Greetings Readers, There is currently a great deal of discussion about the coming Mosul offensive. The planning and positioning of troops and logistics has been intensive. I wonder how it will turn…
Source: The Mosul Campaign and Dis & Dat
Greetings Readers,
There is currently a great deal of discussion about the coming Mosul offensive. The planning and positioning of troops and logistics has been intensive. I wonder how it will turnout as most observers are of the final outcome. Mosul is the second largest city in Iraq and is strategically vital in defeating ISIS.
ISIS may tactically withdraw and not make a gigantic issue in losing it, or it could be one of the bloodiest hard-fought assaults of the war. I do, as I’m sure we do, wish the Iraqis and supporting U. S. forces a successful campaign with as few casualties as possible.
There’s also a lot of discussion on the Net concerning Hillary and Bill’s net worth. Have they, or are they, taking big money from countries and with corporate contacts for well paid speeches? Apparently yes. I get several figures often contradictory about their wealth. Anywhere from 22, 30.5 for Hillary and 81 million for Bill and then suddenly checking other pages the figures are nearly reversed. I would assume together however they’re worth near 160 million at this point in their scandal ridden careers…. thus far. You may recall they were nearly broke on leaving the White House, only ten mil to share between them. Nevertheless, their financial recovery has been basically legal, or semi-legal. Right at the moment while HRC is under investigation for misguided emails and unauthorized fund-raising we can only wait for the final outcome. These negative character flaws have badly hurt her campaign, but we won’t know by how much until November.
However, looking at personal net worth topics I’ve found some of interest and these may surprise you: Russia’s Putin, 70 Billion dollars; revolutionary and guerrilla fighter Fidel Castro $900 million. The Bush’s George W. 35 million, Daddy 25 million; Obama 12.5 million dollars. But who knows for sure? As one ages in office or in business one becomes wily. Digital funds or in carrier suitcases to out-of-the-way places, hidden with relatives, there are currently so may places to hide legal or illegal money. I can remember when there was only one place to hide it and that was under or inside the mattress.
A guest on CNN’s GPS’s Interview Program with significant academic and business credentials who had dealt with Russia for years as an insider claimed Putin is worth ‘200 billion dollars’ today should an honest thorough calculation be made. That’s the figure. I do know in the 90’s at the eve of transition from communism to capitalism, public utilities, and government corporations were reduced in value to pennies on the dollar or ruble. One the largest most gross financial transfers in history of which the Russian people did not benefit. Millionaires and Billionaires were made overnight. It was a wonderful opportunity for an ex-KGB Director and a favored inter-circle member of President Yilesin government.
During the early 1990s I admired Jean Bertrand Aristide, the first democratically elected Haitian President. A leftist priest educated at Notre Dame, USA, who in his early years in office stood up to the Western banks and for the people who elected him. He escaped several attempts on his life and got on poorly with commercial interests. He stood out and made enemies due to his exorbitant social programs and while asking for copious aid for his poverty-stricken country, the poorest in the western hemisphere.
After several coup attempts one was about to succeed.In the middle of the night two dozen marines showed to give him and his family a few hours to pack and leave the palace, then flown into exile to a small African country. South Africa had too lively a media. Being fare the conservative think-tanks were probably correct in ousting him, too popular giving away the store or stepping on influential toes.
Reading about this figure then I thought highly of a struggling liberal trying to run a poo-poo country and being blocked by economic powers. In the late 90’s this populist was invited back by President Clinton, always a cautious sign to consider, but merits stability. As President Aristide served a five-year term and a half while keeping the lid on Haiti and behaving himself.
All this is may be beside the point, while researching net worth personalities. I found the liberal priest is now worth 800,000,000 dollars. He’s the richest ex-priest I’ve every read about and giving him the benefit of the doubt wish him well, but he had to make many compromises to be one, am sure.
Other wealthy people of interest I ran into, remember they’re just folks like us, and you may know them as gracious, talented, contributors to our free society: Dolly Parton 500 million, William Shatner 100, Robert de Niro 200 million, Oprah a Whinfrey, 3.5 billion, Tom Cruise 500 million, Johnny Depp 400, Sylvester Stallion and Bill Cosby 400 million each; George Foreman 250, Floyd Merryweather 400 million; Terresa Heinze Kerry 200 million; John Kerry 194 million; Nancy Polosi, 100 million. Ross Perot, 3.7 billion, John Huntsman 425 million, Mitt Romney 250 million, Donald Trump* 3.4 billion, and Yours Truly, thirteen dollars and seventy-five cents.
All the Best.
Ron
* After hearing Dan Rather say ‘Trump Could Win’ I had nightmares.
