Posted on 05/02/2002 9:59:10 AM PDT by Stand Watch Listen
However, it looks like another "meals on wheels" and nationbuilding mission, complete with UN involvement. I reject these roles as legitimate US foreign policy.
Destabilization of the most corrupt regimes would certainly be supported by a lot of Europe, at least in the case of Zimbabwe.
I also think there is an opportunity to control resources in those countries through purchase of shares in their mining industries with food aid...sort of an investment, if you will.
The current method of giving aid provides no long-term results (at least positive ones). I favor doing something that gets Africa on the road to being able to take care of itself and exploit its potential.
I was about to say “that’s the whole problem…” except the litany of problems in Africa seems to be endless.
No one wants to invest in Africa because not only is labor, transportation, supply chains etc., completely unreliable, but there’s no guarantee of rule of law. In fact, chances are any investment made in one of these countries will just be “repatriated” to “war veterans” or some other flunky of the dictator.
Owl_Eagle
”Guns Before Butter.”
Let's seize that money, buy food, and get our soldiers to distribute it to the people.
Can't speak for the other countries, but Mugabe's policies are the problem in Zimbabwe. May he achieve the same fate as Mussolini.
Knowing you to be an intelligent and thoughtful person by your insightful posts, I have to ask if you've forgotten the lessons of The Ugly American by William J. Lederer and Eugene Burdick.
American governmental largesse contributed through thugs like Mugabe is going to be used AGAINST America, not for us.
We have the resources to help everybody - but who are we obligated to help? And how? The best thing we could do for Zimbabwe, if we assume intervention is right, is to launch a sufficient invasion force to take out his entire government and summarily execute the "war veterans" who are robbing, killing and raping Zimbabwe. Once some kind of government was established, as opposed to a "thugocracy", meaningful food aid could be given.
Giving food aid while the racist Marxists are in power will only strengthen their hand and prolong the country's agony.
"Nice try, no chance..."
"You couldn't pay me to vote for bush or gore"
Oh, a Libertarian eh? Like that's any better!
I have not forgotten the lessons of The Ugly American but other countries use that reputation to their advantage. The trick is how to outfox them and save some lives.
The colonial powers left Africa a couple of centuries too early.
As an Africa Watch junkie, I can tell you that Mugabe’s policies are the problem in all these countries. Rhodesia used to be a major exporter of food to all the countries that are embarking on this horrific famine. Now, due to his racist, marxist, syphilis fueled insanity, the entirety of Sub Saharan Africa is suffering.
On the bright side, it’s the first opportunity for many of us to have a front row seat to the anatomy of a famine.
Owl _ Eagle
“Guns before butter.”
In my opinion, yes it is better.....
Furthermore, and most importantly, sending even a dime of
our (US) hard earned income to africa is wrong.
There is nothing compassionate or conservative about our leaders taking
what does not belong to them and giving it to anyone who has not earned it.
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