Well Done America

dave2pvd

LeBash wrote: »

I totally agree with you. It should be solely the UN for peace keeping and charities doing the rest. After all, a volunteer built the Ark and professionals built the Titanic.

They will however take your money and put it to good use.

It has been that way* - before the earthquake. Now, there is a crisis that needs to be addressed. It became a question who could get there as soon as possible. As far as I know, the UN presence is still larger than any other.

You do know that you are paying for the UN, right?



*For reference, CARE has been there since 1954

alias06

SLUSK wrote: »

I suppose it is ok to rob people if you send all the money from the robbery to victims in Haiti? I mean if it is ok to force people to pay taxes and send the money to Haiti why is it not ok to rob people and send the money to Haiti.

The difference between taxes and robbery is quite small.

Well its not that simple really. America does owe Haiti a few quid.

Since the time of Napoleon through to the US invasion of the country under President Wilson in 1915, which led to the disbandment of the Haitian parliament at gunpoint by US marines after it refused to pass a law granting US corporations the right to turn the country into a US plantation, through to the expulsion of democratically elected Aristide in the 1990's and the US support for the killer and torturer and military dictator Baby Doc Duvalier, the history of US intervention in Haiti has been shameful. Chomsky has written about it here: http://www.chomsky.info/articles/20040309.htm

Then there is the small matter of the US insisting upon US corporations having the right to dump their excess products in Haiti. Something they are prevented from doing by law in Canada and Mexico. Haitian farmers are forced to compete with US agri-business but without the massive subsidies (up to 40% of profits) that the US pays to its farmers.

Now that years of exploitation and natural disaster has brought the country to its knees the U.S. can step in, role out operation PR and look like the hero. Utterly cynical.

Of course it's a good thing US aid is now going to Haiti but the US should have been paid out reparations to Haiti years ago.

LeBash

dave2pvd wrote: »

It has been that way* - before the earthquake. Now, there is a crisis that needs to be addressed. It became a question who could get there as soon as possible. As far as I know, the UN presence is still larger than any other.

You do know that you are paying for the UN, right?



*For reference, CARE has been there since 1954

I understand it was a question of who could get there first. According to a goal worker there, it was Cuban (i dont know). I think it is more a case of people may get agrivated at having a US pressence rather than a UN one, even if it is US troops in UN uniform.

It would be nice to see see aid hitting the people alot faster, alot of it is getting tied up in red tape

Victor

LeBash wrote: »

It should be solely the UN for peace keeping and charities doing the rest. After all, a volunteer built the Ark and professionals built the Titanic.

Are you referring to professional UN staff or professional charity staff?

Are you referring to volunteer UN staff or volunteer charity staff?

who will pay the charities and UN?

dave2pvd

LeBash wrote: »

I understand it was a question of who could get there first. According to a goal worker there, it was Cuban (i dont know).

I heard similar. Either Cuban or Icelandic(!), depending on the source.