Article

2006-10-16 Down Under

Australia to impose conditions on South Pacific Aid

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Posted by Oztralian 2006-10-16 03:49|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Good.

And we should do the same to Indonesia, particularly in light of the latest figures that 1 in 10 indonesians support al-Qaida affiliates and Islamonazi terrorists Jemaah Islamiah.

They bomb Bali, kill Australians and hindu Balinese, and when they get a tsunami bam we give them a cool billion in aid money, no strings attached.

We should be doing more of this tied aid stuff... or cut the aid money right off

Posted by anon1 2006-10-16 04:32|| 2006-10-16 04:32|| Front Page Top

#2 Yes, we should, anon1. But our political admin-specifically, the Bush administration, via Condi-thinks need equals merit. They are promising aid to Palestine without the measly condition of recognizing Israel-a pretty damned reasonable condition in the view of American tax payers.

Posted by Jules 2006-10-16 08:04|| 2006-10-16 08:04|| Front Page Top

#3 Jules, that is terrible. I really think we should all, Americans, Australians and Brits, have a box to tick on our tax forms where we can choose or choose NOT to pay a portion of our taxes to foreign aid.

that way we can freely give to charities of our choice and be sure that our taxes are spent on US: our hospitals, schools and roads, which would always benefit from a nice upgrade that wasted aid money could buy.

Posted by anon1 2006-10-16 09:16|| 2006-10-16 09:16|| Front Page Top

#4 our political admin-specifically, the Bush administration, via Condi-thinks need equals merit

I don't read it that way. I think they think aid is a lever for influence. Maybe not total influence, which is where the judgement calls come into play. And we see the public aid (carrots) but we don't usually see the sticks which usually occur in private diplomacy ... but sometimes are applied publicly.

Posted by lotp 2006-10-16 09:19|| 2006-10-16 09:19|| Front Page Top

#5 Sheesh. Where's that MagIk wAnd?

When I see the Bush Admin going along with the decades-old State Dept BS of accommodation and sliminess, such as giving one cent of US Aid to the Paleos, I have to force myself to remember that the DhimmiDonks would howl and bash Bush, somewhat successfully, with a campaign of "it's for the children" BS if he actually cut off all aid. After all, our betters in the EU are all for it - so Bush would catch hell from the Tranzis. Just under half of the Congress is triangulating against Bush - and push this shit whether they give a rat's ass about the Paleos or not - and most certainly do not. It was good enough for Saint Bill, who had Yassir over to Camp David for a few brewskis and some laughs, so it's a wunnerful thang, etc.

Triangulation. It's all the rage among the asshats who'd love to take down the US - both internally and externally.

Bush has done far more than any other President to bring some honesty to the Paleo bullshit situation. It's an inherited thing with tons of BS baggage. He has made serious efforts to whittle the crap down. But some just don't give any credit if he doesn't toe their personal line and meet their personal schedule and dance to their tune. Gosh, sounds just like the pro-Paleo crowd. That's a gutless and dishonest approach, but hey - it's America - you can be whatever you wanna be. Dishonest, disingenuous, irrational, pointlessly uncharitable for what has been accomplished and ignorant of reality, posting from a perfectly surreal world where you get everything you want -- yep, anything you wanna be.

Jules -- Since you've stated that you intend to Bash Bush in the November vote your carping about him is just DU noise, now. Have a nice life.

Posted by .com 2006-10-16 09:32|| 2006-10-16 09:32|| Front Page Top

#6 Blah blah blah. I don't owe loyalty to parties-I owe it to the ideas individuals fight for.

Aid monies come directly from the American people. The Palestinian people have voted in a terrorist government which refuses to give up its designs to remove Jews from Israel-perhaps even from this earth. Aid monies from the US would support a terrorist government in Palestine. That should be a disgusting position for any self-respecting American-Dem, Pub, anybody.

Some believe money solves anything. That used to be the sole territory of Dems; guess the idea is getting traction with Pubs these days, too.

Posted by Jules 2006-10-16 10:17|| 2006-10-16 10:17|| Front Page Top

#7 What a disingenuous reply.

Blah blah blah, indeed.

Posted by .com 2006-10-16 10:28|| 2006-10-16 10:28|| Front Page Top

#8 What's the alternative to Bush? The dems? Lets get real here. Allegiance to ideas and not parties is a wonderful idea, but political realities in a two party system (yes, two party...the rest are powerless) dictate that we sometimes have to accept the lesser of two evils.

While I disagree with Bush and Rice on the paleo issue, and vehemently disagree with him on the immigration issue, that's a disagreement in the family. I'm not about to go down the street and ask to be adopted by that pack of unadulterated scumbags.

Posted by mcsegeek1 2006-10-16 11:30|| 2006-10-16 11:30|| Front Page Top

#9 Sheesh, you can't give any credit for how far Bush has rolled back the fucking lovefest either, mcsegeek1?

Damn. I thought you would. Double damn. WTF is wrong here? Is everybody 3 fucking years old?

Pfeh.

Posted by .com 2006-10-16 11:38|| 2006-10-16 11:38|| Front Page Top

#10 Condi Rice is right when she says the war on Islamacist terror will take a generation. That's 20 years.

Many Americans have short attention spans and are impatient. I don't know if we'll win this or not. But I'm pretty sure that key people in the Bush administration are trying to position us to win over the course of time. And that will take a delicate balancing act which will NEVER satisfy the "nuke them all now until they glow" crowd.

20 years, folks. Keep your eye on the long term prize and judge things like foreign aid as one step in preparing the battlefield. The goal is to defeat militant Islamacism without allowing them to bring down the global economy that we lead (and that they hate) and without so embroiling us in wars everywhere that we can no longer defend ourselves.

Balancing act. 20 years. Statesmanship and yes, even international leadership, not just short term (albeit emotionally satisfying) whomping.

Posted by lotp 2006-10-16 11:43|| 2006-10-16 11:43|| Front Page Top

#11 20 years?

Lol.

20 minutes after the demand the tantrums begin.

Posted by .com 2006-10-16 11:45|| 2006-10-16 11:45|| Front Page Top

#12 Yup. But the war will take 20 years, some of them hot in some places, others more a cold war.

Come to grips with it folks. Every one of us here has to have the cold resolve to do what it takes over the long haul. The enemy certainly does.

Posted by lotp 2006-10-16 11:46|| 2006-10-16 11:46|| Front Page Top

#13 I hear ya.

Posted by .com 2006-10-16 11:47|| 2006-10-16 11:47|| Front Page Top

#14 I've written to the local and Washington offices of both of my federal representatives: Mike Dewine and Mike Turner. I did this months ago with the following request:

I've politely asked each of them to initiate action to cut off all funding to any and all muslim countries or, in the alternative, to set hard core verifiable terms for receipt of same. To what end?

Sadly, I have yet to receive so much as a form letter from either office thanking me for taking the time to even write the senator and congressman notifying them of my concerns or desires.

Why? My hunch is that my concerns and desires don't register in the least with the currently elected politicians. My letters were shitcanned upon receipt.

For example, I want the USA out of the UN. But that sentiment puts me on some extreme fringe. I've written to my reps to make my ideas known. Again, no response. It must be me. I'm the one who is crazy to want to dissolve (or walk away from) the UN and construct an organization of democratic countries bound by western, democratic values. No commies, no muzzies allowed.

Do I expect a change in party will make a difference? No, absolutely not. Recently I was personally woed by the Dem nominee trying to take Mike Turner's seat for the 3rd Congressional District. When I asked him point blank: Will you support US militry action to prevent Iran from gaining nukes he wouldn't give a straight, understandable answer. It's not that hard of a question. To me it requires a yes or no response. But I guess that makes me a stupid person because I only see the issue in black or white.

F**k it all....

(and thank you Mr. Fred for giving me a forum to vent...I've been booted off of several forums for expressing my views).

Yeah, I understand what dot com means when he says the election does make a difference. I'm just not sure how much it means in the long term.

Posted by Mark Z 2006-10-16 11:54|| 2006-10-16 11:54|| Front Page Top

#15 I'm not about to go down the street and ask to be adopted by that pack of unadulterated scumbags lol! Well said.

Posted by anon 2006-10-16 12:15|| 2006-10-16 12:15|| Front Page Top

#16 I hear you, too, Mark Z.

I've gotten sorta worked up on the Muzzy / WoT topics, too, and did a little ranting now 'n then to make my points.

The key is reality vs. rant.

I gots myownself a wish list, too. I'd like to see mass deportations of Muzzies from the West (all of it), starting with the imams, quarantine of the Muzzy World from transportation, technology, and aid, and a few other choice notions that are one step shy of eradication - just to see if they'll allows us to forgo the nasty thingy.

But I don't expect the political climate to allow for my ideas to be accepted in my lifetime - unless we get nuked 4 or 5 times. Then, maybe.

Power in this representative democracy flows from the vote. Period. Wasting it in some infantile display of pique is an act of prime stupidity, so I get a little hinky about it.

I'm regularly reminded that I didn't get a MaGiK wAnd, like some. *sniff*

Posted by .com 2006-10-16 12:18|| 2006-10-16 12:18|| Front Page Top

#17 this is such an important election. We only need look at how fast things are degenerating in Britain and France to see what will be in store for us here if Dems take control of the Senate and/or House. Before you vote for a Dem, go find the list of who will become in charge and then find out who they are. It's very frightening indeed.

I'm not interested in saying "I told you so" as I put on my Burka. This election is for the future of our freedoms.

Posted by anon 2006-10-16 12:23|| 2006-10-16 12:23|| Front Page Top

#18 Dont' forget those year-end contributions to the Taliban! They have starving innocents, too, you know.

Don't worry about that 9/11 dust floating through the air. it may be the dust of 3000 dead Americans, but gosh darn it, in the long-term, changing hearts and minds of the Taliban through aid will be worth it! /sarcasm off/

Posted by Jules 2006-10-16 13:41|| 2006-10-16 13:41|| Front Page Top

#19 Sheesh. That's just beyond pathetic. The inane guilt merchant BS tops it off. Go fuck yourself.

Posted by .com 2006-10-16 14:10|| 2006-10-16 14:10|| Front Page Top

#20 so I get a little hinky about it.

.com being subtle and understated, LOL. Gotta love it. But ya had to know #19 was on the way. WAAAA Home run

Posted by 49 Pan">49 Pan 2006-10-16 16:41|| 2006-10-16 16:41|| Front Page Top

#21 Hey, .com - Are you telling piss off to everyone whom you disagree with, or just the ones that are not completely pleased with W?

You used to disagree without being diagreeable. Oh well, the pressure is rising.

Posted by SR-71 2006-10-16 16:43|| 2006-10-16 16:43|| Front Page Top

#22 49 Pan :-)

SR-71 - No, actually. But hey - you asked the question and went ahead and answered yourself, drew conclusions, yadda³. Obviously, it was completely rhetorical - you didn't / don't need me.

Posted by .com 2006-10-16 16:59|| 2006-10-16 16:59|| Front Page Top

#23 I don't owe loyalty to parties-I owe it to the ideas individuals fight for.

You again convince me that you are just young and .... idealistic.

You can dream about how everything should be perfect and you can say, "it should be", "they should"
but in the end - the way that things get done is through cooperation and clumsy lurches forward.

Good intentions are not good enough. You don't sound smart with your fantasies of how the world should be more perfect - and your dreams of how a white horse needs to ride up and rescue you from every slight to your honor - you just sound like someone who is green behind the ears and doesn't have the slightest grasp as to what it takes to accomplish momumental tasks.

Posted by anon 2006-10-16 21:25|| 2006-10-16 21:25|| Front Page Top

#24 Don't worry about that 9/11 dust floating through the air. it may be the dust of 3000 dead Americans, but gosh darn it, in the long-term, changing hearts and minds of the Taliban through aid will be worth it!

You miss the point.

But let's start with 9/11, shall we? My daughter was 1/4 mile from the Twin Towers that morning. We couldn't get through to her to confirm she was all right until 36 hours later. She watched the planes hit. She was without food and mostly without water that day, as she and thousands others walked miles north, across the bridges and back south to her apartment, not knowing who else had been attacked or what they would find.

My sister's husband worked in the upper floors of those buildings until just a few days before the attack, and just missed being there at the time the planes hit.

My spouse is retired military. We had close friends in the wing of the Pentagon that was hit.

You do not BEGIN to come close to the rage I and those like me feel about 9/11. Nor our cold determination to turn this world upside down as need be to put an end to those who fostered and carried it out.

But unlike yours, it would seem, my determination is deep enough to go the long haul. And I'd rather the world my daughter continues on in have something of an economy and a civilization intact when we're done.

If can be. That too remains to be seen. As my colleagues who wear green remind me, the enemy has a vote on the battlefield. I've done business in the Middle East. I have a little familiarity with how things happen there.

So too BTW does .com. So too do a number of other regulars here.

The enemy has a vote. But then, so do we. And I intend to use mine with as much subtlety and effectiveness as I can, as I think Dr. Rice and others do as well.

Posted by lotp 2006-10-16 21:34|| 2006-10-16 21:34|| Front Page Top

23:53 Zenster
23:47 Zenster
23:42 Zenster
23:41 Frank G
23:41 DMFD
23:39 Zenster
23:35 DMFD
23:31 DMFD
23:31 Lancasters Over Dresden
23:26 .com
23:25 Abdominal Snowman
23:24 .com
23:23 Baba Tutu
23:23 Dunno
23:18 macofromoc
23:17 .com
23:14 phil_b
23:12 .com
23:11 Dunno
23:08 .com
23:07 Slavimble Pheck1440
23:06 .com
23:00 Frank G
22:59 Frank G