With the economy in shambles, costs mounting and the Iraq situation nowhere near to being over, the US is in an unprecedented situation. People in the country are being forced to cough up more money to live their lives. Jobs are hard to come by with unemployment reaching new highs.
But in spite of this the current Bush administration wants to help its dear darling friend Pakistan. Pakistan is the state that offers refuge to some of the world’s most dangerous terrorists like Bin Laden. Pakistan is a country that allows dangerous underworld gang leaders like Dawood Ibrahim to stay within its boundaries and lies to the world about them. Pakistan is a country that maintains training camps for dreaded terrorists. Pakistan is the country that is thwarting US advances to capture and wipe out the Al Qaeda. Despite damning evidence, the US government still wants to help Pakistan.
This time the US government wants to help Pakistan upgrade its F-16 fleet. The premise is that it would help in the fight against terror in the borders of Afghanistan. The total cost of the upgrade is $891 million. Of this Pakistan would be paying $414 and the rest would be bourne by the US. Thats more than half the amount!!! Reportedly already around $200 million has been arranged by the US and for rest its waiting on the congress. Can US afford to do this? Shouldn’t the US invest this money into its economy?
Even after providing Pakistan with financial and millitary help through the years what has Pakistan given back? Has it helped in curbing terrorism? No. Has it helped the US in capturing the Al Qaeda? No. Has it handed over the dangerous fugitives that it harbours to the countries requesting extradition? No. So why then does the US want to help Pakistan? What is in it for the US?
Of course the money that Pakistan gets from US is used more for funding terrorism than for any other purpose. So indirectly US is actually helping the terrorists in Pakistan and terrorism on the whole.
Categories: economy · global economy · international politics · terrorism
Tagged: al qaeda, bin laden, dawood ibrahim, pakistan, terrorism, terrorist, united states, united states of america, usa
It is a known fact for quite some time now that the United States of America are going through probably one its worst economic slowdowns ever. Add to that the rising fuel costs and the situation worsens further. Luckily in the last week or so fuel prices have gone down providing a bit of relief to the people. But is it good in the long term? I think not.
Fuel prices should stay up – around $4.2. Before everybody starts abusing me I would like to offer an alternative plan that’s going to provide benefits in the long term. I am no economist but one of the many who have been hit hard by the rising cost of fuel and the associated rise in cost of living.
The US consumes almost 25% of the world’s gas supply. In the present situation a futuristic energy policy is much needed. What we need is more vehicles running on alternative fuel. Yes, hydrogen and batteries are all great but they are not the best that we can use. That honor goes to CNG – compressed natural gas. It is possible to run vehicles on CNG. The current engines can still be used. All we need is a conversion kit. Such kits are quite widely available. CNG has been proven to run heavy motor vehicles like buses. Check out the CNG powered public buses that ply the roads of New Delhi, India. Not only is CNG an inexpensive alternative to gasoline its also cleaner and overall better for the environment.
Here’s what we should do. Keep the price of fuel at around $4.2 per gallon. Offer subsidized CNG conversion kits to the public. For transport companies and trucks offer gasoline at a lower price. Reduce the price of aviation fuel.
Keeping the general price of gasoline high would force people to reduce consumption. But in order to allow them the same or greater level of mobility offer them CNG conversion kits at a subsidy. This way people would still be able to use their cars and pick-ups and that too at a very affordable price.
Keeping the price of gasoline low for transport companies would help keep the cost of goods transportation low. This would translate into lower prices for consumers.
Reducing the price of aviation fuel will give a boost to the tourism industry as it would bring down the cost of tickets thereby encouraging more people to travel.
In effect by keeping the price of gas high for the general public the country as a whole can profit more.
Categories: economy · global economy
Tagged: alternative fuel, american economy, economic slowdown, economy, fuel, gas, gasoline, high cost, united states, us
