The United States has such a large GDP because 1/3 of it is the private healthcare industry. Another massive chunk is the government throwing tax dollars at a shell company of a shell company of a shell company that moves a government contract for construction around to each other 4 times, all subsequently increasing GDP.

  • Neuromancer49
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    5 months ago

    I have to ask - was Guandong a warzone? I’m all for pointing out how awful things are, and that’s a lot of money for a rickety pier, but I do want to make sure we’re comparing apples to apples.

    • TreadOnMe [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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      5 months ago

      Do you really think being in a warzone matters? Who is going to attack the U.S. building the pier? Hamas, Hezbollah or Yemen whom wants aid to get in to lessen internal tensions in Gaza, or Israel, who are ostensibly U.S. allies?

      If anything, this was a chance for the U.S. to put it’s money where it’s mouth was in term of a neoliberal ‘redevelopment’ scheme, but clearly it’s going to be the same shtick we pulled in Iraq and Afghanistan. Alot of money and talk.

      Edit: If you’re going to make a shit argument, at least go with the ‘it was done in weeks’ argument.

      • RION [she/her]@hexbear.net
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        5 months ago

        Eh there’s always the possibility of a stray missile or explosive of some kind. Isn’t the Israeli military full of “officers” who are basically kids promoted with the barest whiff of experience? If they’re in charge of anything that goes boom the Americans probably should be a little wary

        • TreadOnMe [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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          5 months ago

          Then maybe they should have just focused on keeping the Rafah crossing open to aid as opposed to building anything. The point is that the entire thing is clearly not meant to be a good use of money, it is clearly graft.

          • RION [she/her]@hexbear.net
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            5 months ago

            Then maybe they should have just focused on keeping the Rafah crossing open to aid as opposed to building anything.

            No arguments there. Just saying the construction is probably complicated a bit by the genocide they’re complicit in

    • LesbianLiberty [she/her]@hexbear.net
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      5 months ago

      It’s clearly not, however it’s indicative of the vast wastefulness of the US Gov’t in it’s pursuit of global domination. In addition, simply referring to Gaza as a warzone would imply this pier would be under any danger whatsoever, which I find doubtful considering the normal tactics of Hamas, PFLP, etc

    • muslimmarxist [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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      5 months ago

      but I do want to make sure we’re comparing apples to apples.

      You’re right, it’s actually a genocide zone, so that’s your comparison for you.

      And if you wanna go there, CW(genocide):

      spoiler

      the Nazis built better shit in their own genocide zones

      so all in all this is a complete dunk for amerikkka.

    • RyanGosling [none/use name]@hexbear.net
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      5 months ago

      The US install literal military bases complete with airfields and air conditioning in the middle of the desert after invading and occupying it lol. They can’t do it after being invited to the region?