised things will be different this time. "The (Palestinian) government will carry out the reconstruction plan with full responsibility and transparency in coordination with the U.N., the donors, international financial institutions, civil society and the private sector," he said.

Well then - that's different. We all know that when a President promises transparency he always lives up to that promise. 

In other news - a Dallas nurse who cared for recently deceased Ebola patient Thomas Duncan has tested positive for the virus and has been hospitalized and isolated. A second person who was in direct contact with her has also been proactively isolated.

According to reports the nurse wore the required protective items at all times while caring for Duncan. Yet she got the virus anyway - just as did the American doctor and nurse who were caring for patients in West Africa. Although the President and the CDC say the chances of a major Ebola outbreak here are minimal, it seems the virus doesn't listen to the President or the CDC. When it comes to infecting people it does what it wants. 

Now we've sent several thousand troops to West Africa to help fight the virus. What are the odds that some of them will contract it? And what will happen when they do? They will be brought back to the United States for treatment.

We won't send ground troops to Iraq to fight against an enemy that has killed tens of thousands of innocent people but we'll send ground troops to fight against a virus that has killed four thousand. Both assignments are potentially deadly. The major difference in the two is that troops deployed to fight in Iraq wouldn't run the risk of bringing the enemy home with them.

I can't help but wonder if the troops in Africa are getting hazardous duty pay. The way the Obama administration likes to screw over the military I would be surprised if they are. If any of them die due to Ebola they families will most likely be told that since the soldiers were not on a combat mission their families are not due any benefits. Remember the Fort Hood shooting? 

May God watch over our men and women in uniform wherever they are. 


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