Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site SCIRTP.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!bonnie!akgua!mcnc!rti-sel!SCIRTP!todd
From: todd@SCIRTP.UUCP (Todd Jones)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Beirut solutions
Message-ID: <199@SCIRTP.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 3-Jul-85 20:03:07 EDT
Article-I.D.: SCIRTP.199
Posted: Wed Jul  3 20:03:07 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 5-Jul-85 06:39:03 EDT
References: <186@SCIRTP.UUCP> <1340245@acf4.UUCP>
Organization: SCI Systems, Research Triangle Park, NC
Lines: 80

> >/* todd@SCIRTP.UUCP (Todd Jones) /  6:35 pm  Jun 26, 1985 */
> 
> >Military strength will no longer give us an image of respectibility.
> >A humanitarian foreign policy will.
> 
> The reason we need military strength is not for image respectability, but
> for safety.  Who gives a damn about image respectability?  Image in whose

In international politics, image is everything.
The image of America is, for the most part, the image of democracy.
If we are to present an image of democracy that is just, fair, and
moral, America must appear to be just, fair, and moral. If we 
insist on projecting an image of Uncle Sam, neighborhood bully,
we erode credibility for democracy and we invite hostility from
our neighbors. The reason America is so hated is because America 
is perceived as being aggressive and greedy in its dealings with
other nations.

> by people with no scruples.  Besides, the important thing is to be
> respectable (so that we CAN respect ourselves), not to look respectable.

Isn't world opinion irrelevant?

> 
> If what you mean is by "humanitarian foreign policy" is to treat peoples
> around the world with a common respect due all human beings who don't
> destroy this respect, I agree.  

Close, but not quite. I'll explain later.

> But if waht you mean is that we should
> give more foreign aid, then you need to present theoretical reasons
> and empirical evidence that this policy makes sense, since the both
> theory and history go against it.
> 

Foreign aid has been used as a panacea for the damage done by capitalist and
communist exploitation.
It's clear America, and Russia to a lesser extent, have enjoyed the use of many
countries' resources without regard to the citizens of the exploited
countries.

> >Let's stop leeching resources from our global neighbors and start caring.
> 
> Who's leeching?  EVIDENCE?

Dole
Del Monte
Gulf + Western
Every other multinational "agribusiness"

All the companies have bought land from the rulers of third world countries
in exchange for excessive weaponry so the companies could take resources
out of the country and feed Americans more exotically. Since the standard
of living is so much higher here, the food brings more money when sold
here. Citizens from the exploited country no longer have arable land
once agribusiness has practiced quick profit farming techniques, Citizens
of those countries starve, their debts increase, the only way to pay
off debts is to increase exports, more people starve, etc...
Finally some communist county opportunistically plants seeds of revolt
and...BINGO another country under the oppression of communism.

The above scenario has happened throughout Central and South America,
Africa, anywhere greedy people can make a fast buck.

> 
> >   [ O-O ]       Todd Jones
> 
> 						Mike Sykora

The preceding opinions are, in all likelihood, those of Todd Jones.
However, these opinions will, in all certainty, bear scant resemblance 
to the opinions of SCI Systems, Inc., Mr. Jones' employer.

    ||||| 
   ||   ||
   [ O-O ]       Todd Jones
    \ ^ /        {decvax,akgua}!mcnc!rti-sel!scirtp!todd      
    | _ |
    |___|