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Originally Posted by alansmithee
It's relevant because many people here were trying to attribute these offers as pure altruism. This thread isn't about why or why not US gives aid. I'm sure that many of the people who now are trying to say how kind and generous foreign countries are being by offering to help the US would turn around and attempt to disparage similar efforts by the US toward the rest of the world. I don't expect the rest of the world to offer aid from pure generousness, I just expect that people know that aid offered isn't string free and purely altruistic. And also, that the effort is hollow and meaningless.
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As a peptic towards those who would think a government gives money
entirely for altruistic reasons it is relevant to mention that there are political motives behind
and government giving support.
I don't recall all that many people here disparaging the US for the aid it provided after the Tsunami. I think you are confusing providing aid with waging a war and using "aiding the people of Iraq" to put happy spin on things (I could be wrong but I don't think so given your take on things in general
).
Regardless of the reason for offering the aid, I think it is rather disingenuous of you to call it, "hollow and meaningless". I am sure the money and support offered by Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia are just as meaningful as the money and support offered by other nations on that list. It is only "hollow and meaningless" if the gift is accepted and they do not follow through.
I don't know about you but "it's the thought that counts" does mean something. I'd like to think that eventhough there are political points to be won or lost, somewhere in the mix there is one group of people wanting to help another group of people in need.