CNNI just gave a list of countries offering Iran help. USA wasn't on it.

[lebkuchen]

Germany, Spain, France, Belgium, Russia, and so forth.

No USA.

Is Bush even out of bed yet, or is he planning to invade Iran while their defenses are down?

[Grover]

1. Is that really a shock?

Why would you expect us to help Iran? They aren't exactly a friend. The countries you mention have been in bed with Iran for decades.

[madfloridian]

2. Is that Grover as in Norquist?

What a shameful thing when our country will not help another. You made serious accusations there as well.

[Grover]

4. No, as in Sesame Street

"What a shameful thing when our country will not help another."

Isn't that a two way street? Or are we supposed to give assistance to any and every terrorist nation?

[joeybee12]

6. Iran is not a terrorist nation, neither was Iraq

[Grover]

8. Oh....okay! I believe you.

lol

[Muddleoftheroad]

9. It just sponsors terror

Not sure how you define a "terrorist nation."

[Grover]

13. Sponsoring terror

... is hand in hand with a terrorist nation in my opinion.

Wasn;t there some recent news about Iran sending organized militias into Iraq to kill our soldiers? I don't think they can expect help on one hand while trying to kill our soldiers with the other.

[DoYouEverWonder]

16. I know at least a few

that start with the letter "I".

[worldgonekrazy]

35. Ah...parroting the Republican talking points

Really...we don't have to use their language.

[Muddleoftheroad]

39. They sometimes use English

And that was the language I used.

[Muddleoftheroad]

5. Iran not only sponsors terror

But is trying to build nukes as well. What about their activity should make America come to their aid in a time of need.

[beyurslf]

11. Maybe they are building nukes as a deterrant to Israel, which already has

them.

[Muddleoftheroad]

14. Or maybe they are for their terror buddies

Or perhaps they are to use against us. With Iran, one can never be sure.

Israel has never used the nuclear weapons and keeps them because many of its neighbor nations wish to wipe it out.

[Jim Sagle]

15. Israel doesn't need a deterrent, as you well know.

[DoYouEverWonder]

17. Because they are human beings?

And most of the dead and injured are poor people who have nothing to do with politics.

Or would you prefer that everyone else just drop dead and leave the place for you and your Zionist buddies?

[Muddleoftheroad]

22. I don't want anyone to die except for terrorists

But the U.S. has limited resources to aid and I would rather aid nations that don't support terror.

[DoYouEverWonder]

27. Maybe we could spare a little petty cash

from the billions we are giving away to Halliburton.

[lebkuchen]

31. Is "shock and awe" your idea of "aid?"

How like-minded you and the Bushies are, though I do tend to think you speak on behalf of most other "Christian" Americans, which is why I have very little to do with your country, other than to mock it.

[Muddleoftheroad]

40. Far from it actually

But there are hundreds of millions in Africa whose nations do NOT support terror against the U.S. and I would rather aid them.

[worldgonekrazy]

36. And just what is a "terrorist"?

I'll tell you: it is someone the United States doesn't like. Al-Qaeda were "freedom fighters" when they were doing our bidding to fight the Russians in Afghanistan in the 80's. Now that they have turned their attention towards us, they are "terrorists." It is all a matter of perspective my man.

[renegade000]

18. if you view humanitarian aid as a political statement

then perhaps we shouldn't help them.

but those 20,000 people (well most at least heh) were not terrorists, they were just everyday people like you and me, who through the circumstances of life lived in a nation of socio-economic turbulence, whose government has made choices which we as americans deem questionable.

why should we punish the people of a country (who are most affected by any sort of disaster) for the crimes of their government, in which they really don't have much sway.

[Grover]

23. They aren't being punished.

We aren't demanding nobody else help them. They are receiving help.

[Muddleoftheroad]

24. Yes, they ARE everyday people

But their government is still their government and there are literally billions of people in need around the globe. We always pick and choose which ones to aid.

[renegade000]

34. this is true...

although given the magnitude of the disaster and loss of life i would think that perhaps this instance would be more prominent than many other natural disasters that have occured throughout the world, and thus warrant our aid.

it really all boils down to our personal perspectives on the issue.

you see it as a tragedy within the context of a greater political problem, while i see it as purely a human tragedy.

[Muddleoftheroad]

41. Everything is political

And this tragedy is no exception.

[loudnclear]

30. Want to take a stab at "humanity?"

Or, how about "all God's children?"

[Hamlette]

20. and we were in bed with Saddam for decades

and we murdered duly elected heads of state in foreign countries and put the Shah of Iran in power who promptly set up the most corrupt government that country has ever seen and looted it. And if you are talking "in bed" let's talk about the US and Saudi Arabia. The country that produced 15 of the 19 9-11 terrorists.

How dare we try to claim the high ground here. No wonder they all hate us.

A little aid at a time like this could go a long way to showing the world we care or even that our goal is to bring Democracy to the ME.

[Grover]

26. That spiel is getting old.

"How dare we try to claim the high ground here. No wonder they all hate us."

I donlt think we are claiming anything. We just aren't offering them help. They don't all hate us.

"The country that produced 15 of the 19 9-11 terrorists."

The naivete expressed in that comment is exactly what is hurting us in the polls.

[qanda]

28. Hypocrisy is in the air

And it's making me sick to my stomach. And when you say us, you should be more specific, because I'm not buying your kumbaya, swing and sway, I've come to DU to correct all that's wrong with the left's thinking crap you're shoveling out.

[pnorman]

29. "The country that produced 15 of the 19 9-11 terrorists."

"The naivete expressed in that comment is exactly what is hurting us in the polls." (????)

WHAT is so goddam "naive" about that statement about Saudi Arabia? There seems to be a minor dispute about the precise number, but 15 is close enough ... and most apparently came from well-off families in that country. Would a "sophisticated person realize that since they were terra-ists, objectively they were Irani or (Iraqi)?" I've heard that a substantial portion of Americans really believe that those 9-11 hijackers/terra-ists were all Iraq citizens. The above is hardly less nuttier.

If Bush actually refused to have SOMETHING sent, it couldn't have been over the expense; it would have been more at making a political statement to his Fundy followers. The world will take note.

pnorman
STAND UP, KEEP FIGHTING http://shows.implex.tv/wellstone/

[mmonk]

3. Why would you be surprised?

We are trying to make the case they are a threat. Plus Europeans are moving pre-emptively to counter US intentions to isolate them.

[lebkuchen]

32. You're right. I shouldn't be surprised.

It's the "Christian" thing to do--nothing. After all, those funds could be better spent on "smart bombs" used to "free" Iranians from their "terrorist" leaders.

[revcarol]

7. I t's called "humanitarian" aid for a reason.

We have been known to offer aid to countries that were on our "no diplomatic relations" list, through the Swiss Red Cross.

This really speaks to the heart of the Bush administration, that they have no heart. They're not "humanitarian" to any part of the earth.

[SpaceCatMeetsMars]

10. Yes, the US gave that money to Afghanistan back in May of 2001, I think

it was. There was confusion over what it was for and Colin Powell said it was to help them get away form using opium to finance their government. And then other suspicions were raised. I don't think anyone knows exactly where that money went, but it went to a terrorist state.

[beyurslf]

12. When a natural disaster strikes, it kills everyone

in its path. It doesn't matter if they are terrorists. The innocent are killed too. Shouldn't we help?

[arcane1]

19. where is Ollie North when you need him?

:shrug:

those thugs never cared if Iran was our official "friend" or not.

we can sell weapons to the Jihadists there, but can't help people suffering in a natural disater, because we don't agree with their leaders?

ah, I forgot, all the children in Iran are terrorists too :eyes:

[salinen]

21. We are not terrorists

but our government promotes terrorism, i.e. Iraq, Cuba, France. So should we as citizens be considered terrorists?

[arcane1]

25. well, according to the Repube doctrine nowadays...

we would be. Except since we worship the one true god, we're predominantly white, swear our allegiance to corporate CEO's, and we own the world, most of the sheep somehow miss that little inconvenient discrepancy...


they also miss how life frequently sees to it that you get what you give


here's hoping that one of these days this country will come to its collective goddamned senses

let my great-great-grandkids know when that day comes :(

[lebkuchen]

33. You and I are of like minds.

I wish you, your greats, and your great greats well.

[scottcsmith]

37. Not according to MSNBC

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3808904/

"The (Iranian) government asked for international assistance — particularly search and rescue teams, with many victims still thought buried in the ruins. President Bush promised to send aid, as did numerous European nations."

It's curious that Bush would promise anything. What happened to all the tough talk that a nation is either "with" us or "against" us? If we send aid to Iran, aren't we violating Bush's own doctrine on the war against terror?

[cjm2222]

38. According to Reuters

the US is sending aid, too.

http://www.reuters.com/printerFriendlyPopup.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=4047680