Money should never be given blindly or you are in danger of funding the very things you claim to oppose.

The thread is asking why we are giving aid to countries who can afford weapons of mass destruction. It's a fair question.

If you want to make dramatic statements prove it or don't call others stupid for disagreeing with you. :shrug:

Yes, yes he is.

Thats a different issue, but to me, no not personally. Offtopic though.

Oh right, there we were thinking i was the one putting words in your mouth, you gave me a telling off for it too

:laugh:

I don't see Germans bitching about their war reparations...which they are still paying.

If the UK is paying reparation for colonial rule then it is up the the recipients what they spend any monies owed on.
If I owed you £20 I cannot demand to know what you intend to do with it. :/

Do you read German forums then? I always admire people who read other languages.

Oh except that according to several articles and essays on the web they bitched and moaned a lot and never paid that much in reparations.

If they are spending the money on weapons of mass destruction then no, it's really not. I wouldn't want to be responsible for their nukes, would you? :shrug:

Which articles are those?...

Um, are they not as entitled to 'defence' as we are?....

*disclaimer
In an ideal world nobody should need nukes.

Google I'm not being the secretary.

Of course but not if we are paying for it.

Essentially it's their money, they can do what they like with it, I don't like my taxes funding things like arming saudis but .... :shrug:

I don't have time to check every unsubstantiated claim on the forum.... I'd be here forever :laugh:

Stay uninformed then. I was curious.

:laugh2:

Then I can choose not to give it and it won't be their money at all. If I am giving aid of course I should have every right to question what it is spent on, just as I'd have every right to stop giving if I disapproved. I wouldn't fund an alcoholic or drug addicted friend. That wouldn't help them at all.

I am stunned anyone thinks it's OK that aid could be spent on weapons of mass destruction if that is how the recipient wants to spend it.

That is exactly what I meant Kirk. Also especially Pakistan because that is the main culprit for training and arming terrorists. Why give them help, when there are so many other countries worthy of the aid.

Yes, but in countries like Pakistan they are not so much educated as brain washed! And if you are female, forget it.

Withano it seems quite clear to me. If a country can afford to have nuclear weapons, yet the poor are still hungry, then the money is not going to help them, it's going on other things...like nuclear weapons.

...foreign aid (as with charitable aid as well..)...is a complicated thing I always think because both thought processes are equally so sound in their thinking...so much of aid in general is subject to corruption is one thing but there's also the 'trading' bit that is done with foreign aid as well and our (or other country governments..)..not really closely looking at where the aid is going exactly but then if they did and stopped it, not only would certain things that are beneficial to us probably not happen..but those nuclear weapons would still happen I feel and it would only be those in need who would lose out in terms of their health, education, medication etc...nothing makes sense though when it comes to government spending, why are people evicted from their houses and yet cries of homelessness increasing being an issue...it's all pretty screwed up and one democracy that will never happen is us (the taxpayer..)..all having any say in how money is spent...

..I guess it's to think of it as things like large fund-raising things like Band-Aid and such the like/National yearly events..that not all funds raised will possibly be well spent or appropriately spent but for the amount that is and does benefit, it's an essential to so many lives still existing and a positive benefit to lives and education .../rock on Bono and Bob..:love:...

Empathy is good, but gullable naivity isn't. Do you suppose that a government of a country like Pakistan gives two hoots for it's poor and hungry, because I sure as hell don't. If they did they would spend the money they get in foreign aid on them, NOT on nuclear weapons or to arm terrorists.

But can't you see Withano that people who live under a corrupt government are NEVER going to see one penny of that foreign aid. So all we are doing in effect is enabling that corrupt government to prosper. Please tell me you can see that?:shrug: