Stingy Americans? Bite me!

[amicus]

Socialist Jan Egeland, Relief Agent for Humanitarian Affairs in the United Nations had the gall to accuse the United States of America of being 'stingy' with intitial contributions to the Asian Tsunami disaster.

Bite me, Jan Egeland.

Forty percent of all humanitarian donations made by the entire world, for the past decade, have been made by the United States.

Tell me, Jan Egeland, how many funds from around the world came to the aid of the Floridians last fall following the onslaught of four hurricanes?

Perhaps if the United Nations and Kofi Annan and his criminal conspiracy would donate just one percent of the monies stolen from the Oil for Food Program in Iraq, no one else would need send anything. Billions stolen by a corrupted United Nations.

Get the US out of the UN and place the General Assembly Headquarters building in Paris or Brussels.

Get it out of the big apple, it stinks up the place.


Amicus...

 

[Goldie Munro]

Socialist Jan Egeland, Relief Agent for Humanitarian Affairs in the United Nations had the gall to accuse the United States of America of being 'stingy' with intitial contributions to the Asian Tsunami disaster.

Tell me, Jan Egeland, how many funds from around the world came to the aid of the Floridians last fall following the onslaught of four hurricanes?

Amicus...

Did the US declare a national emergency and ask for aid from the world?

Your analogy really sucks.

 

[cantdog]

It doesn't signify. That was the sound of an ax, being ground, Goldie.

cantdog

 

[Goldie Munro]

It doesn't signify. That was the sound of an ax, being ground, Goldie.

cantdog

Yeah I thought so too!

 

[BlackShanglan]

As an American, and one admittedly tired, at times, of the UN's approach to the world, I have to quibble here. Whether one looks at foreign aid as a moral imperative designed to help the less fortunate or a practical step designed to win allies and support friendly regimes, it makes perfect sense for the US to contribute the lion's share. We are, after all, one of the wealthiest countries on earth, enjoying a very high standard of living, a bounty of technology, and a quite disproportionate consumption of the world's resources. It would make no sense to demand that countries in a much more precarious economic position supply equal shares of foreign aid.

Similarly, while the gesture no doubt would have been appreciated, few other countries were in a practical position to supply material aid to Florida in a more effective fashion than we ourselves. If I recall correctly, in our hour of great need - directly after September 11th - our allies did contribute to our defense, lending us surveillance craft to help patrol our skies while we reassessed our defenses and invoking the mutal defense articles of the NATO accords. We were offered both material aid and many kind and touching symbolic gestures of solidarity from all over the world, including even such recently reviled countries as France and Germany. I personally will not soon forget the sight of American flags hung all along the Champs Ellysees, or hearing the Star Spangled Banner played at the changing of the guard in Buckingham Palace. We received many offers of assistance, both practical and symbolic, and it would be churlish to suggest that this was not the case.

While the vast majority of our people live lives that the folk in many Asian countries could not even imagine, even before the terrible disaster that has befalllen them, can we really justify nursing a grudge because someone has suggested that we might give more?

Shanglan

 

[oggbashan]

Get it out of the big apple, it stinks up the place.


Amicus...

Get Amicus out of the AH, Amicus stinks up the place.

Your so-called quote is NOT what Jan Egeland said.

Og

 

[Goldie Munro]

Re: Re: Stingy Americans? Bite me!

Get Amicus out of the AH, Amicus stinks up the place.

Your so-called quote is NOT what Jan Egeland said.

Og

Now Og - AH is a democratic place - free speech and all - it takes all sorts you know - even if some are a bit stinky!

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Have you noticed that amicus is sort of the opposite of a high quality mark for a thread?

I've told myself time and time again to stay away from any thread that he's spewing his ideas in... but then I'd have to stay out of ALL the threads, wouldn't I?

 

[Somme]

Have you noticed that amicus is sort of the opposite of a high quality mark for a thread?

I've told myself time and time again to stay away from any thread that he's spewing his ideas in... but then I'd have to stay out of ALL the threads, wouldn't I?

He's spewing 'ideas'?

 

[Svenskaflicka]

I'm being kind today.

 

[Goldie Munro]

where is he anyway? not 'countering' much on this thread!!

 

[Somme]

That definately got my grin going.

 

[amicus]

Seems like I stepped on a mangy european puppies tail and the mongrel yiped. Assemble the usual suspects.

Og, I heard the speach and the world press has reported it exactly as quoted it. And it is the subject of discussion all over the cable news channels...perhaps you did not hear the words spoken?

Yes...the World Trade Center tragedy brought out many offers of assistance.

The point being that the United States, as a government and as a people, privately, support humanitarian efforts world wide. To be criticized and categorized as 'stingy' by the UN was rude and untrue as the Agent later recanted and even attempted a tongue in cheek apology.

And, Og, somewhat beneath you to make a personal attack, I am disappointed.

 

[Liar]

Bite me, Jan Egeland.

I think he'd love to.


Btw, there was a thread about this recently, where someone actually bothered to find the context of the 'stingy' statement, instead of just taking the echo of the spin for face value. The accusation was, as far as I can tell, directed against ALL rich nations of the world.

Ah, never mind. I'm not getting into battling mode now. Maybe some ther time.

#L

 

[Goldie Munro]

Seems like I stepped on a mangy european puppies tail and the mongrel yiped. Assemble the usual suspects.

Og, I heard the speach and the world press has reported it exactly as quoted it. And it is the subject of discussion all over the cable news channels...perhaps you did not hear the words spoken?

Yes...the World Trade Center tragedy brought out many offers of assistance.

The point being that the United States, as a government and as a people, privately, support humanitarian efforts world wide. To be criticized and categorized as 'stingy' by the UN was rude and untrue as the Agent later recanted and even attempted a tongue in cheek apology.

And, Og, somewhat beneath you to make a personal attack, I am disappointed.

Oh we mangy Europeaons are hurt! Amicus grow up and get a grown up life - please?

 

[Pure]

When a tycoon, who made his fortune in the Mafia, contributes a million for a new wing of a children's hospital, one should indeed applaud vigorously. But not forget the number of persons, including kids, he's had rubbed out.

 

[Goldie Munro]

When a tycoon, who made his fortune in the Mafia, contributes a million for a new wing of a children's hospital, one should indeed applaud vigorously. But not forget the number of persons, including kids, he's had rubbed out.

I don't think Amicus - or people who think like he espouses - understand that!

 

[amicus]

Organized crime is a whole 'nuther' discussion. But of course you mean those successful corporations, that provide goods, services and employment, pay taxes and yes, contribute to charities and disaster relief.

Yeah, I understood. So you hate capitalism and america, what else is new?

amicus...

 

[BlackShanglan]

Seems like I stepped on a mangy european puppies tail and the mongrel yiped. Assemble the usual suspects.

And, Og, somewhat beneath you to make a personal attack, I am disappointed.

Am I the only one who sees an odd contradiction in standards of discourse here?

Shanglan

 

[lewdandlicentious]

Have you noticed that amicus is sort of the opposite of a high quality mark for a thread?

I've told myself time and time again to stay away from any thread that he's spewing his ideas in... but then I'd have to stay out of ALL the threads, wouldn't I?

Come over to the Brit thread, he's not there!!!

 

[oggbashan]

Quote from Reuters:

Jan Egeland:

Asked about the response of rich nations to such crises, he said: "It is beyond me why are we so stingy, really."

"If actually the foreign assistance of many countries now is 0.1 or 0.2 percent of their gross national income, I think that is stingy really. I don't think that is very generous," he said.

The United Nations urged rich nations a quarter of a century ago to give away 0.7 percent of their gross domestic product every year in the form of development aid.

To date, however, just a handful of European nations, most of them in Scandinavia, actually meet that goal.

 

[Songcatcher]

Re: Re: Stingy Americans? Bite me!

I think he'd love to.


Btw, there was a thread about this recently, where someone actually bothered to find the context of the 'stingy' statement, instead of just taking the echo of the spin for face value. The accusation was, as far as I can tell, directed against ALL rich nations of the world.

Ah, never mind. I'm not getting into battling mode now. Maybe some ther time.

#L

bump

 

[Lucifer_Carroll]

Am I the only one who sees an odd contradiction in standards of discourse here?

Shanglan

Why are you surprised? He's always like that. Not long after a thread in which he personally insulted nearly every woman in the thread and called cloudy a retarded cannibal, he tried to play the victim saying how he was always unfairly disparaged.

Playing the victim is his book's standard action, an attempt to divert pity to those who deserve none. It's probably why I pity him and look upon him with so much amusement.

Ah, amicus, if only you knew how much like a Nazi you sound like on a daily basis. What would happen then, on the day all self-delusions fell? I'd imagine it'd be horrible. Sleep well, little ami, and dream on about your fantasy world and may it give you the comfort of what it is: faith.

 

[BlackShanglan]

Re: Quote from Reuters:

The United Nations urged rich nations a quarter of a century ago to give away 0.7 percent of their gross domestic product every year in the form of development aid.

To date, however, just a handful of European nations, most of them in Scandinavia, actually meet that goal.

On the whole I think this a noble goal (.7 percent) and wholly achievable. However, I think that people on both sides would want to think carefully about the likelihood of getting something for nothing. I don't think that many nations would wish to hand over billions of dollars without any say whatsoever in how they are used; on the other hand, I don't know how many nations would wish or indeed be able to balance the competing demands of many donors in order to utilize donations in ways consistant with the goals of the donors. It's tricky ground, compounded by the problem that many of the poorest countries are controlled by governments in which it is difficult to have much faith. One would hate to contribute millions of dollars to the armory of a warlord. Distribution is a serious issue.

Shanglan

 

[gauchecritic]

Re: Re: Quote from Reuters:

Distribution is a serious issue.

Shanglan

Good point. The UN would probably rob it all and claim they needed to pay people to sort that sort of thing out 24/7