Quote:
Originally Posted by baxter
US and Foreign Aid Assistance - Global Issues
Look at the second graph (have to scroll down a bit)
Net ODA (Official Development Assistance) in 2006 as percent of GNI
Sweden 1.03
Luxembourg 0.89
Norway 0.89
Netherlands 0.81
Denmark 0.8
Ireland 0.53
UK 0.52
Belgium 0.5
Austria 0.48
France 0.47
Finland 0.39
Switzerland 0.39
Germany 0.36
Spain 0.32
Australia 0.3
Canada 0.3
New Zealand 0.27
Japan 0.25
Portugal 0.21
Italy 0.2
USA 0.17
Greece 0.16
I think this tell the story for itself...but I can't help myself. The US is one of the lowest contributors of aid in terms GNI of all the advanced countries. And on top of that, the first FOURTEEN of this list are European countries, and of the list of 22 countries, 17 are in Europe. Yet to my disappointment, the poll seems to be showing that the people here think the US has a good influence on the world, despite the wars...Maybe I'll succeed in changing your minds.
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I'll accept that I was wrong on that issue of international aid. The US gives out far less per capita than European countries do. I would point out though, that the US still provides for European defense with our nuclear umbrella, massive conventional military, as well as for South Korea and Japan and resolves many international conflicts (1991 Kuwait, 1995 Bosnia, 1999 Kosovo, 2001 Afghanistan). We actually have a military and we use it to protect other countries, including your own and that costs money. You are able to spend on foreign aid because we have to take our money and pay for the defense of your country and many other countries around the world.
WEB