Country-bashing

[Greenday]

You can't, and shouldn't be expected to. But you (as a nation) can prevent your mega-corporations from making it harder. And a lot of the 'how' can be summarised as holding the mega-corps responsible for the stuff they do.

They can't actually be punished for it. If it's not happening inside our country, on our turf, our laws don't apply. And, since shutting down of all companies that do such a think would cripple the US economy, the government will not do a thing. I mean, there are checks and balances to prevent the government from hurting the economy through laws and such.

[daleduke17]

Stop fucking around in other countries' business when we don't need to (like Iraq), but stepping in in places when it's definitely needed, like Somalia currently and Darfur?

Furthermore not holding a double standard as far as our allies' behavior compared to some less savory countries, like we do with Israel and, say, Syria?

I hate to ask, why is the US needed in Somalia or Darfur?

[Amethyst Hunter]

I hate to ask, why is the US needed in Somalia or Darfur?

One word: genocide.

[daleduke17]

One word: genocide.

Gotcha, but, I'd like to ask another question:

Why does the United States of America have to jump in and police the world? I don't see any of the other countries jumping in near as much as the USA. I know genocide is bad and all, but, it seems like the USA is forgetting about their own citizens who are in need over taking care of everyone else in the world. The USA seems to not take much help from other countries (or it at least doesn't make the news too often) when the country has a disaster, but, the USA is out there everytime there's a problem (natural or manmade).

The tsunmai, Darfur, Somalia in the mid 90s, Mexico's numerous hurricanes, etc and etc. The USA seems to have gotten help twice in recent memory: 9/11 and Katrina (don't remember about Rita, though).

I'm not saying the USA should NOT go out and help, but, there needs to be a limit to it. The USA needs to have several things fixed or maintained, but the money isn't there. If something happens abroad, there is magically enough money.

Sorry to sound like such an asshole.

[AFPheonix]

We're the richest and most powerful nation in the world. Why would countries who have far less money and influence than us feel obligated to help us? Like you mentioned, when we really did need help, we did indeed receive it.

We help in places like Somalia and Darfur because it's the right thing to do. If we are to reap the benefits of globalization, then we must give back in turn by helping others when they need it. We cannot become isolationist now, we are entirely too dependent on other regions economically.

I agree with the limit to help. We should do so only when we aren't going to fuck around with whomever it is we're going to help. Fighting proxy wars in other places should be stopped.

[daleduke17]

We're the richest and most powerful nation in the world. Why would countries who have far less money and influence than us feel obligated to help us? Like you mentioned, when we really did need help, we did indeed receive it.

We've received help twice. We send help how many times? When the Greensburg tornado hit in Kansas (and probably so currently in AR and TN) the National Guard was stretched so thin that help couldn't get there immediately. Did we receive any help from Mexico or Canada (or any other country)? No (unless I missed it somewhere). I'm not saying that we should only give help when we are going to get help, but, it seems like the USA is being used a lot more than it should be.

We help in places like Somalia and Darfur because it's the right thing to do. If we are to reap the benefits of globalization, then we must give back in turn by helping others when they need it. We cannot become isolationist now, we are entirely too dependent on other regions economically.

I just don't like spending so much around the world when there are problems in our own backyard that seem to be overlooked because they "aren't cool". Seriously, the USA is not in any shape to be helping out in Darfur in any military shape. What all is going on right now? Iraq, Afghanistan, Israel/Palestine still has some of our troops (I think) and protection of the USA itself.

I agree with the limit to help. We should do so only when we aren't going to fuck around with whomever it is we're going to help. Fighting proxy wars in other places should be stopped.

I'm guessing Iraq is one of those times?

[AFPheonix]

Yes. Iraq most definitely, and Afghanistan the first time around was a perfect example of a proxy war. I dislike the idea of using innocent people to take a jab at an enemy.

Well, how many weather disasters have we helped Canada with? I don't recall doing anything for them in some of the god-awful ice storms they've had in the past. Did we do anything for Mexico when hurricanes devastated their east coast?
I'm fairly certain we didn't do anything for Britain when the Rhine flooded.

[Boozy]

We've received help twice. We send help how many times?

US GDP, 2007: $13.86 trillion ($46,000 per capita)

Sri Lanka GDP, 2007: $83.21 billion ($4100 per capita)

Despite the entire nation of Sri Lanka still reeling from the devastation of the tsunami of the previous December, and despite having a GDP less than 1% the size of America's, they still sent $25,000 to the US in the aftermath of Katrina.

America should have been ashamed to cash that cheque.

The US also received offers from Bangladesh in the amount of $1 million, and Cuba, a country that has been suffering from a US trade embargo for over 40 years, offered to send over 1000 doctors.

Cuba's generous offer was refused. Don't want no help from those damn pinko commies, I guess.

America is the richest country in the world, and has achieved much of this on the backs of less fortunate countries. The Centre for Global Development ranks the US 14th in the world in the amount of foreign assistance they provide.

Personally, I don't want a dime of Canadian foreign aid going to the US, any more than I donate my Christmas food hamper to the millionaires across town. I donate my time and money to the needy.

[Rapscallion]

Why does the United States of America have to jump in and police the world?

History.

The US doesn't have that much history. Only two and a half centuries or so since independence, right? A country that hasn't had a good civil war or two and invaded ('helped') a few countries overseas is a failure in the eyes of its parents (who did the exact same thing).

Rapscallion

[protege]

Why does the United States of America have to jump in and police the world? I don't see any of the other countries jumping in near as much as the USA.

It's because too many people here complain about "those poor people." Give me a fucking break. Sorry...but what about the "poor people" in *this* country? I'm all for helping people out, but I think we should help out our own before we go sending our tax dollars to other countries. I mean, we have vets living in cardboard boxes. They don't get a dime, yet millions get sent away? Are you kidding me?

Sorry if I sound like an asshole, but I think we should be solving our own problems, instead of taking care of the others.

[Seshat]

I don't see any of the other countries jumping in near as much as the USA.

Correct. You don't see it.

CNN and ABC and the other American mass-media display American help to foreign nations. Besides, a dozen American battalions makes a big display.

Australia sends a greater proportion of her army to the same place - and it's half a battalion. Tiny display. Looks little and wimpy to CNN, and besides, it's not Our Boys, so they don't bother showing it.

Finding news in America about other countries is difficult even for Americans who have an active interest in what other countries are doing, or expat Australians (also presumably expat Brits, expat French, expat Whateveristan).

Just because you don't see us, don't assume we're not there. Australians have been involved in a lot of overseas work. Based on our news reports, and talking to friends who are or have been in our armed forces, between a quarter and a third of our armed forces are helping other nations at any given time. A lot of Australians also work for Medicins Sans Frontiers, Oxfam, and the other aid agencies - some on a volunteer basis, some accepting a lower income than they could get in Aussieland because they choose to help out.

Other than military support, however, the Australian government doesn't spend as much on foreign aid as many Australians think we should: there are regular articles in the newspaper about that. Based on those articles, however, there are a lot of countries who give a lot more than us, even when the foreign aid is given as a per head of population figure.

So again - it's just a 'you don't see it' issue. Foreign aid, generous foreign aid, is being given by many nations. Military support is given by many nations - both the news reports and the friends have mentioned that Australians work with people of many nations when our soldiers go overseas to help.

Blame your media, not other countries. You're not trying to hold the whole world on your shoulders, and we foreigners aren't asking you to. We just want a nation who has (or seems to have) lots of resources to keep holding a share.

(As for 'we've received help twice': well, again, based on our news reports, that's wrong. When you had those huge California bushfires a few years ago, our bushfire experts flew over and taught yours our experience with eucalypt fires. When New Orleans got hit by Katrina, Australian aid agencies collected donations of both money and goods. Every time you guys have a serious problem like that, our news reports include 'and X is collecting donations'. Either those donations don't get there, or your news media doesn't bother reporting them. I'm inclined to think it's the latter.)

[Greenday]

History.

The US doesn't have that much history. Only two and a half centuries or so since independence, right? A country that hasn't had a good civil war or two and invaded ('helped') a few countries overseas is a failure in the eyes of its parents (who did the exact same thing).

Rapscallion

Did you just say America hasn't had a civil war?

[Rapscallion]

I'm saying it has, but it's just following in the fine traditions of the countries that colonised it. War of the Roses for us - I intend to look deeper into what happened in that some time.

Rapscallion

[daleduke17]

Yes. Iraq most definitely, and Afghanistan the first time around was a perfect example of a proxy war. I dislike the idea of using innocent people to take a jab at an enemy.

Well, how many weather disasters have we helped Canada with? I don't recall doing anything for them in some of the god-awful ice storms they've had in the past. Did we do anything for Mexico when hurricanes devastated their east coast?
I'm fairly certain we didn't do anything for Britain when the Rhine flooded.

As far as the Mexican Hurricanes, I believe there was some help from the USA (maybe not US Government, but entities from the US helped like the Red Cross and such).

[Seshat]

I'm fairly certain we didn't do anything for Britain when the Rhine flooded.

<snarky geography comment follows>

Unless the Rhine flooding was at the same time as a disaster in the British Isles, I can't see why anyone would have. The Rhine is on the European continent. I suppose a serious flooding of the Rhine could have caused problems in the North Sea that might have caused problems in the British Isles, but it'd have to be really severe.

Now, if the Thames flooded . . .

</snark>