Friday, April 28, 2006
Sweet Jesus I Hate the United States Government, I
US Imperialism Brings World to the Brink, by Workers Party of Ireland
At the same time as the US attempts to limit global action to prevent harm to the environment and to cut international commitment to the reduction of poverty, the US Ambassador to the UN has objected to language which urges nations to observe a moratorium on nuclear testing and to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. While choking developing countries with economic pressure the US is simultaneously and aggressively building up its military forces and presence throughout the world.
The US military budget request for the fiscal year 2006 is $4,416 billion. The current US military budget is almost as much as the rest of the world combined. The US and its allies account for between two-thirds to three-quarters of all military spending. By contrast the United Nations and all its agencies and funds spend about $10 billion every year.
Despite this the United Nations has faced a financial crisis which has forced it to cut vital programmes and which has inhibited its work. In 1997, for example, half of the US aid was military-related. When the tsunami struck South Asia, US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, said that aid to the region was part of the US "global war on terror".
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Darfur food rations cut in half
The UN is cutting in half its daily rations in Sudan's Darfur region due to a severe funding shortfall.
"This is one of the hardest decisions I have ever made," James Morris, head of the UN's World Food Programme, said.
From May the ration will be half the minimum amount required by each day. The cut comes as the UN said Darfur's malnutrition rates are rising again.
Nearly 3m in Darfur are totally reliant on food aid after being driven off their land by three years of conflict.
Despite a ceasefire and on-going peace negotiations, large areas of Darfur are now affected by fighting between government forces, militias and rebels.
This is also hampering the delivery of food and other aid operations.
...
The UN is cutting in half its daily rations in Sudan's Darfur region due to a severe funding shortfall.
"This is one of the hardest decisions I have ever made," James Morris, head of the UN's World Food Programme, said.
From May the ration will be half the minimum amount required by each day. The cut comes as the UN said Darfur's malnutrition rates are rising again.
Nearly 3m in Darfur are totally reliant on food aid after being driven off their land by three years of conflict.
Despite a ceasefire and on-going peace negotiations, large areas of Darfur are now affected by fighting between government forces, militias and rebels.
This is also hampering the delivery of food and other aid operations.
...
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