Bush Says Poverty Can Spawn Violence

Hartford Courant ^ | 3/22/02 | SONYA ROSS

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

President Bush urged world leaders Friday to demand political reform from poor countries in exchange for increased aid and warned that unchecked poverty can foster terrorism.

"We fight poverty because hope is an answer to terror," Bush said in a speech before representatives from 171 nations taking part in the U.N. International Conference on Financing for Development.

[SunStar]

Bush is sounding more and more liberal by the day. Dammit.

[jurisdog]

Wow. Global Welfare.

Go Go Conservative Principles!!!

[Uncle Bill]

[Robert_Paulson2]

I hear what you are saying but...

Supporting the development of free trade, while rejecting the KYOTO protocol, hardly puts him in the "liberal" column, for me at least.

Of course "free trade" with Saudi Arabia has gotten us nowhere but 9-11, so perhaps free trade policy should be used as a tool for coercion of others to follow our policies and principles as a nation.

I believe that is what our President is doing.

[Bars4Bill]

If true we'd be attacked by Haitians.

[CRAW]

Every time GW opens his mouth, I fell like barfing,.....It's sad really sad.... I hoped with this admiration we were heading for greatness.... what a disappointment.

[johnfl61]

Bush is wrong. It has nothing to do with poverty. Bin Laden is a millionaire and the terrorists who destroyed the twin towers were from Saudi Arabia which is very wealthy.

[Mike Darancette]

Bush Says Poverty Can Spawn Violence

No he didn't.

[mdittmar]

Bush is sounding more and more liberal by the day.Dammit.

He's starting to piss me off.

[Darth Sidious]

Bush may have an MBA, but as a student of history he's a blithering idiot.

I supposed America never had such a drastically high crime rate as we did during the Great Depression, huh?

[Frohickey]

Hmm... I guess since most of the people that lived through the Depression era are dead and buried, Dubya can say this since there is no one around to refute it.

[Jesse]

Bush+New World Order+Doublespeak+Fatted Republican incumbents in Senate and House= NWORINOGOP.

[BulletBrasDotNet]

The United States has poured trillions of foreign aid all over the planet in the last 50 years. The recipients of our aid, still hate our guts.

Each country's leaders has a responsibility to their civilian population. Crime and corruption runs rampant in these third world countries, and the needy don't get a dime.

This is a pathetic move that W is proposing.

[Dane]

It is amazing how people will pounce on a headline.

[KantianBurke]

He lost my vote a few bleeding heart open border speeches ago.

[Russ]

You're absolutely right, he DID NOT say that.

In fact, what I heard him say (free markets, democratic reforms,liberty and law) are conservative principles.

And, by the way, when did the belief in closed borders and anti- immigration become a litmus test for who can be called a conservative? The beauty and appeal of conservatism has always been it's devotion to individual thought and the many different types of conservatism. Here, on Free Republic, a new, narrow definition of the term has taken shape and it hasn't been for the better.

[BulletBrasDotNet]

Send W an *brief* e-mail expressing your feelings:

www.Whitehouse.gov

Scroll down and find "Contacts."

Scroll down and find the URL for President Bush.

You'll find more credibility traction if you sign your name, town and state where you're from. Otherwise you/we may be perceived as a lunatic(s) without the guts to identify our/yourself.

IMOHO.

[Jorge]

"History has called us to a titanic struggle, whose stakes could not be higher because we're fighting for freedom itself," Bush said. "We will challenge the poverty and hopelessness and lack of education and failed governments that too often allow conditions that terrorists can seize and try to turn to their advantage."

The title of the article is rather misleading.
This is not a claim that poverty is the cause for terrorism but rather that poverty is effectively exploited by terrorists.
This is undeniably true.

And terrorists are by no means the first to do this. Evil men with bold ambitions have exploited poverty to gain power throughout history.
Bush is right about this.

[Jorge]

Each country's leaders has a responsibility to their civilian population. Crime and corruption runs rampant in these third world countries, and the needy don't get a dime.

This is a pathetic move that W is proposing.

Did you even read what Bush proposed?
He address the exact same concerns you raise about "the needy" not getting the benefit of US aid, and he calls for greater accountability;

"Pouring money into a failed status quo does little to help the poor. ... We must accept a higher, more difficult, more promising call," Bush said. "Liberty and law and opportunity are the conditions for development, and they are the common hopes of mankind."

Calling for more accountability tied to US aid is a great idea. Certainly nothing "liberal" about it.