U.S. Bans Military Aid to Almost 50 Countries

[yavoon]

Originally posted by JCG


Unfortunately for you, that so-called "free stuff" almost always goes to forwarding US interests and policies in some manner.

So...umm...you shouldn't be too happy about those interests and policies being stalled, should you?

=D. I think we've been too liberal w/ our aid. and our aid has become inefficient. peopple expect free stuff from the US now. which is why you get responses like we see here when its taken away. we can't just give and give and expect our aid to maintain its efficiency. sometimes we have to take.

[Whaleboy]

ooo thats a tough one! My pacifism wins though.

However, this aid is basically a means by which the US can bribe and coerce, like the "coalition of the willing" etc. Nations become either dependent on it, or allured by the prospect of it. Its not nice!! Its called neocolonialism, a form of imperialism.

[GePap]

Originally posted by yavoon


=D. I think we've been too liberal w/ our aid. and our aid has become inefficient. peopple expect free stuff from the US now. which is why you get responses like we see here when its taken away. we can't just give and give and expect our aid to maintain its efficiency. sometimes we have to take.

Please. Take Colombia. There is a reason the US approved over a billion on aid, a huge chunck of it in military hardware, even though HR groups decried it. and that was the we want the Colombian army to fight and destroy coca, marijuana, and poppie fields in Colombia. So now we will freeze that just to have them sign on to this?

Or the NATO allies, which need the aid to upgrade and come into line with NATO requirements. And all of that to thwart the ICJ....how petty and sad.

[Panag]

hi ,

excellent

have a nice day

[yavoon]

Originally posted by GePap


Please. Take Colombia. There is a reason the US approved over a billion on aid, a huge chunck of it in military hardware, even though HR groups decried it. and that was the we want the Colombian army to fight and destroy coca, marijuana, and poppie fields in Colombia. So now we will freeze that just to have them sign on to this?

Or the NATO allies, which need the aid to upgrade and come into line with NATO requirements. And all of that to thwart the ICJ....how petty and sad.

we exempted all of NATO and nine other allies, plus a crapload of other waivers. really I think this is a misdirection of sorts. it appears we are just yanking aid from places we didnt want it in. though I'm no political analyst, we sure have given a lot of exemptions.

at any rate I don't have the "petty and sad" response when the US stops giving people MILITARY AID. I just don't get that "how dare u" thing. sorry. I'm not one of those liberals who feels the world is entitled to my tax money.

[JCG]

which is why you get responses like we see here when its taken away.

Actually, I'm a bit of a bad example for what you're trying to argue.

While I support quite a few US policies, I'd be happy if there were a possibility that in other cases, different policies would take over as a consequence of the removal of aid...but since the aid ban/stop won't be permanent (I already explained why), it's a moot point.

The end result though, is that lots of people in these and other countries will become increasingly anti-US, because of this lack of diplomacy and tact (added up to all the previous ones, of course). And perhaps some of them won't want to cooperate with ANY US policies and interests.

And that's not a good thing (but you seem to believe it is? How...Bush-like...as long as you keep a few extra tax dollars, "all's well". But hey, it's your choice. )

[Boris Godunov]

Originally posted by yavoon
it appears we are just yanking aid from places we didnt want it in.

Like COLUMBIA???

[GePap]

frm the article:

As the deadline passed for governments to sign exemption agreements or face the suspension of military aid, President Bush (news - web sites) issued waivers for 22 countries.

But those 22 did not include Colombia and the eastern European countries of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Interestingly, Bulgaria was part of the Coolition of the willing, was going to vote for the USs pet porject and offered bases for the Iraq war, and this is how they get repaid...

I just don't get that "how dare u" thing. sorry. I'm not one of those liberals who feels the world is entitled to my tax money.

It is petty and sad becuase the US in undermining a whole set of policy goals simply to undermine the ICJ. These countries are not entitled to any aid, but if the reason we cut aid is this, then it is a very stupid and petty reason for it.

[yavoon]

Originally posted by JCG




Actually, I'm a bit of a bad example for what you're trying to argue.

While I support quite a few US policies, I'd be happy if there were a possibility that in other cases, different policies would take over as a consequence of the removal of aid...but since the aid ban/stop won't be permanent (I already explained why), it's a moot point.

The end result though, is that lots of people in these and other countries will become increasingly anti-US, because of this lack of diplomacy and tact (added up to all the previous ones, of course). And perhaps some of them won't want cooperate with ANY US policies and interests.

And that's not a good thing (but you seem to believe it is? How...Bush-like).

the liberals always seem to think the next US policy is so insanely untactful(usually involving us doing whats in our interest and not being shy). that the rest of the world will simply insta-embargo us. this line has gotten a little old. I think the world has shown to be pretty *****. they barely take action against murderous dictators. I doubt us revoking giving them free crap is gna put them over the top.

[GePap]

If your sole debating technique is to "blame the liberals for blaming America", then that is a very pathetic strategy.

[yavoon]

Originally posted by GePap
frm the article:

As the deadline passed for governments to sign exemption agreements or face the suspension of military aid, President Bush (news - web sites) issued waivers for 22 countries.

But those 22 did not include Colombia and the eastern European countries of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia.

Interestingly, Bulgaria was part of the Coolition of the willing, was going to vote for the USs pet porject and offered bases for the Iraq war, and this is how they get repaid...

I just don't get that "how dare u" thing. sorry. I'm not one of those liberals who feels the world is entitled to my tax money.

It is petty and sad becuase the US in undermining a whole set of policy goals simply to undermine the ICJ. These countries are not entitled to any aid, but if the reason we cut aid is this, then it is a very stupid and petty reason for it.

maybe the ICJ is important to ppl in washington? I dont think petty is an accurate word because I don't think the bush administration is stupid. infact they've shown to be very calculating thus far.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by GePap
A moronic policy move if the first kind. The US won't stop the ICJ from coming into being even with such hamfisted measures. I think the fact that the US had to get to this point to try force states like the Baltic states to sign on to its little campaing shows how much they had failed with their "arguements"

As for the notion of "handout", the Us gives military aid as a way to gain certain policy advantages: using it as a lever not for greater freedom (by not giving it to dictatorships), instead we sue it to placate ideologues at home.

That's complete nonsense, Gepap. Money isn't free. Our government is "giving" people money in order to have influence over them, and to a very lesser degree to help them, so insisting they not institute policies we find harmful to our national interests is a fairly reasonable request.

[Hueij]

I'm not one of those liberals who feels the world is entitled to my tax money.

I'm not sure but I'm afraid we are not on that list. But if it was up to me I'd say stuff your tax money.

Now if only a USsian was dragged before the ICJ, I would like to see what will happen when you invade us

[yavoon]

Originally posted by GePap
If your sole debating technique is to "blame the liberals for blaming America", then that is a very pathetic strategy.

good thing its not my sole technique then.

[Shi Huangdi]

Of course they don't have a right to our aid. But refusing aid based on a silly ICC thing is unnessecary and hurts our diplomacy.