… Pakistan wants us to give them money so they can "improve (their) infrastructure".

The country has nuclear weapons. It's not poor. Why can't they fund their own infrastructure?

I was thinking similar, but I think one of their biggest problems is the army are saying you need to move get out of here and the people are saying rather stupidly no we need to stay to look after the crops/animals. This is not really easily solved by money.

Just watching the news about the President getting flak for not been in the country to supervise the rescue efforts – what could he do anyway apart from get in the way and do the usual political grandstanding. He's not going to be flying aid in or driving foods trucks. I suspect the aid workers on the the ground are glad there's one less politician around.

We've been giving them hundreds of millions for decades, but they can still afford nukes and a space program. Same goes for india.

Don't get me started!

👿

We've been giving them hundreds of millions for decades, but they can still afford nukes and a space program. Same goes for india.

What's your point caller ?

Shouldn't the development of a country include its ability to defend itself and to advance its communications ?

Priorities. I could do with a top of the range alarm and cctv system, a 50mb internet connection and full sky hd. However, I have more important things to spend the money on

Which is why they spend money on important things like defence and communications.

same could be said of every nuke owning country.

We've been giving them hundreds of millions for decades, but they can still afford nukes and a space program. Same goes for india.

Do you know why Britain is such a wealthy nation that can afford nukes and a space program?

Britain is such a wealthy nation

Ha ha, nice one. Apart from the 154 billion or so we are in debt by.

We're not rich, we're like Mr and Mrs Jones down the road. You know, nice 4 bedroom detached house, brand new 3 series outside, there kids playing on there new bikes whilst momma cooks them dinner on there new aga. There not really that well to do, they just have a huge mortgage, a car on finance and up to their hilt on the 5 creit cards they have. Still, they put on a happy family face, donate every year to children in need and shop at M&S every week

I was thinking something different.

I was thinking why doesn't America do a bit of PR on itself and send a few chinooks over from Afghanistan to lend a hand?

Do you know why Britain is such a wealthy nation that can afford nukes and a space program?

Just stop with the post colonial guilt already. Do you think the British govt. ever thought anymore of working class British people than it did of people in the Empire ? If you think yes then read about Peterloo or Tolpuddle or the Battle of the Somme. My family were as ****ed over by the British Empire as anyone else and I'm not going to feel guilty about it at all.

I can't help but wonder why the extraordinarily wealthy oil producing Muslim middle-eastern countries aren't pouring millions of dollars and supplying rotorcraft and troops in an act of solidarity with their Muslim brothers and sisters in Pakistan. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, et al always seem to be conspicuous by their absence whenever there's a humanitarian crisis in other Islamic states.

Donating at a time of national crisis is probably a very efficient use of funds to win 'hearts and minds' over trying to stop terrorists who are born out of resentment for the west.

I'd love to donate something but I need every penny I can get to pay for a dentist. I'm gonna have to go private as all the NHS ones round here are catering for immigrants. Don't get me wrong, I can't blame them, I've only been paying my NI contributions for 38 years.

I was thinking why doesn't America do a bit of PR on itself and send a few chinooks over from Afghanistan to lend a hand?

You mean sort of like this?

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=235238&id=69621718453

Though of course, you 'aint gonna see news like that on the BBC, other than to complain about how the evil americans squashed his garden and scared away his animals with their helicopter…

Donating at a time of national crisis is probably a very efficient use of funds to win 'hearts and minds' over trying to stop terrorists who are born out of resentment for the west.
Are you round the bend? That's never going to change. The West could bale them out completely (pardon the pun) & the extremists would still be trying to kill Westerners.

The nukes are all made of bits of broken ships and Tv's. Their space program is a series of ladders!

I'd love to donate something but I need every penny I can get to pay for a dentist.

You could always forego the XTR pedals. That should help cover some humanitarian aid/dental work – your choice.

And I believe that Pakistan is a poor country. Leaving investment in infrastructure aside for now, it may be better to debate the peculiar fiscal priorities of their government after helping save some of the poorest people in the world from the immediate danger of dying from having to drink contaminated water.

CountZero – Member
I can't help but wonder why the extraordinarily wealthy oil producing Muslim middle-eastern countries aren't pouring millions of dollars and supplying rotorcraft and troops in an act of solidarity with their Muslim brothers and sisters in Pakistan. Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, et al always seem to be conspicuous by their absence whenever there's a humanitarian crisis in other Islamic states.

http://www.menafn.com/qn_news_story_s.asp?StoryId=1093304426
http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=166960
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/338445,conference-calls-aid-pakistan.html

You could always forego the XTR pedals. That should help cover some humanitarian aid/dental work – your choice

Nice that I have a choice. Nice that at the moment I can afford both, (whereas 6 months ago I couldn't.)
Not sure about XTR pedals till I've seen the 2011 ones yet though.

I'm gonna have to go private as all the NHS ones round here are catering for immigrants.

Diddums.

Maybe their teeth are rotten because they've spent all their money on nuclear weapons instead of toothbrushes. Or something.

Just stop with the post colonial guilt already.

Why? Pakistan and other nations are still impoverished as a result of their lands being stripped of assets by the British. So that we can now have all the luxuries an Empire can bring. I'm sure you'd like what the Glorious British Empire did to other countries to be conveniently forgotten, but I'm afraid things are still a bit too recent to do that.

Forget all your small-minded petty little ignorant selfishness, and think for a moment about the hundreds of thousands of HUMAN BEINGS affected by this disaster. No-one is forcing you to give anything if you don't want to, so you can still buy those XTR pedals if you chose.

The financial, industrial and military support of India formed a crucial component of the British campaign against the Axis powers.[2] India's strategic location at the tip of the Indian Ocean, its massive production of armaments, and its huge armed forces contributed decisively in halting the progress of Imperial Japan in the South-East Asian theatre.[3] The Indian Army during World War II was one of the largest Allied forces contingents which took part in the North and East African Campaign, Western Desert Campaign and the Italian Campaign. At the height of the World War, more than 2.5 million Indian troops were fighting Axis forces around the globe.[4]

(Bearing in mind that at that time, Pakistan was part of British India)

just popping the kettle on. fig roll anyone?

Ooh, got any little samosas Del? Cup of Cha for me please ta.

did i mention samosas? did i? [u]WEEEEELLL!??[/u][/b]
'uckinliberties.
i haven't got any sugar, neither.

No **** samosas? No **** sugar? Jeeze what is this country coming to well I blame the…..

And presumably the expansionist ideas of the Japanese Empire did not threaten to engulf India?

I mean, thats before you even begin to take into account the reliance of India on Rice grown in Burma…

So, I'd put forward the position that there was more than a slight element of "self interest" in the Indian involvement in WW2!

oo! just found a bonus half pack of ginger snaps at the back of the cupboard. win!
first one's a bit soft though. hmm.

On the side of the bag of silver spoon sugar i've just used, it tells me it was grown and produced in East Anglia

Yeah fascinating two spoons for me please.

No-one is forcing you to give anything if you don't want to, so you can still buy those XTR pedals if you chose.

I'm gonna have to go private as all the NHS ones round here are catering for immigrants.

Diddums.
That last bit comes across as though you think I'm looking for sympathy. I'm not, but I do get brassed off when people come into this country & get NHS treatment before others who have contributed to the NI system.
Anyway, I digress from the OP. Sorry.
How much will you be donating then elfinsafety? or are you popping over to give a hand?

I could always go for Egg Beater 4TI's but they'd probably look daft on a 2011 Orange 5, might stick to the new XTR's.

oo! just found a bonus half pack of ginger snaps at the back of the cupboard. win!
first one's a bit soft though. hmm.
It's a one dunk! (if your'e quick!)

I do get brassed off when people come into this country & get NHS treatment before others who have contributed to the NI system.

So, do you actually know the reasons for this (if indeed it's even true)? And you know that these 'immigrants' have no entitlement to NHS care? And that their medical needs are no more serious than anybody else?

Otherwise it just sounds like a typical BNP style load of bollocks, sorry. I'd be interested in seeing some real facts on this though, if you actually have any. Otherwise I'll just assume that it's misinformed jingoistic claptrap.

I leave ginger biscuits out so that they go a bit soft. I prefer them like that!

I was thinking why doesn't America do a bit of PR on itself and send a few chinooks over from Afghanistan to lend a hand?
You mean sort of like this?

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=235238&id=69621718453

Though of course, you 'aint gonna see news like that on the BBC, other than to complain about how the evil americans squashed his garden and scared away his animals with their helicopter…

Oh yes, exactly like that I suppose.

You don't know what you don't know, do you? Blasted lefty liberal lesbian BBC reporters.

Its Allahs will isnt it???? Let him sort it out 😉

Well I've just phoned my energy company and it's outrageous, not only was I put over to a chap obviously somewhere over there but I could hardly hear him, sounded like he was underwater or something.

they can still afford nukes and a space program

Pakistan sees their nuclear weapons as a vital necessity to stop an invasion from India, not a luxury. I have no idea how much they cost – were they expensive ?

And their "space program" consists of British and American built/designed satellites which are used for purposes such as telecommunication and to monitor the weather so that situations such as catastrophic flooding can be dealt with. They rely on countries such as the US and China to launch their satellites which have no military use, as they don't have the rockets to do the job themselves……so lets castigate them for trying to modernise their country and dragging it out of the middle ages eh ?

And yes Woppit, Pakistan is "poor".

Otherwise it just sounds like a typical BNP style load of bollocks, sorry. I'd be interested in seeing some real facts on this though, if you actually have any. Otherwise I'll just assume that it's misinformed jingoistic claptrap.
Alas I have no evidence or facts whatsoever. (apart from what the missus tells me of goings on in a large hospital in Leeds)
So we'll 'assume' everyone's all up to date with their NI contributions shall we? Unless you've got some facts that indicate otherwise. Or do you simply not mind it when you pay for something, don't get it, then someone else gets it for free? same thing in principle.
I agree on one count though…BNP = Bollocks.

Lemon Puff anyone?

Forget all your small-minded petty little ignorant selfishness, and think for a moment about the hundreds of thousands of HUMAN BEINGS affected by this disaster. No-one is forcing you to give anything if you don't want to, so you can still buy those XTR pedals if you chose.

Good to see you to revert to knee jerk reactionism Rik 8)

If you'd bothered to read my posts on this thread you might have picked up that my position was one of support for aid to Pakistan and opposition to the point of view that Pakistan deserved no aid because of it's spending on defense and comms.

Where you've let yourself down, as you always do, is your inability to see a point of view that differs from yours without resorting to insults. I refuse to feel guilt about the British Empire because it exploited and abused my forefathers just as it did those from elsewhere, that doesn't make me selfish, petty or ignorant, it just makes me aware of my history. I don't need to sweep anything under the carpet as my hands are clean.

Now stop being a knob and pass me the biscuits. 😉