Quote:
Originally Posted by raymor
Absolutely. Being friendly with your friends, as they say. That's how and why he brought up th subject, saying that since PAKISTAN isn't really our friend, so we should take a look at why we're sending your money to them.
Expanding on that, he's saying the same principle should across the board - of they aren't cooperating with us, and there's not a humanitarian justification, why are you and I paying them, via our taxes? Agree or disagree, that's how it works, aid normally assumes cooperation, or some other justification.
He was also very clear in specifically saying he'd plan on Israel continuing to get significant aid after the review is complete. You know that, so please have a little intellectual honesty and say what, if anything, you actually disagree with, rather than trying to twist his words. He never days Israel end up with zero aid and you know that. Will you tell us what your real problem with him is, or are you ashamed to say? Do you even know, or are you just blindly following a comedian who told you to dislike him?
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Wow.. In a bad mood tonight or something with the personal attacks?
I didn't twist his words.. That's what he said and then he's backed off from that bold black and white statement. What's funny is that Romney does the same sort of thing and gets labeled a flip flopper (although he has clearly flopped on some things).. I feel sorry for these guys.. They have to preach the red meat to the base in order to get the nomination and yet try and keep things "soft" enough so they don't box themselves in later when they have to appeal to the center when they run for president.
Here's the reality about his statement.. It's meaningless other than being great for garnering support... Do you honestly think he'd enter office and then cut off all foreign aid? No.. The entire "we'll start at zero and then figure out what they should get" is just blowing smoke.. That's not how it would work.. They'd sit around a table, discuss what everyone is getting and why and adjust the numbers accordingly.
My "issue" is that it's just one more bogus, empty promise from a politician looking to get elected.. Very little would change.. For how many years have they all said the same things and then little changes.. It's because they really can't change it..
As for Pakistan not being a friend to the US vs Israel... Doesn't the US use Pakistan as a supply line etc into Afghanistan to some degree? Isn't that the entire reason the aid started up, in order to support and help in the operations there? But, like most countries in that region, no one is ever completely "friendly" no matter what you give them. Take a look at some of the things Israel has done despite all the aid the US gives them
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Israel_...ates_relations
US gives Israel weapons etc... Israel sells high tech stuff to China including military equipment despite the US protesting it. Despite the aid, it seems that Israel doesn't exactly help with ensure global security.
What I find interesting is where the aid is actually going... Wish the numbers were more up to date.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_foreign_aid
Other than a handful of countries, "most" of the aid is "economic" in nature... I can understand a lot of the ones on there.. But I don't get Russia or Mexico. 15 Billion can be attributed to the wars (Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan) so don't see that going away any time soon.. I also don't get Egypt and Jordan. I guess Libya will be on a new list at some point. I was actually surprised though.. I thought there would have been a lot more than that.