The Iraq Inquiry - Another Government Whitewash?

[Papaumau]

It is a true saying that "Politicians start wars and soldiers end them !"

It is just a shame that in the interim many thousands or even millions of innocents have to die - along with those service personnel - so that the politicans can indulge in their need for warmongering.

[Hugh]

The Americans really annoy me they have plenty of money to fight wars but very reluctant to give free health care for the poor and our glory seeking politicians waste our money supporting them

[Papaumau]

Hugh.....

As I already reported on my own forum - which you recently visited - President Barack Obama has succeeeded in getting his new and revolutionary health care programme through the American congress against massive odds and some dirty tactics from the Republicans.

Now America could finish up with a health-care system like our NHS - which is STILL the envy of the world !

It is nice to see that we can LEAD the Americans as well as following them too.

( Sorry for sliding off the topic a bit ).

[John]

Obama would have been better focused on real time events such as ending the Conflicts that the U.S. are involved in.

Conflicts that only breed U.S. resentment and the only people thankful are those creaming of the dollars.

The American Healthcare System is Insurance based and as far as I can tell will remain as such. That finance with regulation will be fed through that.

It certainly won't be an NHS.

I don't know about the NHS being the envy of world. It is a poor service when weighed against the billions upon billions of pounds thrown at it.

It still depends on where you live as to the treatment and service you get. The postcode lottery is rife together with layer on layer of bureaucracy to suppress complaint.

[Hugh]

I must be in a good area regarding NHS, never had any problems and I certainly cannot complain about any treatment I have been given.

I think Obama will get the troops home as fast as possible he's not like Bush a war lover.  No matter what health care system they have the poor will be much better off health wise and a tick for Obama a good job done.

[John]

'No matter what health care system they have the poor will be much better off health wise and a tick for Obama a good job done.'

The poorest in the US are non US Citizens - Government Medicare is not open to non US Citizens.

We have not heard the last of this, as if a system has been set in place and that is it...

[Papaumau]

I agree that we have not heard the last of this as the Republicans are planning to revoke this legislation at the first opportunity.

I also agree that this is in no way a "national health service" like we have AND that it is still a private insurance-based system.

Having said that I think it is a massive step forwards for the ordinary people of America and I think that if Obama gets his way it will develop into a true national health-care system.

Kudos to Obama for getting this far in a very selfish society that is controlled by the mighty dollar - and the people that have the most of this wealth.

The standard of care in our NHS.....

I think that we often take this care-system for granted as it is always there when we need it and I would guess that ninety-nine percent of those that have had to use it would extole it's virtues.

Yes, it is flawed and it is certainly not perfect  but as with just about anything that is run by a government there is no grounds for denigrating it in general.

Since Aneurin Bevan in Clement Attlee's Labour government in 1948 introduced the NHS in principle it has grown and developed to be THE most comprehensive and "free at point of need" health-care system in the world that is financed centrally via direct taxation.

The Americans would do very well to have a system like ours in their so-called "modern" country.

[John]

If the Americans had a Health System like ours, the contributing core would go bananas.

The Americans compulsory tip because they expect a standard of service.

That means being attended to without what has become in some areas a 4 hour plus
mandatory wait to be seen (A&E).

Then there are those who live at the Doctors or local Hospital lowering the meaning
of minor injury to an all time low.

The NHS for a national service has a great imbalance across the UK. This government
have failed to address that and to all intent and purposes they have assisted that imbalance.

[Papaumau]

While I agree that private health-costs in America have gone crazy I also think that if these costs were to be brought back to some realistic level it is the Federal Government that are going to have to do it.