Should we be helping myanmar/burma after the cyclone?

[Donkey®]

People would send us aid, we should send aid in return.

[kombayn]

^Really? How many foreign countries sent the victims of Hurricane Katrina aid, because I don't know and I would find it very interesting how much other countries contributed. I bet it's next to zero.

[thewise1]

Originally Posted by kombayn

^Really? How many foreign countries sent the victims of Hurricane Katrina aid, because I don't know and I would find it very interesting how much other countries contributed. I bet it's next to zero.

Actually, a few did. Mexico, I think France, and even Venezuela, I believe

[7960]

Originally Posted by A_C_E

Easter.

I donate $50 evey Christmas and Easter to St. Luke's Mission in Buffalo.

Go ahead, call me a latte liberal. See if I give a flying fuck.

so because you give money to something you support you feel that gives you the right to put your hand in my pocket and force me to also give money to you support.

excellent.

[A_C_E]

Originally Posted by 7960

so because you give money to something you support you feel that gives you the right to put your hand in my pocket and force me to also give money to you support.

excellent.

This coming from the guy who said it should be everyone's responsibility to give to help those in need.

excellent.

[Donkey®]

Originally Posted by kombayn

^Really? How many foreign countries sent the victims of Hurricane Katrina aid, because I don't know and I would find it very interesting how much other countries contributed. I bet it's next to zero.

Then you'd be wrong.


"The State Department or country officials have said offers of help been received from:
Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Belgium, Canada, China, Columbia, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Germany, Guatemala, Greece, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal, South Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom [Note: includes Great Britian, see first list above], the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela."

[Ardentfrost]

Regardless of countries sending us aid, it should not be the business of any government to send aid to any other government. Of all those countries that sent us aid during Katrina, can we be sure that they weren't asking for favors in return? Even if THEY didn't, couldn't we do that to other countries we send aid to? And even if we don't, couldn't it be perceived that way by other countries who don't feel they get ENOUGH support from us?

Aid from a country's government is no better that getting entangled in official treaties. I'm all about citizens sending money from their pockets to wherever the need is (just like we did what that bad tidal wave hit and killed all those people a couple years ago), but we needn't be having our government represent our citizens in that way.

[kombayn]

Originally Posted by Donkey®

Then you'd be wrong.


"The State Department or country officials have said offers of help been received from:
Afghanistan, Australia, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Belgium, Canada, China, Columbia, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Germany, Guatemala, Greece, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal, South Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom [Note: includes Great Britian, see first list above], the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela."

How much aid in total? I'm curious to know. It's an honest question.

[Donkey®]

Originally Posted by kombayn

How much aid in total? I'm curious to know. It's an honest question.

There are snippets here and there of what people sent. Go look for it?

[kombayn]

I was hoping you could provide me with the answer since you claim to know who helped us. You'd probably know how much too.

[6SpeedTA95]

Originally Posted by thewise1

Actually, a few did. Mexico, I think France, and even Venezuela, I believe

VZ did it to make a mockery of us...france, UK, Mexico, Germany and a couple others made legitimate offers to us.

[SoFlaJDM]

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

VZ did it to make a mockery of us...france, UK, Mexico, Germany and a couple others made legitimate offers to us.

that's your opinion.

and what exactly are they mocking? chavez makes it well known that he has no problems with americans, just bush

[Ardentfrost]

Originally Posted by 6SpeedTA95

VZ did it to make a mockery of us...france, UK, Mexico, Germany and a couple others made legitimate offers to us.

This is exactly why gov'ts shouldn't be sending aid.

[jasno]

Well personally as a US tax payer I would love to see our tax dollars go to helping people with natural disaster, famine, disease, and poverty in general...rather then billions being spent on war and military funding in general.

Imagine if the US was really the 'Good Guy' many of us seem to think we are. For instance I have always been bothered that the US hasn't done much to help our neighbors Mexico.

[thewise1]

Originally Posted by jasno

Well personally as a US tax payer I would love to see our tax dollars go to helping people with natural disaster, famine, disease, and poverty in general...rather then billions being spent on war and military funding in general.

Imagine if the US was really the 'Good Guy' many of us seem to think we are. For instance I have always been bothered that the US hasn't done much to help our neighbors Mexico.

Personally as a US taxpayer I'd agree, but as a taxpayer that expects a balanced budget, I know the war on terrists isn't going away, and we can't afford that, thus we CERTAINLY can't afford to help other people...

[WickedLou9]

Actually now that I have heard more, we should cease all aid to Burma. The criminal government is actually stealing the food we are sending and giving the people spoiled food in it's place. They are putting the good food in military storage houses. The Junta that took over the country are a bunch of criminals. We should let them collapse. Even if we send aid, it will not reach the people who need it. We can't help.

[Ardentfrost]

This is yet another reason why private organizations should be handling this from citizens privately. A group like the Red Cross would make sure to the best of their ability that the people in need would get the help.

[TankRizzo]

We should offer our help, but they've made it abundantly clear they don't want our help. We should leave the offer on the table and leave it at that.

[DosEquis]

No, unless others are helping with us.

[kombayn]

Originally Posted by WickedLou9

Actually now that I have heard more, we should cease all aid to Burma. The criminal government is actually stealing the food we are sending and giving the people spoiled food in it's place. They are putting the good food in military storage houses. The Junta that took over the country are a bunch of criminals. We should let them collapse. Even if we send aid, it will not reach the people who need it. We can't help.

Yeah, I've been reading the same on Yahoo! News. These guys are criminals, even George W. Bush is condemning them, which is almost receiving the kiss of death in this day in age. Also, with the earthquake in China that happened, do you think we'll try to help them too? I wouldn't trust China either with our U.S. Aid, I wonder how the Chinese Government will handle this.