Well, tonight thank God it's them instead of you

[Pondlife]

Have we done this one Linky

of the $100 million that went through the hands of the TPLF, 95% was allocated either to buy weapons or to build the hard-line party within the rebel movement - the Marxist Leninist League of Tigray.

Bet Bono's not fcking clapping now.

[Menelaus]

It reminds me of the foreign aid question - one that needs to be addressed by the UK with the understanding that not only are we no longer a colonial power, we're no longer able to fund acts of largesse (especially not with my money!).

As has been said here before (I believe?), if India can afford its own space programme and we - it could well be argued - can't, why isn't the money flowing the other way, why aren't we receiving money from them in aid?

http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-DFID/Qu...he-money-goes/

£3.3billion of aid direct to countries, another £2.2billion to international organisations such as the UN in grant-funding.

Still not enough to make me want to vote UKIP or BNP mind - but I'm a strong believer that, when the axe does start to fall on the civil service following the election, DFID should be one of the first places. It might only constitute (2008/9) 0.43% of gross national income but even still that's 0.43% that could be better used here in the UK solving some of the legion of problems which the UK suffers from.

/RANT

[OwlHoot]

It reminds me of the foreign aid question - one that needs to be addressed by the UK with the understanding that not only are we no longer a colonial power, we're no longer able to fund acts of largesse (especially not with my money!).

As has been said here before (I believe?), if India can afford its own space programme and we - it could well be argued - can't, why isn't the money flowing the other way, why aren't we receiving money from them in aid? ...

Foreign aid is a refined form of bribe these days, with the one aim of helping British exports and getting access to cheap raw materials.

Despite appearances, it's one of the few expenditures most likely to benefit the UK (Not saying it always does, given the chimps that administer it and possibly don't always understand its real purpose, but it's worth a try.)

[sasguru]

Foreign aid is a refined form of bribe these days, with the one aim of helping British exports and getting access to cheap raw materials.

Despite appearances, it's one of the few expenditures most likely to benefit the UK (Not saying it always does, given the chimps that administer it and possibly don't always understand its real purpose, but it's worth a try.)

WHS. The aid budget is chickenfeed compared with the trade value of some of those countries.
Although I agree that aid to Africa should cease forthwith, for their own sake rather than ours, as many African economists are beginning to argue.

[Menelaus]

WHS. The aid budget is chickenfeed compared with the trade value of some of those countries.
Although I agree that aid to Africa should cease forthwith, for their own sake rather than ours, as many African economists are beginning to argue.

...and as P J O'Rourke pointed out nearly 20 years ago in his book "Eat The Rich".

[EternalOptimist]

give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day

give a man a sasguru, and his ears will fall off

[Mich the Tester]

give a man a fish, and he will eat for a day

half a day after Capital Gains Tax and income tax

[xoggoth]

Aid is only worthwhile when there is proper government in the country concerned to ensure it properly used. Most water aid is wasted too, the wells just fall into disrepair because there is no infrastructure to maintain them.

[minestrone]

We don't give money to make them feel better, we give money to make us feel better.

One of the reasons I very rarely give to charity, I can accept my wealth and other's suffering as 2 seperate things. I have not profited from their suffering so they should not profit from my suffering.

[EternalOptimist]

We don't give money to make them feel better, we give money to make us feel better.

One of the reasons I very rarely give to charity, I can accept my wealth and other's suffering as 2 seperate things. I have not profited from their suffering so they should not profit from my suffering.

well said son.