Loose Cannons

Issue 

And we'll keep doing it in the 21st

"Throughout the 20th century, small groups of men seized control of great nations, built armies and arsenals, and set out to dominate the weak and intimidate the world." — George Bush, in his State of the Empire speech, January 28.

By seizing control of the barbarians' oil fields

"America's purpose is more than to follow a process. It is to achieve a result: the end of terrible threats to the civilized world." — Emperor Bush again.

Rogue state

"The course of this nation does not depend on the decisions of others." — Emperor Bush once again.

Cost cutting I

"Shrinking NASA budgets and staffing over the years have jeopardized the safety of the agency's space shuttle program, a panel of aerospace experts says... Cutbacks have forced NASA to turn over too much of its safety oversight to outside contractors as it trims costs, according to the panel." — March 10, 2000, CNN report.

Cost cutting II

"USA has continued to maintain safety and reliability as top priorities while successfully reducing the overall costs of operating the Space Shuttle fleet." — statement on web site of United Space Alliance, the for-profit joint Boeing-Lockheed Martin corporation to which NASA has outsourced all Space Shuttle maintenance work.

From Green Left Weekly, February 12, 2003.
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