International Offers of Relief

[PrincessFiona]

Do you think we should be thanking the countries like...Cuba and North Korea who have offered us aid in this time of crisis? It's heartwarming to hear that even though we have political differences that they are willing to come to our aid. I think this could be a real political stepping stone...and that we should get our head's out of our dufflebags and say thanks.

kris

[DCJenn]

It'll never, ever, in our life times happen.

and imagine the PR on that? There's NO WAY, unless Fidel Castro had the very last drop of clean water in the universe that any American (who wants to win Florida or keep Florida for his party) would ever take anything offered from Cuba. (and they have awesome beaches and the embargo obviously hasn't worked...but yet we strive on)

North Korea, I would take anything from period. Kim Jong Il is a nutjob and really, who knows whats on the real agenda.

Jenn

[PrincessFiona]

I still think we should say thank you and recognize that they were willing to be big about this and help out...well...at least Castro.

[mommax3]

Both countries have an agenda, that's for sure. I agree with Jenn about North Korea, and how nice of Castro to offer aid when people are so miserable (and poor) in his country that they risk death regularly in order to get out of there. Charity begins at home......unless it isn't charity at all, but an attempt to one up your neighbor to the north.

Sally

[HeartRN]

I'm with Sally....there's no way I can say "thank you" to two communists who don't even care about the livelihood of their OWN people.

I guess I have some doubts about the sincerity of the offers -- I think there is an underlying agenda. I think that offers of assistance should be graciously accepted from other countries, though.

[spotty_dog]

Like Venezuela? Some sources say we're accepting Chavez's offers, others say we're rejecting them. Chavez was definitely grandstanding when he made the offers (relief workers and cheap oil from Venezuelan fields), and used it as a counterpoint to the recent brouhaha about Pat Robertson suggesting he be assassinated, but at the same time he seemed sincere about his desire to help the people affected.

Interesting article about Chavez, everything it says about the upper class rejecting his reforms totally rings true with my experience in Venezuela's neighboring country, Colombia:

http://www.abqjournal.com/opinion/guest ... -03-05.htm

Of course there is an underlying agenda There is for us too quite often.

I agree with Jenn about North Korea, and how nice of Castro to offer aid when people are so miserable (and poor) in his country that they risk death regularly in order to get out of there.

Cuba is poor. US sanctions/trade embargos may play a role in that.

We placed sanctions against Cuba in 1962 after Castro came to power in part because he nationalized some of the US businesses there including electric/water. Communism itself doesn't mean brutal regime...it's a political belief that basically supports govt ownership of the economy in order to provide a better advantage economically for all of its members. This is a direct threat, of course, to capitalism. It's true that most communist govts are led by an 'authoritative' figure...but not necessarily brutal.

We don't have sanctions against China.....

But...I've digressed here. I will stand by my feeling that we should have said a thank you to all parties involved and accept that I'm alone here.

[PrincessFiona]

oops...that was me posting as a guest. I somehow got logged out.

Oh...awesome article, Alison!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

kris

Of course there is an underlying agenda There is for us too quite often.

True, true. I guess those agendas are more than I could justify (if I ran the world and I'm glad I don't. ). When I wrote that, I was thinking of the offers of money from Sri Lanka and Indonesia and some of the offers for search teams, equipment, etc. Some of that may have been from non-government groups.