cliff
Active member
what a cheek
Makes one think about all the aid - now it is being thrown back in our faces!
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Makes one think about all the aid - now it is being thrown back in our faces!
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British and US Tsunami Aid Snubbed
- Thread starter cliff
- Start date
RobEllis
New member
Don't know if it's just me but that link took me to AOL home page......
cliff
Active member
No. it links to AOL news page
"Indonesia has snubbed Britain's offer of 120 crack Gurkha troops who were to help with life-saving disaster relief.
The decision follows a similar move in Sri Lanka where US military aid was turned down yesterday.
Both refusals significantly step up the politicisation of relief efforts and threaten to the hamper life-saving work of the biggest humanitarian operation the world has ever seen."
Seems they want our money but not our help.
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"Indonesia has snubbed Britain's offer of 120 crack Gurkha troops who were to help with life-saving disaster relief.
The decision follows a similar move in Sri Lanka where US military aid was turned down yesterday.
Both refusals significantly step up the politicisation of relief efforts and threaten to the hamper life-saving work of the biggest humanitarian operation the world has ever seen."
Seems they want our money but not our help.
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webcraft
Well-known member
erm . . .
It means they don't want foreign troops in their country.
After seeing what has happened in Iraq I can't say I blame them. They have an army of their own, they just need the money / food / vehicles / technology
- Nick
It means they don't want foreign troops in their country.
After seeing what has happened in Iraq I can't say I blame them. They have an army of their own, they just need the money / food / vehicles / technology
- Nick
StephenSails
Active member
I can completly see why they dont want armed forces from other countrys in theirs, look what happens when are our army goes overseas!
kds
New member
"all the aid" ?
But ..but ...- aren't you the one who robustly refused to offer any aid at all - or am I on the wrong forum ?
Ken
But ..but ...- aren't you the one who robustly refused to offer any aid at all - or am I on the wrong forum ?
Ken
Keith
New member
Quite agree, nothings ever for free with the US, it'll probably be oh, as we gave you all this aid we want to build an airfeild so we can attack all our enemies......am i being cynical or what!!!.. but living over here and getting all the US telly, it amounts to no more than brainwashing and propaganda when you see what your average US of A citizen takes as gospel.........it really makes you wonder.....keith
Birdseye
Well-known member
You dont see the BBC and view all the brainwashing we get!
In the case of Indonesia, its probably a religious issue. They have enough Muslim Christian problems even without troops sent in by the two born agains!
In the case of Indonesia, its probably a religious issue. They have enough Muslim Christian problems even without troops sent in by the two born agains!
mikesharp
New member
I thought it was more to do with two countries waging war on a large part of their own people (both militarily and economic) and not wanting outsiders to let the cat out of the bag. It does seem strange that in Indonesia an area that has oil in abundance is the most undersupplied with infrastructure and ongoing financial support from their central government.
bruce
New member
i would be inclined to believe that if we send only money, it will disappear before getting to the needy, if the military are there, the aid is more apt to go where it is needed, for free...
Keith
New member
I get bbc america and the beeb news and after watching US telly ours (UK) is light years more balanced and informative
graham
Well-known member
very emotive language Cliff but I think you are wide of the mark.
Man power is the one thing they are not short of.
Specialist troops such as helicopter crews ,medics and engineers that are trained in water purification are working night and day as we speak but what real use would hundreds of infantry soldiers be at the moment?
Man power is the one thing they are not short of.
Specialist troops such as helicopter crews ,medics and engineers that are trained in water purification are working night and day as we speak but what real use would hundreds of infantry soldiers be at the moment?
StephenSails
Active member
Yes he is, he obviously has a problem with helping people less fortunate than ourselves.
Joe_Cole
New member
That's the one.
First he objected to them getting aid because they didn't need it. Now he's complaining because they decline what they don't need.
First he objected to them getting aid because they didn't need it. Now he's complaining because they decline what they don't need.
AlexL
Member
quite right graham - unfortunately both the US and ourselves have rather rich history of providing 'temporary aid' troops who are still there 50 years later - And with the current situation in Iraq I think that any country is absolutely justified in feeling a little nervous about having thousands of US Infantry troops arriving. Especially as Dubbya seems to want to start a Far Right Christian / Catholic Crusade again, and many of these countrys have enough problems with reglious stuff as it is. The specialist troops- airlift, water purifiers etc are a different matter and I don't know wether they have been hoofed out aswell but I should hope not.
As for claims that the aid will be wasted? well, that may be, but as most of it is going in goods and not cash I fail to see what a Maldavian Crime lord (Anyone who's ever been to the maldives would laugh at this!) is going to do with 1/2 a million bottles of Evian. Most agencies (oxfam, medicin sans f, etc) have 'armies' of people on the ground anyway
Africa has been mentioned in another thread about the tsunami and I quite agree that Africa is an overlooked tragedy, especially the wests blinkers with the AIDS situation which (source UN) in 2004 ALONE killed 3.1 million people, caused 4.9 million people to become newly infected bringing the total to a staggering 39.4 million people living with HIV. Perhaps some of the amazing human kindness appearing due to the Tsunami will light the touch paper on seriously dealing with Africa, the discussions about freezing / writing off the debts can only be a good thing. I just hope that any help and aid doesn't come with George W and the Catholic church continuing to actively promote the very 'ethics' (contraception, abortion etc.) which have contributed to the AIDS problem in the first place.
As for claims that the aid will be wasted? well, that may be, but as most of it is going in goods and not cash I fail to see what a Maldavian Crime lord (Anyone who's ever been to the maldives would laugh at this!) is going to do with 1/2 a million bottles of Evian. Most agencies (oxfam, medicin sans f, etc) have 'armies' of people on the ground anyway
Africa has been mentioned in another thread about the tsunami and I quite agree that Africa is an overlooked tragedy, especially the wests blinkers with the AIDS situation which (source UN) in 2004 ALONE killed 3.1 million people, caused 4.9 million people to become newly infected bringing the total to a staggering 39.4 million people living with HIV. Perhaps some of the amazing human kindness appearing due to the Tsunami will light the touch paper on seriously dealing with Africa, the discussions about freezing / writing off the debts can only be a good thing. I just hope that any help and aid doesn't come with George W and the Catholic church continuing to actively promote the very 'ethics' (contraception, abortion etc.) which have contributed to the AIDS problem in the first place.
Viking
New member
Obviously not in your face, as you said you were not going to give any? /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
riojasailer
Member
I'm not sure that the Gurkhas were the most sensitive troops to offer. Not that long ago they were actively fighting the Indonesians in the Borneo states which Indonesia wanted to include in its territory. Not surprising really that they wouldn't be the most welcome bringers of aid.
BrendanS
Well-known member
No, it links to AOL home page, probably unless you are logged in as an AOL member
oldgit
Well-known member
Still....................
Most posters on here would at least offer you assistance if they thought you needed help in any way while out boating. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
Most posters on here would at least offer you assistance if they thought you needed help in any way while out boating. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
walker
New member
Re: Still....................
I would hope that knowing Cliff's profound belief in natural selection we would look after our own need to get in before last orders and let nature takes its course with Cliff - there are too many little buggers like him anyway.
I would hope that knowing Cliff's profound belief in natural selection we would look after our own need to get in before last orders and let nature takes its course with Cliff - there are too many little buggers like him anyway.