Editorial - Spay The Pigs with Dollars and Sense

Spay The Pigs: Dollars & Sense

Guantánamo Bay, called by some an illegal prison facility, built to hold seized persons linked to terrorist acts, opened 8 years ago this month on 11 January 2002.

The American line is:

· Guantanamo Bay is a world-class detention facility that would be almost impossible to replicate elsewhere – US Senator Sam Brownback

· Guantanamo Bay plays a key role in the war on terror with professionalism and determination – US Senator Sam Brownback

· The information shared by these prisoners has saved countless lives here and around the world – US Congressman Joe Pitts

· Each person is treated according to the Geneva Convention, though none of these prisoners meets the qualifications of soldiers under that treaty – US Congressman Joe Pitts

· Most Americans do not support releasing these terrorists from Guantanamo Bay prison – from article on US Government homepage in article entitles “Keep Terrorists Out Of America”

If the American government was able to supply us with measures taken from such vital information being provided, the public may rest much easier about Guantanamo prison remaining in operation. But it’s all a matter of national security we’re told. As it stands, the veil of secrecy cloaking the facility remains in tact. It's a long tradition to make promises on the campaign trail.

Promises which do not require following through.

The fresh Prince of America, Barack Obama, made a definite pledge to have the facility closed this month during his original campaign for the Presidency in 2008. As expected, the people bought it. Obama was fresh. He was the man for the job. Dubya messed up his two terms so badly, it made it difficult for a white man to get elected. How far America has come!

“Cost of deploying one U.S. soldier for one year in Iraq - $390,000” – Congressional Research Service

We must ask these American Government Officials, if Guantanamo Prison is such a world class facility, could they not borrow a page or two from it’s designs for their own hospitals and prisons?

California's 33 jail facilites are built to hold a total of 100,000 for example, but are holding over 170,000. Hepatitis C is rampant, sexual and drug abuse flourish in these conditions.

By the end of 2008, the American prisons were holding almost two million convicted criminals. With a total budget deficit of $362 billion at cost to the taxpayer in 2008. The money is spent on the separation of criminal from society rather than rehabilitation. The return rate of released prisoners within the first year is exponential.

American healthcare privatisation has long been an aim of a minority of public officials. Private business is good business think the Americans. Countries like Cananda, Cuba, France and the UK have public healthcare as standard. Every person has the right to treatment whether they are natives of the land or not. Taxes are justifiably spent here. It's an institution. Even in the UK, there is a continuing controversy over the privatisation of the Nationa Health Service (NHS). Someone is looking at the American systems and seeing profits rolling in without consideration to human life.

Obama has been an advocate of public health services, but the odds are stacked against him. Freshly elected Republican Scott Brown beat Democrat Martha Coakley to the seat after the death of Ted Kennedy last year. The Republicans are against any such public reform. Was it possible Obama was looking to seek public health reform as a matter of public display and is relieved the private healthcare system millions will remain in tact?

Or how about Obama’s new budget? $700 billion pledged on defense spending. With the cash injection for armed forces and weapons research, Joe Public must feel secure knowing the economy must be doing very well indeed if his taxes are being appropriated for such a just cause...

But wait, aren’t we in the midst of a recession? Aren’t cuts being made to unemployment benefits, health services and education across the board? It must be that the Iraq war is essential maintain American lives (forget the soldiers being killed while on tour there), with $5000 being spent every second the occupation continues.

So, Mr. Obama, might we find you are another wolf in sheep’s clothing, albeit a rather more eloquent wolf than your last leader?