Have School Children Give a Dollar for Palestininians in the Camps

I have a better idea, why doesn't their OWN country give money to these kids and feed them?

 

They don't have a country... that's the whole Palestinian problem...

 

Gimmicky or not, glynch, this will probably double the funds that are available in the short term for humanitarian relief in Afghanistan. I thought you wanted to increase the humanitarian efforts there? There's just no pleasing some people...

As for the Palestinians, sounds like a good idea - but only after they stop violating ceasefires. When they show they're serious about peace, then I'm all for a "Marshall Plan in Palestine". But not until then.

 

Didn't we also approve $300+ M ?! Is that gimmicky, glynch?

BTW, we send the Palestinians about $100M/yr.

 

glych - we've given quite a bit of aid to afghanistan in the past...we're doing something now...is it enough?? probably not...but nothing will be enough until these people come out from under the taliban and its restrictions. short of moving them all to the US, i'm not sure how you completely solve all their problems...and i'm not sure that anyone other than the afghan people themselves should solve all their problems. this kind of aid we're seeing right now is just a precursor to the nation-building you'll see there after the taliban and al quaeda (spelling?) are gone.

you can call it pr or whatever...but the fact is many of these people had their biggest meal in years because of the United States last night. try as hard as you want, but you still won't erase that reality. it's the right thing to do and the first step in some broader efforts.

 

Anybody have the address to send the dollar?

 

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The White House.

glynch:

When we're done with the Taliban, then the real aid work can start (continue). I'm not sure if you noticed, but the Taliban isn't exactly cooperating with the UN aid effort. They used to just steal the food, now they're beating up the aid workers and stealing their trucks and ambulances.

As unbelievable as this might sound, many Taliban do not understand the difference between the UN and the US, and they believe that attacking the UN aid workers means attacking the US. After all, "nation" and "state" are synonomous. They have never read anything but the Koran, have never watched TV, etc. They are that ignorant.

 

glynch -- i understand it's horrible over there...no doubt about it...i still have no problems with border controls to make sure the taliban and bin laden don't get out. it's war...and it sucks that civilians are intertwined in any way. while they target our civilians, we're contemplating ways to feed theirs....chew on that irony. but until we catch and/or kill all those mother freakers, i'm all for tight border controls.

like a scene from a deniro-pacino movie..."you gotta do what you gotta do..i gotta do what i gotta do." ultimately it's the job of our federal govt to protect the citizens of the US first and foremost..then we can turn towards the rest of the world. while i agree entirely that the afghan people need our aid (and they will get it), we kinda have our hands full right now catching the men who killed 6K of our own.

 

glynch,

What is your proposal? Stop pursuing obl and taliban? Open the borders? Why don't we let obl escape Afghanistan so he can get his hands on some nukes and kill 10 or 20 million Americans?

Also, taliban and Pakistan are making it difficult for ANY food deliveries to get to the people that need it. The quicker the taliban falls the better for all concerned.

 

glynch: Gimmiky??? Do you consider the March of Dimes a waste of time? That was the whole idea behind the March of Dimes in the first place. Try to shake off some of that cynicism for a minute and give optimism a shot.

 

I propose that all violent protesters burning flags in the streets, chanting death to America, and threatening westerners all across the world instead go to work and send in their own damn dollar for Palestinians in camps.

 

I propose that we give them a choice. They can work as you say for the improvement of their brethrens' standard of living, or they can have an AK (supplied by China or Russia) and go defend their beloved Taliban. Either way they'll be off the streets for good.

I expect that most would choose the AK. IMO they have no real interest in actually improving their own lot, otherwise they would.

 

My thoughts exactly. Some of these groups are having way too much fun rioting to actually do something constructive for the people they claim to be trying to help.

 

First off, where? Unemployment and poverty is higher in that part of the world than just about any other.

Second, how do you guys know so much about Palestine and the people there? Have you been there? Do you know people who live there? How could you possibly know or even remotely understand what it is like to live in those conditions?

 

Jeff, what exactly do you propose?

Their economies are sh*t. That is the main reason for the unrest, and the true core of their anti-US feelings. They blame us for their sh*tty economies, and in every case that blame is misplaced. They have nothing of value (except the lucky ones who sit on top of oil), they don't place a high value on secular education (in general), and their governments are invariably despotic and corrupt (even the ones we don't prop up) - that is why their economies are in the trouble they are in.

We can give them loans, help them develop infrastructure (to a point), help them reform their political systems and markets, etc, but if they have nothing and do nothing, then our efforts will be wasted in the long run. More importantly, if they don't ask for help, it won't be given, and if they bite the hand that feeds them then they won't get any more food. But their economies are in the straits they're in largely because of their geography and their culture, and those things are not easily changed. Of course, geography doesn't change in human terms, and their culture is largely stuck in the 12th century. When you figure how to help their culture leap ahead 900 years, let me know.

BTW, I've never been in a Palestinian refugee camp, but I assume that the living conditions are awful. Does that mean that when they break a cease fire that we're supposed to pat them on the head and say "I feel your pain"? If they want to be treated like human beings, then they should start acting like human beings. That would go a long way towards gaining our sympathy (without which, they will be exterminated).

The Palestinians need to realize that we can either be really great friends to have, or we can be really nasty enemies to have. The choice is theirs.

 

glynch:

1) I wouldn't hold my breath. It may prove to run much deeper than we thought.

2) I definitely wouldn't hold my breath for that. In fact I'll bet you my left nut there will be more. These guys aren't playing some elaborate game, glynch, these guys are at war with us.

3) I agree 100%. And it probably wouldn't be too difficult.

4) I am confident the Israelis can, but doubtful if this generation of young Palestinian men can. I hope you are right.

5) A agree here, too. But the Arab govts must stop their anti-US propaganda efforts in order for that to happen, lest the next generation be brainwashed, too.

6) Solar energy alone ain't gonna do it, but agree in principle. The sooner the better.

I fail to see how this "cynical laughable pr move" hurts anyone . I therefore fail to see how anyone could be against it. I am especially perplexed at how a self-declared humanitarian such as yourself could be against it.

 

the max they'll raise at best would be 40 mil.

and palestinians don't break ceasefires really. last ceasefire..the israelis shot and killed a hamas political leader. that really doesn't help their cause.