Category Archives: International

Reflecting on the Iraq & Afghanistan conflicts

Broken in the USA, Finance, Government Issues, International, Perspectives, tax related issues

Reflecting on the Iraq & Afghanistan conflicts

The United States lost 2,459 military personnel in Afghanistan between October 2001 and August 2021, with 1,922 of those killed in action. In addition, there were civilian contractor fatalities, with estimates around 1,822, and 18 CIA operatives also killed during the conflict. The total death toll from the conflict, however, is much higher, including significantly more Afghan civilians and other allied troops, as well as those who died indirectly from the war’s effects on infrastructure and public health

In the 20 years since September 11, 2001, the United States has spent more than $2 trillion on the war in Afghanistan. That’s $300 million dollars per day, every day, for two decades. Or $50,000 for each of Afghanistan’s 40 million people.

In March 2003, U.S. forces invaded Iraq vowing to destroy Iraqi weapons of mass destruction (WMD) and end the dictatorial rule of Saddam Hussein. When WMD intelligence proved illusory and a violent insurgency arose, the war lost public support. Saddam was captured, tried, and hanged and democratic elections were held. In the years since, there have been over 4,700 U.S. and allied troop deaths, and more than one hundred thousand Iraqi civilians have been killed. Meanwhile, questions linger over Iraq’s fractious political situation.

The CBO estimated that of the $2.4 trillion long-term price tag for the war, about $1.9 trillion of that would be spent on Iraq, or $6,300 per US citizen in just under 9 years.

Does this make sense to you?

The Chernobyl Incident

Environment, History, International

What caused the Chernobyl Incident

The Chernobyl disaster was caused by a combination of flawed reactor design and human error during a safety test. A sudden power surge, triggered by the test, led to a steam explosion that destroyed the reactor core and released significant amounts of radiation.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
1. Flawed Reactor Design:
The RBMK-type reactor used at Chernobyl had a positive void coefficient, meaning the reaction rate increased as the coolant (water) turned to steam.
The control rods, designed to absorb neutrons and slow down the reaction, had a dangerous design flaw. Their graphite tips initially displaced coolant, causing a surge in power before the absorbing material could be effective.
2. Human Error:
During a safety test, operators intentionally disabled safety systems, including the emergency core cooling system and power regulation systems.
The operators also removed most of the control rods, allowing the reactor to operate at a dangerously low power level.
These actions, combined with the reactor’s flawed design, created a situation where a small power surge could rapidly escalate into a catastrophic event.
3. The Accident Sequence:
The test initiated a power surge due to the positive void coefficient and the flawed control rod design.
The rapid increase in temperature and pressure caused a steam explosion that ruptured the reactor core and the reactor building’s roof.
A second explosion, possibly involving hydrogen, followed shortly after, further damaging the reactor.
The explosions and subsequent fire released large amounts of radioactive material into the atmosphere, contaminating a wide area.
In essence, the Chernobyl disaster was not caused by a single factor, but rather by a combination of a flawed reactor design that was operated unsafely during a test.
Frequently Asked Chernobyl Questions | IAEA
On April 26, 1986, the Number Four RBMK reactor at the nuclear power plant at Chernobyl, Ukraine, went out of control during a test at low-power, leading to an …
International Atomic Energy Agency

Broken Healthcare

Health Care, International, tax related issues

Broken Healthcare -From an American traveling abroad

I was having a fancy dinner with a new friend when I received the phone call no mother wants to hear. 

“Mom, I have to go to the hospital,” my son said. 

Just then the waiter began bringing out our food. I jumped up, threw down some cash on the table, and gathered my belongings. My son was doubled over in pain and had been vomiting nonstop for two hours.  Ordinarily, I would rush home and bring him to the hospital, but we weren’t home in New York. We were almost 5,000 miles away. 

I was helping my son settle in Spain

We had recently arrived in Spain, where my son planned to spend the year playing soccer. He’s only 16 and had never been away from home, so I rented an apartment for a few weeks to make sure he settled in before heading back to New York.

I arrived at his residence and one of his coaches drove us to the hospital. My friend from dinner, knowing I didn’t speak Spanish, kindly accompanied us. As I signed papers I didn’t understand, I fleetingly wondered how much this emergency visit would cost but was thankful he had health insurance through his soccer academy. 

The nurses triaged him quickly, taking his vitals and making sure he was stable. Then I assumed we were in for an hours-long wait, as we probably would’ve been in the US.   

It turned out to be nothing serious, but I was worried about the cost

When they examined my son an hour and a half later, the doctor explained that it was likely a bad stomach virus. I was relieved it wasn’t appendicitis. They did blood work and administered an IV filled with four types of medications.

Now that my son was improving, I began worrying about the cost. When the doctor said my son would need four prescriptions, I added that up in my head, too. I was told I’d have to pay out of pocket for the medications, and since we weren’t residents, it could be pricey. In the US, an emergency room visit could set us back a few thousand dollars and medications could run into the hundreds. I braced myself for the bad news. 

“How much?” I asked. 

“If you were a resident, it would be about 50 cents to 2 euros, but unfortunately, you’ll have to pay between 2 and 10 euros per medication. I’m sorry.” 

I nearly fell out of my chair laughing. This proves how needlessly expensive healthcare is in the United States. I talk about this in my recent book, “Knocked Down: A High-Risk Memoir,” where I highlight gaps in healthcare and how a lack of accountability can change a person’s life. Two to 10 euros for medicine seemed more than fair. 

Early the next morning, I headed out to fill the prescriptions. I was told to find the closest pharmacy, hand over the script, and they would give me the medication on the spot. This sounded too easy. Often I had to fight with my insurance company to cover medications, and then I’d have to wait precious hours to get the prescription filled. In Spain, the total cost was 12 euros and the whole process took less than five minutes.

The normal reaction to a story like this is but how much do citizens of Spain have to pay in taxes? Also, how about the overall quality of care? Ok, here are a few facts. The overall quality of care is comparable between the two countries. The overall tax burden in the USA (including all taxes: income, property, sales, etc. (on average) is 24.7%. In Spain, it is 34.7%. Using the average US family income of $71,000 this amounts to an extra $7,100 or about $2,200 per person for the average family of 3.2. So there, that explains it. Or does it? One more fact. The average per capita cost of healthcare in the US is just under $12,900 while it is just under $4,000. The difference is almost $9,000 per person in hidden tax. The issue we have is cost. Why is it so much higher here? I have answered that question in several prior postings.`

Who is paying for the outrageous cost in our country? It breaks down into about thirds with 1/3 paid for in the form of Medicare and Medicaid, 1/3 paid via company healthcare plans (which reduces funds for salaries), and another 1/3 paid out of pocket in the form of premiums, copays, and deductibles.

https://www.healthsystemtracker.org/chart-collection/health-spending-u-s-compare-countries/