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04/15/2006:

"42% of Your Taxes Pay for War"

FCNL estimates the U.S. spent $783 billion in FY05 for past and present military activities. This includes funding for the Defense Department, Energy Department nuclear weapons programs, military-related activities of other agencies, foreign military financing and training, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, mandatory spending for military retirement and health care, veterans programs ($69 billion), and the estimated portion of interest paid on the national debt which can be attributed to past wars and military spending ($170 billion).
fcnl.org


'I feel like I did in the Vietnam days - I hate to pay taxes just so they can go and bomb more people'


Florida councilman won't swear support for US
MIAMI (Reuters) - A newly elected councilman in a tiny Florida village has refused to take an oath of office pledging support for the U.S. government because he adamantly opposes the war in Iraq.

Councilman-elect Basil Dalack, 76, a Korean War veteran, won an uncontested election to fill a vacancy on the five-person council of the southeast Florida town of Tequesta.

But he is refusing to take the oath of office -- due to be administered on Thursday -- because the oath requires him to "support, protect and defend" the government. His decision comes at a time when polls show ebbing support for the war.

Dalack said he believes the U.S. war in Iraq is unjust and "an abomination." He said he could not sleep at night if he took a pledge implying blanket support for the U.S. government.

"Those dead kids in Iraq, American kids and Iraqi kids, would haunt me," Dalack said.