COSTS OF WAR VERSUS FLOODING

LETTER IN IRISH TIMES 18 AUGUST 2010
Madam, – The poor response to the flooding in Pakistan by western leaders is very disappointing.
The UN estimates that almost $500 million worth of aid is needed for Pakistan. The estimated daily budgets for the US and Britain in the Afghan war is respectively, $200 million and the equivalent of $4.3 million. Therefore the cost of two and a half days warring in Afghanistan would solve the UN’s aid requirements in Pakistan.
Surely this would be a just, efficient diversion of a small part of these military budgets, rather than continually wasting them on an alleged enemy, misnamed as “terror”, in a futile and un-winnable war where the main sufferers are civilians and while millions are suffering from a natural disaster in a neighbouring country? Such a gesture might even win some “hearts and minds”. – Yours, etc,
JIM ROCHE,
PRO Steering Committee,
Irish Anti War Movement,
PO Box 9260, Dublin 1.

LETTER IN IRISH TIMES 18 AUGUST 2010
Madam, – The poor response to the flooding in Pakistan by western leaders is very disappointing.
The UN estimates that almost $500 million worth of aid is needed for Pakistan. The estimated daily budgets for the US and Britain in the Afghan war is respectively, $200 million and the equivalent of $4.3 million. Therefore the cost of two and a half days warring in Afghanistan would solve the UN’s aid requirements in Pakistan.
Surely this would be a just, efficient diversion of a small part of these military budgets, rather than continually wasting them on an alleged enemy, misnamed as “terror”, in a futile and un-winnable war where the main sufferers are civilians and while millions are suffering from a natural disaster in a neighbouring country? Such a gesture might even win some “hearts and minds”. – Yours, etc,
JIM ROCHE,
PRO Steering Committee,
Irish Anti War Movement,
PO Box 9260, Dublin 1.