Wolfowitz: U.S. Eager to Leave Indonesia

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/ap/20050115/ap_on_re_as/tsunami

BANDA ACEH, Indonesia - The United States is eager to end its military tsunami mission as soon as other nations are ready to take over, the U.S. deputy secretary of defense said Saturday. The United Nations (news - web sites) began paying survivors in Indonesia to clear rubble.


Indonesia has expressed unease with the number of foreign troops on its territory and wants them out by the end of March.


"As soon as our military folks can pass these responsibilities on to other folks ... and make sure the job gets done, we will be happy," said Paul Wolfowitz, who was visiting Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand.


He also said he hopes the U.S. military's role in the relief mission will be finished well before the end of March.


"I would hope that we would not be needed (in the region) as a military long before March," he said during the flight to Asia, according to a transcript of his remarks released at the Pentagon (news - web sites).

[FloridaPat]

1. Anyone notice how close Indonsia is to Iraq? 18,000 reservists

helping the tsunami victims. I wonder what their next assignment will be.

[leftchick]

2. actually

the had been on their way to Iraq and were diverted to Indonesia.

[0007]

3. ....now let's get out of Iraq!

Oh, I get it! Halliburto is still plundering in the name of Democracy.

No easy booty in Indonesia to be had, eh wofie? And those Tamil Tigers might tear us a new asshole.

[Igel]

22. The US has troops doing relief work in Sri Lanka? n/t

[UL_Approved]

4. Great quote

"They are trying to hire local people to do this as part of stimulating the economy and getting some sort of livelihood back" for survivors, said a spokesman, William Bergman.

Stimulate the economy? Give the people sweat-shop wages to clear the rubble even though there is nowhere to use the money (all the stores are destroyed). No supplies or such discussed after the pull-out. This is the U.S. as seen by the rest of the world. "They hate us for our freedom". Right.

[Redstone]

5. Not everything we do is wrong!

What the hell is wrong with us paying the local people to clean up the rubble? How the hell else are they going to make any money?

You also said: Give the people sweat-shop wages to clear the rubble even though there is nowhere to use the money (all the stores are destroyed).

How do you propose that there ever be any stores if nobody clears out the rubble so new ones can be built?

Not everything this country does is wrong, God damn it. We fuck up a lot, but this is one of the good things we've done.

Redstone

[UL_Approved]

14. Food, clothing, shelter.

These are the things they need, not American currency.

Remember, when you have NOTHING, scraps of paper are useless.

[cliss]

16. I wonder.

I used to think the same thing, when I first immigrated to the US from Sweden. I used to read about how much foreign aid we used to give many, many countries. "That's so incredibly generous", I thought with tears welling up in my eyes.

It wasn't until later that I found out that money was tainted. It was more or less bribery money. We gave, but we expected to receive. Maybe we believed in the Bible saying, "He shall not give, but will receive one hundred fold...".

Most countries (in particular 3rd world countries) probably realize this, but the rest of the world doesn't. This could also explain why India has refused to take aid from the U.S.

Just a thought.

[DulceDecorum]

17. Message to Indonesia from the city of Troy

We were told to beware the Greeks when they came bearing gifts.
You know what happened to us.
Take heed.

[Tinoire]

20. Looks like they read Homer too

;)

[leftchick]

6. what strikes me is the contrast with Iraq!

Where the US has consistenly refused to hire Iraqis to rebuild their country. It is all Halliburton/KBR etc. contracts and fuck the Iraqis!

[Redstone]

8. Not to mention, leftchick,

how we SHUT DOWN all the factories in Iraq (was in the Atlantic or New Republic a while back). Even the ones we didn't destroy with the bombing.

It really is the official U.S. policy to "outsource" the entire Iraqi economy to U.S. (and lapdog nations) companies.

Of course, you never hear anything about this on CNN.

Redstone

[BiggJawn]

7. "Hey, can we leave now? We got Nations to invade!"

What a Fuck-Wit! Do these mouth-breathers even check to see if their brains are turning over before they pop the clutch on their mouths?

[paulk]

19. Indonesia has requested that our troops leave, ASAP

:shrug:

[BiggJawn]

23. Can't blame 'em, look at what we've done everywhere else we've been lately

While we got swab-jockies and grunts bringing in food and water, wonder if we also have Spooks crawling around taking advantage of the disorder doing "Spook Stuff"?

Probably guys sticking out like sore thumbs passing around photos of Osama Bin-Forgotten asking "Seen this guy? We KNOW he's been here..."

[ausiedownunderground]

9. Ozzie aid people say - Just leave the Helicopters!!!! and move on would be

[susu369]

10. I would not believe a word from Wolfowitz's ugly mouth

Actually, there is a story that "Aceh is strategically positioned at one end of the Straits of Malacca, a shipping lane of growing importance (oil)."

Here is link - you have to scroll down a bit to get to the story:

http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0502,mondo1,59941,6.html

[Neecy]

11. what I want to know....

Why in the hell is Wolfowitz junketing on taxpayer money? Didn't we just throw money down a rathole by sending Jeb there?

I saw a clip this morning of Wolfowitz in Sri Lanka, and all I could think of was what a poor face of American policy to be sending to this region, especially to Indonesia. What, Satan wasn't available? Why him?

[leesa]

12. Nice spin. Indonesia wants US to leave.

They have already stated they want the US military out by March. Wolfowitz is turning it around and pretending it is our idea.

NO ONE trusts the US.

[Supersedeas]

13. that Iraq Invasion really won the hearts and minds...no?

[Rose Siding]

18. That's not all they want from the US military

snip>
In part, Wolfowitz's visit is a forward-looking effort to improve military relations with Indonesia, which has had limited contact with American forces because of the U.S. government's belief that the military is responsible for human rights violations in such places as Aceh, where a separatist rebellion has simmered.

The Indonesians are clamoring for U.S. help in acquiring parts for their aging fleet of military cargo planes --such supplies have been banned by a U.S. embargo -- and again want to work on training missions with American troops. There has been limited counterterrorism training since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

"This crisis offers both an opportunity and a challenge," Wolfowitz said, adding that the whole world has a stake in seeing Indonesia's young democracy survive. He said several times during the first leg of his trip that he was encouraged by the cooperation he has seen in the region. This cooperation could be a significant step toward fostering better relations generally, he said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A11933-2005Jan15.html

Do they really not understand that war toys come with strings?

[Tinoire]

21. LMAO about the way you worded that. Very true.

But Wolfowitz and gang have no intention of leaving I'm sure.

Oil, Muslims, proximity to Iraq and as Bush clearly stated, while we're there, we'll help those countries "fight terrorism".

A country would have to be suicidal to trust the US now.

[VegasWolf]

15. Gotta get out of this helping people and back to the world domination

business.