Would other countries be as 'willing' to help UK/US?

[turbobloke]

Helping people in need is compassionate but last night's news spoke of the UK's increased donation by saying that 'rich countries' must help more. That should rule out any increase from us since the UK is very nearly bankrupt thanks to Labour and the idea of being a wealthy nation is now just a comfortable illusion.

[alangla]

andy_s said:

The scale of the Pakistan floods is extraordinary.

I notice a very large country neighbouring Pakistan is missing from that chart. Given that the Pakistanis need as much technical assistance as possible just now, one would have hoped they & the Indians could have worked together on the rescue & relief efforts, or maybe India just doesn't want to help.

Could someone remind me why we're still giving long-term aid to a nuclear armed country with a space programme whose companies are able to buy over significant parts of our steel and motor industry?

[theboyfold]

alangla said:

andy_s said:

The scale of the Pakistan floods is extraordinary.

I notice a very large country neighbouring Pakistan is missing from that chart. Given that the Pakistanis need as much technical assistance as possible just now, one would have hoped they & the Indians could have worked together on the rescue & relief efforts, or maybe India just doesn't want to help.

Could someone remind me why we're still giving long-term aid to a nuclear armed country with a space programme whose companies are able to buy over significant parts of our steel and motor industry?

BBC Website said:

Pakistan also announced that it had accepted a $5m donation from India, a week after the offer was made. Relations between both countries have been tense recently over the disputed region of Kashmir.

[alangla]

theboyfold said:

alangla said:

andy_s said:

The scale of the Pakistan floods is extraordinary.

I notice a very large country neighbouring Pakistan is missing from that chart. Given that the Pakistanis need as much technical assistance as possible just now, one would have hoped they & the Indians could have worked together on the rescue & relief efforts, or maybe India just doesn't want to help.

Could someone remind me why we're still giving long-term aid to a nuclear armed country with a space programme whose companies are able to buy over significant parts of our steel and motor industry?

BBC Website said:

Pakistan also announced that it had accepted a $5m donation from India, a week after the offer was made. Relations between both countries have been tense recently over the disputed region of Kashmir.

It's a start I guess!

[Morningside]

andy_s said:

The scale of the Pakistan floods is extraordinary.

EU Commission? Does that mean we paid twice?

Added:
China is now officially the 2nd richest country...Where are they on the list?
Cynical mode-
UK, USA etc paying as a kind of taliban anti attack insurance?

Edited by Morningside on Friday 20th August 13:46

[agric]

War debt was paid off and a reciept pocketed a couple of years back,

Still,
Gordons seen to it we take up where we left off paying for his grand plan

[grumbledoak]

Gordon seemed to have a bit of a blind spot for the 'cost' part of his 'grand' plan.

[anonymous-user]

TuxRacer said:

I barely heard about the US opening their wallet though, to be fair.

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph/eco_eco_aid_don-...

[TuxRacer]

Where does that show me what they spent on Katrina?

[The real Apache]

Kuwait, The emirates, Abu Dhabi, Jordan, Syria, Libya to name a few strike me as odd for not contributing

[Jimbeaux]

TuxRacer said:

Where does that show me what they spent on Katrina?

This is from 2007; it has gone up, I can personally verify.

"NEW ORLEANS, La. -- As the new year starts and recovery from hurricanes Katrina and Rita continues, more than $30 billion in federal funds has been obligated to Louisiana through Public Assistance programs, awarded to citizens through Individual Assistance, settled through National Flood Insurance claims or loaned through the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA)."

http://www.fema.gov/news/newsrelease.fema?id=33506

[Jimbeaux]

The real Apache said:

Kuwait, The emirates, Abu Dhabi, Jordan, Syria, Libya to name a few strike me as odd for not contributing

They are so burdened giving money to their Palestinian Brothers that.....oh wait.....

[The real Apache]

Jimbeaux said:

The real Apache said:

Kuwait, The emirates, Abu Dhabi, Jordan, Syria, Libya to name a few strike me as odd for not contributing

They are so burdened giving money to their Palestinian Brothers that.....oh wait.....

Surely if that was the case the Palestinians would be in the lap of luxury?

[anonymous-user]

Jimbeaux said:

The real Apache said:

Kuwait, The emirates, Abu Dhabi, Jordan, Syria, Libya to name a few strike me as odd for not contributing

They are so burdened giving money to their Palestinian Brothers that.....oh wait.....

so are we. us gives 1bn a year to gaza

[StevieBee]

The real Apache said:

Kuwait, The emirates, Abu Dhabi, Jordan, Syria, Libya to name a few strike me as odd for not contributing

I think you will find that money from many muslim states is controlled by the mosques and aid is funnelled through Mecca and thus classed as originating from Saudi Arabia. Not quite sure of the exact mechanics but it's not quite as simple as one country giving to another.

[Halb]

odyssey2200 said:

172ff said:

If Pakistan has enough money to develop nuclear weapons, they have enough cash to sort out there own problems. IMO of course.

^^^ This.

I also agree...however on reflection I also agree that if other nations can afford the bloody silly things as well, then they can at least afford to give some to save lives and help lessen suffering...which both the U.S.A and the U.K seem to be doing.
I hope any aid goes straight to the people on the ground, and not some local military chief.

[Jimbeaux]

fbrs said:

Jimbeaux said:

The real Apache said:

Kuwait, The emirates, Abu Dhabi, Jordan, Syria, Libya to name a few strike me as odd for not contributing

They are so burdened giving money to their Palestinian Brothers that.....oh wait.....

so are we. us gives 1bn a year to gaza

It was sarcasm; they give next to nothing. You think they could at least pay them for using them as an excuse for violence all of these years.

[Jimbeaux]

StevieBee said:

The real Apache said:

Kuwait, The emirates, Abu Dhabi, Jordan, Syria, Libya to name a few strike me as odd for not contributing

I think you will find that money from many muslim states is controlled by the mosques and aid is funnelled through Mecca and thus classed as originating from Saudi Arabia. Not quite sure of the exact mechanics but it's not quite as simple as one country giving to another.

Now that is an interesting system; never heard of such.

[The real Apache]

Jimbeaux said:

fbrs said:

Jimbeaux said:

The real Apache said:

Kuwait, The emirates, Abu Dhabi, Jordan, Syria, Libya to name a few strike me as odd for not contributing

They are so burdened giving money to their Palestinian Brothers that.....oh wait.....

so are we. us gives 1bn a year to gaza

It was sarcasm; they give next to nothing. You think they could at least pay them for using them as an excuse for violence all of these years.

fk it...[shakes sarcasm detector] need new batteries

[Jimbeaux]

The real Apache said:

Jimbeaux said:

fbrs said:

Jimbeaux said:

The real Apache said:

Kuwait, The emirates, Abu Dhabi, Jordan, Syria, Libya to name a few strike me as odd for not contributing

They are so burdened giving money to their Palestinian Brothers that.....oh wait.....

so are we. us gives 1bn a year to gaza

It was sarcasm; they give next to nothing. You think they could at least pay them for using them as an excuse for violence all of these years.

fk it...[shakes sarcasm detector] need new batteries

Not your fault; it needs using so much here that it breaks down.

Edited by Jimbeaux on Friday 20th August 15:03