Maybe we should mind our own damn business
Relaxing with my morning cup of coffee, I was rambling through a few of the weblogs on my sidebar blogroll and came across PhilB’s comments on the UK Pensions system crisis. As someone who has lost two pensions indirectly because of Gordon Browns predations, I have a lot of sympathy with Phil’s viewpoint, so I read what he had to say quite carefully.
One of the things Phil made mention of was Gordon Browns promise of £8.5 billion aid to Africa and a CIVITAS report about what happens to such aid. Mrs Sticker read this report over my shoulder, and being someone who has actually spent time working in Africa, nodded sagely in agreement with much of the content.
What I have to say is; why do we bother? If we hand out so much in Aid (bribes) and the human rights / poverty situation of the general population in Africa does not improve, why? Perhaps we should just buy what these countries have to offer and not get involved in their internal disputes with our cosy middle class suburban ‘morals’. Perhaps if the developed western nations stopped messing around with our well intentioned ‘fairness’ malarkey we might actually do the general populations of these countries a favour. There are several well documented arguments why we should not. Anyone remember the Labour party 1997 manifesto promises of ‘Ethical foreign policy’? Where is that now may I ask? Several wars later.
It may be worth reading Mandbvhu’s Zimbabwe reflections blog, which has an interesting little snippet about Aid.
All I have to say on the matter is; road, hell, the, good intentions, to, are, with, paved (This is a flat-pack cliché which will require some user assembly).
One of the things Phil made mention of was Gordon Browns promise of £8.5 billion aid to Africa and a CIVITAS report about what happens to such aid. Mrs Sticker read this report over my shoulder, and being someone who has actually spent time working in Africa, nodded sagely in agreement with much of the content.
What I have to say is; why do we bother? If we hand out so much in Aid (bribes) and the human rights / poverty situation of the general population in Africa does not improve, why? Perhaps we should just buy what these countries have to offer and not get involved in their internal disputes with our cosy middle class suburban ‘morals’. Perhaps if the developed western nations stopped messing around with our well intentioned ‘fairness’ malarkey we might actually do the general populations of these countries a favour. There are several well documented arguments why we should not. Anyone remember the Labour party 1997 manifesto promises of ‘Ethical foreign policy’? Where is that now may I ask? Several wars later.
It may be worth reading Mandbvhu’s Zimbabwe reflections blog, which has an interesting little snippet about Aid.
All I have to say on the matter is; road, hell, the, good intentions, to, are, with, paved (This is a flat-pack cliché which will require some user assembly).
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