America needs change not charity (Guardian)

[struggle4progress]

Withholding aid from the United States is the only way to remove its domestic and foreign policy blinkers, writes Nick Cater

Tuesday September 6, 2005

Why is the world rushing to help America cope with Hurricane Katrina? <snip>

While poor families in the hurricane-affected states provided Bush with units of the Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama national guard now dying in Iraq, at home that absence of thousands of armed and disciplined troops on the spot with local knowledge hampered relief efforts, exacerbated lawlessness and contributed to the death toll.

American policy has far worse effects on a global scale. One example is the US hostility to action on climate change despite global warming threatening ever increasing weather extremes worldwide, including from Katrina's brothers and sisters.

When it comes to helping others, American aid is mean and hugely politicised. G8 talks about Africa or debt relief cannot disguise the fact that, with international aid a mere 0.16% of its economic might last year, the US has long been the least generous nation, while its trade regime impoverishes millions worldwide.
<snip>

http://www.guardian.co.uk/katrina/story/0,16441,1563847,00.html

[orpupilofnature57]

1. ShrubCo, they cant get elected fair and square, but they wont go away

Leaches for Generations!

[Waya]

2. Can't deny the truth of that....

[dsewell]

3. Read and weep

This sentence from the piece:

"If we do give for Katrina, let's react as America would to any developing country which fails to prepare for disaster and allows its people to die, such as Zimbabwe or North Korea: set conditions for aid use, channel it away from the government to trusted charities, and insist on intensive scrutiny of the results."