Fwd: qotd: Would Syria benefit from a single payer system?

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-------- Original Message --------
Subject: qotd: Would Syria benefit from a single payer system?
Date: Fri, 14 Jun 2013 10:35:49 -0700
From: Don McCanne <don@mccanne.org>
To: Quote-of-the-Day <quote-of-the-day@mccanne.org>



MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES
May 23, 2013
Syria: An overview of MSF programmes in and around the country

The conflict in Syria is extremely intense. Frontlines continue to
shift. The medical system is reduced to tatters. An estimated 6.8
million people are in urgent need of humanitarian assistance inside
Syria and in the neighbouring countries. And people in enclaves are cut
off from assistance.

Despite the very real challenges of operating in the country, MSF is now
running five hospitals inside Syria and is increasing mobile clinic
activities around some of these hospitals. Simultaneously, MSF is
actively seeking to open new projects where it is safe to do so.

MSF is using only private donations for its work in Syria in order to
remain entirely independent of all political positioning around the crisis.

MSF is also working in the neighbouring countries: Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon
and Turkey where some 1.5 million Syrians have fled. These countries
have been overwhelmed by the influx of refugees and the humanitarian
response has so far been unable to meet their needs.

http://www.msf.org/article/syria-overview-msf-programmes-and-around-country

And...

The New York Times
June 13, 2013
U.S. Is Said to Plan to Send Weapons to Syrian Rebels
By Mark Mazzetti, Michael R. Gordon and Mark Landler

The Obama administration, concluding that the troops of President Bashar
al-Assad of Syria have used chemical weapons against rebel forces in his
country's civil war, has decided to begin supplying the rebels for the
first time with small arms and ammunition, according to American officials.

Supplying weapons to the rebels has been a long-sought goal of advocates
of a more aggressive American response to the Syrian civil war.

But even with the decision to supply lethal aid, the Obama
administration remains deeply divided about whether to take more
forceful action to try to quell the fighting, which has killed more than
90,000 people over more than two years.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/14/world/middleeast/syria-chemical-weapons.html

New York Times Reader Comment:

Don McCanne
San Juan Capistrano, CA

They have a tragic conflagration over there and we're helping by pouring
more gasoline on it?

Is "Peace on Earth" only for Christmas cards?

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/14/world/middleeast/syria-chemical-weapons.html?comments#permid=425


Comment: Syria needs their Mahatma Gandhi - someone who will be an
inspiration for non-violence and civil rights.

And single payer for Syria? We can't even get single payer in the United
States. Perhaps we need our own Mahatma Gandhi.