[yankeedame]

Well, gang, we all knew this was coming...and, of course, it's all because of the weather.

[Argus]

All together now:

We are the world...we are the suckers...

[firewalk]

There's more than enough people here in the USA that I'd much rather be helping.

[Glenn]

As completely heartless as this may sound, there are some areas of the world where commerce cannot be conducted, gardens can't be grown, and people die at a young age from a variety of shortfalls in their lives. It's difficult to save them all.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

Well, to qoute a distinguished and dead American Sam Kinnison, "We've got deserts in America, We just don't live in them! Moooove! Oh Oh OHHHHHHH!"

[michigander]

Paging Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton... Paging Jesse Jackson or Al Sharpton!!

Please pick up the courtesy phone. Line #1.

[Ronin]

I suggest they look into the benefits of cannibalism.

[Nogbad]

Remember
all foreign aid to Africa
(no, not most, all)
goes into the bank accounts
of the thugs that rule their countries.

[IronJack]

Both agencies have called on international donors to provide supplies, estimating that southern Africa will have to import almost 4 million tonnes of food over the next year if it is to meet the needs of its population.

Both agencies have called on the United States to give away oodles of money and food to this bunch of fly fodder, estimating that one of the most agriculturally worthless areas of the world will have to import almost 4 million tones of grub over the next year if it is to feed the irresponsible, teeming hordes of chicken kickers. Of course if America were starving, nobody would know our names.

The WFP has estimated that the cost of such an international aid operation would be around $400 million, Reuters news agency reported.

They added that the lion's share of the burden would be borne by the hate-filled, imperialistic oppressors in the United States.

"We have to get the message out to donors - a famine can be averted if they act quickly," Judith Lewis, WFP's regional director for southern and eastern Africa, told Reuters.

"So send money. By the boatload, truckload, or by train. Fill boxcars full of American greenbacks and send them to me, Judith Lewis, the woman who has accomplished exactly jack squat toward averting these famines. This time it will be different and we won't use the money or food to prop up bloodthirsty warlords or to manipulate local politics. Really, we won't. Thank you imperialist running pigdogs."

[river rat]

Tough love requires that we allow them to suffer the consequences of their insanity and corruption.

Until they see they can no longer escape from their weakness, corruption and ignorance - by begging for CONTINUED and fruitless bailouts -- they will make no attempt to become a viable and self sufficient society..

We and our government should stand back.....
Semper Fi

[neutrino]

- a famine can be averted if they act quickly

Well I, for one, am ready to step forward and make a difference. If the governments over there will supply me with a pre-paid shipping mechanism (i.e., FedEx or equivalent), I'll be more than glad to send over any leftovers I don't want, or that are no longer appetizing. Really and truly. No need to thank me, just doing my part....

[norton]

"We have to get the message out to donors - a famine can be averted if they act quickly..."
...Call right now, use your Visa card, and we will double that order.
NOW TWO FAMINES CAN BE AVERTED, but only if you act quickly.

Call in during the next ten minutes and we will not only stop two famines but (for a slight shipping charge) we will send you your own two starving families recently employed on successful farms in Zimbabwe and currently ready to add a new dimension to your everyday, humdrum, life.

Teach you children the value of caring for others, let them see first hand the benefits of a simple life (made possible by your own charity and deep seated feeling of guilt).

Act today!

Or not....can't these idiots understand that we've been conned before and just maybe we are tired of the experience?

[Sungirl]

There are several reasons, the report states, for the current crisis, including drought, economic policies and, in Zimbabwe, the disruption of farming due to the government's controversial land reform programme.

Such BS. They should start by teaching their people not to bite the hand that feeds them. I hope they learn their lessons the hard way......

[reformed_democrat]

Well, gang, we all knew this was coming...and, of course, it's all because of the weather.

No, no, no. Well, maybe. But only partially.
It's really because of AIDS:

The crisis has been made worse by the high rate of HIV and Aids in the region, which has weakened the local population's resistance to disease and left them more susceptible to famine.

And we all know that's our fault for not providing the world with a cure instead of spending money on stupid ol' defense systems and such.

[tomakaze]

RE:in Zimbabwe, the disruption of farming due to the government's controversial land reform programme.
 
Murdering white farmers and stealing their property is a "disruption"?
Ah, newspeak.

[Eternal_Bear]

Maybe they can eat the cruel, oppressive white farmers? All their fault anyway.

[RWCon]

The thing is that it would do no good to save them. They would just continue to reproduce and next year or the year after they'd be begging again.

There are a few books which should be studied carefully:
1. Camp of the Saints
2. Atlas Shrugged
3. The Bell Curve

4. Race, Evolution and Behavior

[Cicero]

I hate to say it, but until Mugabe is taken out there, any money that is sent into the region will just reward him for wrecking his country's economy.

[Dogrobber]

Look, I really hate to say this, but Africa needs to be re-colonized. The reason that there is famine is not because of the weather, its because of the totalitian rulers of the countries involved who have used food as a weapon. The best way to handle this is to sweep them from power by force. However, because no one in the west has the stones for such action, we are going to let millions die. That is just how it is.

[Caipirabob]

It would be nice to be able to help, but the hostile political situation there makes it virtually impossible. Let's face it, what sort of reception are a bunch of Europeans or "Rich Americans" going to get when they land in a place like Zimbabwe with millions of dollars of relief supplies? Will Mugabe "necklace" them or just shoot them before confiscating all food? The logistics of disbursement of aid and distribution of such supplies poses a serious challange to those who might actually want to return in one piece. The supplies will just end up in control of the local warlord anyway.

I don't have any solution to offer, but I can't subsidize their way of life anymore.