US relief efforts in Southeast Asia

Of course it's impossible to trivialise the events in SE Asia over the last few days and all donations of aid are obviously much needed; I'm not going to argue about any of that which is why I'm making a seperate thread.

However, after listening to Colin Powell's consistent comments on how SE Asia would need "reconstruction", I can't help thinking that once again they have their own interests at the root of their efforts. Especially by the way that they are trying to take the leading role in coordinating relief.

I wonder how long it will be before we start seeing US construction firms winning lucrative contracts for redevelopment of the region?

Am I being too cynical?

 

i unfortunately agree with you...

 

NO ....how else do you think we dominate the planet...

 

Well maybe we should just take back our $350 million then.

 

If it was given freely then of course not. However, if it was given with a condition attached then that would be an entirely different matter.

I guess time will tell. I hope I'm wrong.

 

its okay for people to recover as long as no one else benefeits, oooh NOO someone else receiving benefeit from someone else healing would be too horrible!! /endsarcasm

 

It's a sorry state of affairs when aid can't be given freely; without wanting something in return or it being in the best interests of whoever is giving it.

 

sadly that is the way it has always been given.....and the game will still be played that way for a long time to come

 

soo? your making a big deal out of nothing, just because both parties can receive benefits who loses? do you think your being right in your judgment that theyre wrong in getting benefits from helping people?

 

No, I'm expressing a concern about something that I think is valid; this concern is based on what I have seen of current US foreign policy. I agree that I may just be too cynical and I hope I that I am proven wrong.

I think that every help they can get is more than neccessary ... in the short term they will benefit from food, shelter, medicine and hard currency.

However I am suspicious of the US government's motives. I am scared that this terrible tragedy may be exploited and the long term may see them become victims of western foreign policy; work may be contracted out to the highest bidding US corporation and the whole area could be transformed into something decidedly ugly.

You seem to have a lot more faith in your government than I do. I hope that you are right.

 

your completly cynical...

 

Hmmm, I think maybe you're being a bit cynical here. I'd be the first to criticise the US on most counts, but this is a serious humanitarian disaster. A few hundred million dollars is peanuts to them, just a drop in the ocean, it's hardly a great investment. It would have been very bad PR for them to do nothing. I don't see an alterior motive here. A minor humanitarian gesture and a bit of good PR, that's all....

 

Now thats even more cynical...and slightly unfair

 

Hah, i never said that i had faith in my government. now what would you describe as "decidedly ugly." ? but just because they might have some motives even besides some good pr, they are still helping out with the situation.

 

Colin Powells gone Paul, he has no reason to hide an administration agenda. In US politics people avoid using the word catastrophic, which is the only word that fits.

 

OK, try to convince me it's more than a drop in the ocean compared to their defence budget....

 

We've already spent our defense budget, and cash is tight, Its a generous gesture and we'll probably give more as the relief effort continues.

The defense budget has nothing to do with this, and trying to mix up your ideological differences with this is cynical.

 

Your defence budget is everything to do with it. I'm not even taking up ideology here, it's just simple figures. I applaud the US government's gesture, I'm not criticising them over the gesture itself, I'm simply arguing that it's too small for it to be seen as a cynical imperialistic manouver. Like I said, good PR, it's working....

 

Whats wrong with good PR? Even if it is just for PR, 350 million dollars will help out immensely. I don't think intentions are very important when parts of SE Asia are in ruin.

 

I'm not actually criticising the US here, for once! All I'm doing is stating simple fact. They spent money on aid, and it's good PR. I certainly wouldn't say that makes George Bush a saint, but I'd rather he sent the money than he didn't....