| Submit your comments on this article | ||
| Africa Subsaharan | ||
| Irish wonk Bono asks Bush for billions | ||
| 2006-02-03 | ||
Washington - U2's Bono, citing the Koran, the Bible and rock band Dire Straits, urged President George W. Bush on Thursday to boost US aid to the world's poor by about $25bn (about R150bn). "This is not about charity, it's about justice," the singer and activist told an annual US national prayer breakfast, peering through orange-tinted glasses at Bush, US lawmakers, and Muslim, Christian, and Jewish leaders. "That's too bad, because we're good at charity," he said. "But justice is a higher standard. Africa makes a fool of our idea of justice; it makes a farce of our idea of equality." "There's no way we can look at what's happening in Africa and, if we're honest, conclude that, deep down, we would let it happen anywhere else," said the rock star. "Mr President, Congress, people of faith, people of America, I want to suggest to you today that you see the flow of effective foreign assistance as tithing, which, to be truly meaningful, will need an additional 1% of the federal budget tithed to the poor," said Bono. Bush's Office of Management and Budget estimated that the US government spent about $2.473 trillion in 2005, making the singer's request roughly $25bn. Balance of this kak at the link.
| ||
| Posted by:Besoeker |
| #8 Wanker, Darrell, wanker |
| Posted by: Hupomoger Clans9827 2006-02-03 21:11 |
| #7 Wank? |
| Posted by: Darrell 2006-02-03 21:08 |
| #6 Africa was Europe's colony. They can fix it. |
| Posted by: 3dc 2006-02-03 21:02 |
| #5 Wonk, a studious or hardworking person - Concise Oxford Not sure, I'd call Bono a wonk. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2006-02-03 19:10 |
| #4 Ain't that just a hoot? When money is needed, the first to be called on almost always seems to be Uncle Sam. Why, it's as if money trees grew on our soil... |
| Posted by: Bomb-a-rama 2006-02-03 18:12 |
| #3 Hey, Bobo - ya' want more billions for Africa? Use YOURS. Ours is a little tied up right now. Ever hear of Iraq? Afghanistan? The Gulf Coast? My goddam wallet that I'm sick of people who "know better" keep sticking their hands into? Oh, yeah - and your so-called "music" sucks, too. |
| Posted by: Barbara Skolaut 2006-02-03 17:17 |
| #2 Not as completely bubble-headed as all that, given the little noticed comments he's made in past. Namely that "Bush has done more for Africa than any US President." That makes me notice that he said "justice, not charity". Charity has been tried, and it often does not work, specifically because much of Africa is controlled by dictators, warlords, fanatics, etc. They are the forces arrayed *against* charity, development, and improvement of the place. They are literally "the enemy" of the people of Africa. So the only way for charity to work is if you replace the dictators, et al, with true democracy and freedom. All of a sudden, it makes you wonder what Mr Bono is *really* asking for. A little "regime changing" perhaps? |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-02-03 16:59 |
| #1 U2's Bono, citing the Koran, the Bible and rock band Dire Straits Money for nothing, chicks for free? Or in this case, Money for nothing, CHECKS for free... |
| Posted by: Chinter Flarong9283 2006-02-03 14:22 |