What would happen if the U.S completely stopped giving foreign aid? (Iran, Christmas)
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Indeed, one of the major purposes of international relations is to reduce and defuse areas of tension. It is part and parcel of that process to seek out and focus on areas of potential cooperation. Health, education, and environmental projects may well be things that adversaries in other areas can find common ground over. Regardless of what they may be called, it is very important to make such efforts.
A variety of international bodies works to coordinate assistance flows. It is an obligation of global citizenship to participate appropriately in the process.
You global citizen away and leave my good works to myself. I kind of like taking care of US homeless people and veterans before progressives come and rob me through taxes to direct my good works for their own ends, often to corrupt and inefficient efforts that further enrich elites and do little good.
You global citizen away and leave my good works to myself. I kind of like taking care of US homeless people and veterans before progressives come and rob me through taxes to direct my good works for their own ends, often to corrupt and inefficient efforts that further enrich elites and do little good.
What do progressives have to do with this discussion? Did you know that foreign aid has been a bipartisan effort?
Wealthy people and nations each have an obligation to give back as they can. The US has long and justly been criticized for its shabby performance in terms of Official Development Assistance as a percent of GDP. We have a long history as a global under-performer in the area of such foreign aid.
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Originally Posted by Pub-911
All of that was done in furtherance of the economic and geo-political interests of the United States, not as some big generous favor to foreign nations.
Whether your feelings are hurt by it or not, the simple facts are that the US has long had a shabby record in terms of Official Development Assistance as a percent of GDP.
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Originally Posted by nirvana07
To start with, Al-Queda and Taliban would run out of US money that they use to wage a war against the US.
Do you have ANY PROOF of this at all????
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Originally Posted by whogoesthere
If we stopped giving foreign aid then we would lose the influence that comes with that...most of our foreign aid acts as the carrot to the stick of our foreign policy...very little of our foreign aid is given for altruistic reasons
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Originally Posted by Book Lover 21
The sad part is that much of that foreign aid goes straight into the pockets of disgusted dictators, while their people starve.
So you based it off a 6 year old article about Ethiopia that DOESN'T SAY THAT... What it says, is that they have a biased influence on who gets the money. How much control are you expecting the U.S. to have over the rest of the world so everything is all fine and dandy? If you put ANY KIND OF context on that AT ALL, it is ridiculous.
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Originally Posted by Pub-911
The article is simly useless without some minimal understanding of the history and current political structure of Ethiopia.
And the opinion is that of a right-leaning "expert" who in the past has railed against the "dictatorship of experts." The actual problem here is that the US does not have a magic wand with which to shape the world. We are constrained simply to confront the world and must make do with the best we can make of all that. Despite its Leninist history and overlay of political party structure in place of civil government structure, Ethiopia has been a valuable ally to the US in opposing regional forces far more abusive than they are. Friends do not always need to agree on averhything, but starving people always do need help, whoever and wherever they are.
sounds contradictory to your other post...
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pub-911
All of that was done in furtherance of the economic and geo-political interests of the United States, not as some big generous favor to foreign nations.
Whether your feelings are hurt by it or not, the simple facts are that the US has long had a shabby record in terms of Official Development Assistance as a percent of GDP.
The simple FACTS ARE; if the U.S. stopped giving foreign aid,
Many people would die, from; lack of food, lack of water, and basic medical services.
Many developing nations would not have access to things that we take for granted like school, and not being shot dead in the street because someone wanted your belt.
Several "terrorist" countries would no longer be able to supply jobs. Those farmers and teachers would look for work to feed there families, and that includes and usually ends up being drugs and fighting.
Many people would be killed around the world for being the wrong gender, or wrong religion. What you fail to admit is that United States has created global respect/fear that keeps many people/groups "in check".
Illegal drugs would increase production and smuggling efforts due to more people needing jobs.
The U.S. is one of the largest global responders to help after a large national disaster mostly through our military, ESPECIALLY in the western half.
We are the largest contributor to the United nations among many other forms of research.
The U.S. should stop giving money to other countries immediately. The money never gets used for it's intended purpose. Just like when you give $5.00 to the crack head for "food'. If you try to give them food, they will normally turn it down.
So if an country has a water problem, I would be fine if the U.S. government sent U.S. citizens there, and constructed a water treatment plant. Our tax dollars paid to Americans, to fix a problem the host country isn't capable of correcting. Or a power plant, needed infrastructure, or a medical center. You get the point. However sending cash to a struggling country doesn't solve the problem.
We do not have some obligation to help other countries because we are a prosperous nation. Our success has been paid for by the blood and sacrifice of our fellow citizens. We as a people have enough to take care of at home.
Say, theoretically, the U.S completely stopped giving foreign aide to anyone, regardless of who it was and regardless of the circumstances, no more foreign aide to Israel, to Europe, to any 2nd or 3rd world countries.
well that is easy, China would hasten its global gifting to fill the void.
OP you need to actually get on a plane and see some of the world.
I was in belize a year or so ago and all they were talking about was the bridge the Chinese just gifted them... they were delighted. of course they were polite and briefly mentioned some US aid from 30 years back..
China is all over the world winning hearts and minds of local people , while Trump is standing on a hilltop shouting at and berating entire nations...
What would happen if the U.S completely stopped giving foreign aid?
Rivals would move quickly to take advantage of such stupidity. Putin and/or China would be happy to fill the void and extend their influence while America shrinks.
Do you have any credible reason to doubt it? Are you aware that under agreements of the OECD Development Assistance Committee reached in 1970, wealthy donor nations are pledged to an annual Official Development Assistance target of 0.7% of Gross National Income? Would you know where to go to find out if the US had ever met that target?
China is all over the world winning hearts and minds of local people , while Trump is standing on a hilltop shouting at and berating entire nations...
And entire regions in the case of withdrawal from the TPP. Australia, Canada, and Japan can probably stand on their own two feet, but how are the other members going to fare? Trump has just delivered what is basically half the world into the Chinese sphere of influence, all while he runs his absurd pivot to Moscow. Keep in mind that aside from causing a lot of problems, there is nothing that Russia can actually do for us.
Do you have any credible reason to doubt it? Are you aware that under agreements of the OECD Development Assistance Committee reached in 1970, wealthy donor nations are pledged to an annual Official Development Assistance target of 0.7% of Gross National Income? Would you know where to go to find out if the US had ever met that target?
You're the one saying its fact. Try backing up your claim instead of just trying to flip it on me.
The plain facts are that your suppositions about US relative generosity in the world are not at all well founded. No one actually familiar with the situation would disagree with that.
Indeed, rather than the ODA target of 0.70% of Gross National Income that was met in 2014 by the likes of Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Luxembourg, and the UK, the ODA of the US reached a meager 0.19% of GNI. Ireland did twice that. As Google would confirm for you were you to actually go look for it.
Last edited by Pub-911; 02-05-2017 at 10:29 AM..
Reason: deleted personal comments
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sounds contradictory to your other post... 
What would happen if the U.S completely stopped giving foreign aid?
