NKAJ said:
The Ghost of RubangB said:
oldschoolfool said:
The Ghost of RubangB said:
Great rant. Your mom kicks ass.
We can afford to feed the entire planet healthy food and clean water. But we don't, because many people think there are principles more important than life. I think that's a crime. |
I completly disagree with that. We can't afford to feed the entire world. the economy is bad enough as it is.
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The United Nations estimates it would cost about $195 billion a year to end world hunger.
22 countries have pledged to donate 0.7% of national income to meet this goal, but only 5 countries have done it. The U.S. hasn't.
Meanwhile, the U.S. embassy in Baghdad cost $592 billion to make over the last few years. I think it's affordable.
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Yeah for how long would the hunger come to an end? Its all about long term soloutions and enabling people to help themselves rather than just dumping aid on them.
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That is the key.
Giving aid to people in the form of processed goods and services - food packages, doctors with health care, ect are very temporary fixes that do no good when the aid stops. Although it can be good in short bursts, it damages long-term solutions. Warlords may steal food and re-sell it, people may become too dependent on foreign aid and not introduce programs to increase crop yields, people may get their kids to not go to medical school due to doctors helping them currently, ect.
I can't remember who quoted it - if it was highwaystar or someone else - but theres a great quote from a Kenyan politician essentially stating that 'if you want to fix Africa, stop giving us aid' simply because it was doing more harm than good.
