Burma Cyclone - aid

[Mookistar]

question

what sort of military power does this place have?

becasue they are talking about upto a million people dying if they don't let aid in.

why can't we just escort aid planes with military jets and worry about the consequences once the dust settles?

mook

[willrobdon]

Because we have no international intrest in burma and if we did do that we'd be like the yanks.

Also why should the government send my tax money abroad! I think it should be down to individuals to donate to foriegn aid not the governments decision.

[Marky_GTSt]

How much money do you suppose Burma would send us if we had a disaster like this ? Im fairly sure I can guess...

They do need help, But their own government and military should do it and ask for further help if needed surely ?

[NBM33]

I'm not sure we should be sending out aid to any country. know wonder the taxes are so high in this country when we send millions of pounds worth of aid abroad.We sent £50m aid to China and promised £825m over the next three years for India. That money should be spent on sorting out the problems in the UK.

[Howsie]

**** them all, let them rot! I'm alright jack.

[GarethK]

What a bizarre set of replies, didn't see those coming.

Willrobdon - I think exactly the opposite to you, if there are people / places that need help, it should absolutely be met by governments using tax payers money and not left to individuals.

Marky GTSt - How much money do you think Burma has in the first place compared to us? Hardly a fair comparison.

NBM33 - I agree that certain aspects of this country are going to shit - but are you comparing having your whole town destroyed, having no food, electricity or fresh water with what we have here??

Aren't we all the lucky ones born into this country where we have everything and can complain when a minute fraction of it is sent to those who don't. Well done guys.

[Sidious]

Burma government may be using this recent disaster as some sort of population control.

[Trev]

Seriously - and I am being serious - watch Rambo.

While Stallone couldn't seriously take the armys on in real life it really does highlight what life is like in some of these countrys

It's shocking that the UN has NEVER got involved, but I guess they won't untill they find some oil

[NBM33]

Originally Posted by GarethK

What a bizarre set of replies, didn't see those coming.

Willrobdon - I think exactly the opposite to you, if there are people / places that need help, it should absolutely be met by governments using tax payers money and not left to individuals.

Marky GTSt - How much money do you think Burma has in the first place compared to us? Hardly a fair comparison.

NBM33 - I agree that certain aspects of this country are going to shit - but are you comparing having your whole town destroyed, having no food, electricity or fresh water with what we have here??

Aren't we all the lucky ones born into this country where we have everything and can complain when a minute fraction of it is sent to those who don't. Well done guys.

No what I'm saying is there is plenty of suffering going on in this country. Homeless people on the streets of most cities in the UK. They all have to really on charities because they get very little in the way of government hand outs. How about a little help for our own less fortunate? I am not suggesting that knowone sends them aid. I thought the UN was set up for situations like the one in burma where every country supplies help.?

[willrobdon]

I agree the situation is terrible but there are other places in the world much worse which we do nothing about, not all problems can be solved by throwing money at them (unless it's a GTR!!). I think there are enough individuals out there that are prepared to help those with donations, look at the tsunami a while back.

My issue is with the fact that the money could be better spent here, improving health care, helping the homeless / disabled etc. Until our country is how we need it to be we can then turn our attention to elsewhere.

Sorry if it does sound like a "jack" attitude and i don't want to come across heartless but it's just a small mans opinion.

[GarethK]

Look around the world, our country is about as close to 'how we need it to be' as anywhere, and we are FAR better off than the vast majority. Whilst I'm definitely not saying anything is perfect in this country, compare our healthcare to that of 99% of the rest of the world, the number of homeless, the services for disabled people, GDP per capita etc etc, and surely you can see how much better off we are.

I have to admit to also thinking that a large portion of our homeless are that way through choice, or other reasons than the availability of shelter, but feel free to tell me I'm wrong!

NBM33 - How do you think that £50m to China, and £800m to India compare with spending at home? It's a minute fraction. £50m to China is less than £2 off each tax paying person in this country each year.

This thread started with someone saying that up to a million people could die without the proper international aid, and got a bunch of replies about sending tax money abroad and how there is 'plenty of suffering' in this country. Open your eyes.

[Howsie]

Originally Posted by GarethK

Look around the world, our country is about as close to 'how we need it to be' as anywhere, and we are FAR better off than the vast majority. Whilst I'm definitely not saying anything is perfect in this country, compare our healthcare to that of 99% of the rest of the world, the number of homeless, the services for disabled people, GDP per capita etc etc, and surely you can see how much better off we are.

I have to admit to also thinking that a large portion of our homeless are that way through choice, or other reasons than the availability of shelter, but feel free to tell me I'm wrong!

NBM33 - How do you think that £50m to China, and £800m to India compare with spending at home? It's a minute fraction. £50m to China is less than £2 off each tax paying person in this country each year.

This thread started with someone saying that up to a million people could die without the proper international aid, and got a bunch of replies about sending tax money abroad and how there is 'plenty of suffering' in this country. Open your eyes.

[Thrust]

Er... there's plenty of oil and the majors are in there, thank you, enjoying the security, and don't want to rock the boat.

[Eikichi]

For those who don't care about what's happening over there or abroad.

[/rante mode ON]

You have no fookin' clue how life really is in that type of country... keep complaining about your poor life in the UK but you should be happy to be here!!!
Or do you want to live in a "house" made of metal sheets with no running water & no electricity & you can't go to the doctor coz' you can't pay for it & can't afford medicines

[/rante mode OFF]

[Eikichi]

Originally Posted by Mookistar

why can't we just escort aid planes with military jets and worry about the consequences once the dust settles?

mook

If the US starts doing that a few countries in Pacific Asia would take this as an opportunity to start an "argument" with the US