Ok here comes a rant....

The nations of Kuwait (uh didnt' we save their ass a few years ago?) giving a paltry $500 million for relief.

Quatar giving $100 million.

My bitch is that at near $70 for a barrel of oil (costs about $4 to produce a barrel of oil, that leaves....lets see....$66 a barrel going into someones pockets,) and given that we in the US use a hell of a lot of it, those assholes should putting up about 5 billion each minimum.

What say you?

Well they could just send nothing. I didnt expect anything so it shocks the hell outa me that they offered anything.

Half a billion dollars will buy a lot of MREs. That is a shitpile of money for a counrty as small as Kuwait.
You're right about oil prices though. The Saudis are making a windfall, be nice if they bought themselves some goodwill. Lord knows they need it.

Which other nations in the Middle East are giving aid?

Kuwait and Quatar are friendly towards the US, so I'm not surprised they gave $$.

I have heard different. My understanding is that if you adjust for inflation, Americans still underpay for gasoline, as we have for all the decades since WWII (despite the 50's and 60's being when many countries lost control of countries in that region, but companies maintained that control, because they were often headquartered in the mother countries). Also, consider what gas would cost if you made Americans pay for the costs of gasoline that come from pollution, and the attendant health costs, lost productivity in traffic jams, etc. I'm not saying its easy to quantify, but the costs are there.

Also, shouldn't we want to lower our foreign energy dependence anyway? If we want to be safe and free, the people of the Middle East must be safe and free (and they have not been, for a variety of reasons, for a long time). When they can share the same concerns as us (raising kids, making a living, watching Survivor, or anything else they want to read, watch or say), they won't be frustrated at the ways of their government and life in general, and won't take it out on us as they are doing now.

Lastly, considering everything, I am glad they have offered anything at all. They have a lot of problems over there (some that make me want to help them, others that make me want to kick them in the teeth), so this amount of recognition should be validating for us. Leaders (dictators? royals? sheiks?) over there also have to walk a fine line, giving away money to the decadent west, when paltry sums are spent on improving the lot of the populace.

I get my ideas from reading strategypage.com, MSM web sites, my poli sci classes at school, and independent reading. This is not a complete expression of my ideas on this or any other matter--the world is not a happy place, and I am not one to run off and join the PeaceCorps, in case anyone gets that impression.

Quoted: Ok here comes a rant.... The nations of Kuwait (uh didnt' we save their ass a few years ago?) giving a paltry $500 million for relief. Quatar giving $100 million. My bitch is that at near $70 for a barrel of oil (costs about $4 to produce a barrel of oil, that leaves....lets see....$66 a barrel going into someones pockets,) and given that we in the US use a hell of a lot of it, those assholes should putting up about 5 billion each minimum. What say you?

Paltry?  That's 3x American private donations of $200m.  Like the guy above said, I expected zero, zilch.  I'm not going to bitch about any help extended, anything is appreciated.

500 million!  Japan is sending 200 thousand.  LOL

I'm with Paul and GTLandser on this one.

Why the hell should we stick our hand out for ANYTHING.  Do we not have the resources, work ethic and courage to take care of our own mess?  Can we prove that other countries have somehow been to blame for our problems?

If other countries offer us assistance, that should be gratefully noted and maybe accepted.  But to start expecting others to help us out is a pretty poor way to live as free and independent people.

Quoted: 500 million!  Japan is sending 200 thousand.  LOL

The Japs are still bitter about the 3 eyed fish they now have.

Quoted: Ok here comes a rant.... The nations of Kuwait (uh didnt' we save their ass a few years ago?) giving a paltry $500 million for relief. Quatar giving $100 million. My bitch is that at near $70 for a barrel of oil (costs about $4 to produce a barrel of oil, that leaves....lets see....$66 a barrel going into someones pockets,) and given that we in the US use a hell of a lot of it, those assholes should putting up about 5 billion each minimum. What say you?

Actually, I don't want to live in a country that needs handouts from other countries...  We can all suck it up and postpone buying that kick-a$$ home theater system for a few months and donate money, food, labor, etc...  

I don't know about you, But 500 million is a shitload of money.

Quoted: Ok here comes a rant.... The nations of Kuwait (uh didnt' we save their ass a few years ago?) giving a paltry $500 million for relief. Quatar giving $100 million.

They've already made that much and more from selling America oil at hyper-inflated prices in just the last week.

They're out nothing, still raking in gigatons of money on overpriced oil and now they did their good-deed for the day for us.

I don't want their filthy money.

Do you really think that we should even accept it?

I don't.

I've never expected anyone to help us. I have been trying to get the point through to my wife and kids that this is the exact kinda of thing that makes America who we are. I am proud that we can and do help other countries. I am proud that we don't need help from other countries.

However, in keeping with the thread, Kuwait is putting up $500 million (see thread)

Quoted: Ok here comes a rant.... The nations of Kuwait (uh didnt' we save their ass a few years ago?) giving a paltry $500 million for relief. Quatar giving $100 million. My bitch is that at near $70 for a barrel of oil (costs about $4 to produce a barrel of oil, that leaves....lets see....$66 a barrel going into someones pockets,) and given that we in the US use a hell of a lot of it, those assholes should putting up about 5 billion each minimum. What say you?

Kuwait does more than you know, they have been and are picking up the TOTAL tab for our troops while in Kuwait.

Quoted: I have heard different. My understanding is that if you adjust for inflation, Americans still underpay (I disagree, we pay what we are ablle to negotiate.)  for gasoline, as we have for all the decades since WWII (despite the 50's and 60's being when many countries lost control of countries in that region, but companies maintained that control, because they were often headquartered in the mother countries). Also, consider what gas would cost if you made Americans pay for the costs of gasoline that come from pollution, and the attendant health costs, lost productivity in traffic jams, etc. (Also consider what would happen if Americans were reimbursed for the economic/social/military support we send all over the globe). I'm not saying its easy to quantify, but the costs are there. Also, shouldn't we want to lower our foreign energy dependence anyway?  (Yes, I agree.)   If we want to be safe and free, the people of the Middle East must be safe and free (I don't think that is necessarily true.)  (and they have not been, for a variety of reasons, for a long time). When they can share the same concerns as us (raising kids, making a living, watching Survivor, or anything else they want to read, watch or say), they won't be frustrated at the ways of their government and life in general, and won't take it out on us as they are doing now.  (That may never happen, certainly not within my lifetime.) Lastly, considering everything, I am glad they have offered anything at all. They have a lot of problems over there (some that make me want to help them, others that make me want to kick them in the teeth), so this amount of recognition should be validating for us. Leaders (dictators? royals? sheiks?) over there also have to walk a fine line, giving away money to the decadent west, when paltry sums are spent on improving the lot of the populace. I get my ideas from reading strategypage.com, MSM web sites, my poli sci classes at school, and independent reading. This is not a complete expression of my ideas on this or any other matter--the world is not a happy place, and I am not one to run off and join the PeaceCorps, in case anyone gets that impression.

 

I was not sure if you were trying to be sarcastic, so if you were, my apologies...

So let's see:

1) Nobody is offering aid!
2) They are offering aid, but not enough!
3) We shouldn't accept aid from other countries!



For countries with GDPs as small as Qatar, with a GDP of about 19 billion US, $100,000,000 is a large chunk of change. Ditto Kuwait, with a 50 billion GDP. Half a billion is no chump change.

Most importantly, these threads show how patheticly little so many of you know about the world outside your immediate surroundings. Read a frigging newspaper every now and again. LOTS of aid has been offered from all over the world, in amounts that are quite impressive.

In other words, stop with these stupid 'OMG NOBODY IS HELPING EVEN THOUGH WE DON'T WANT THEIR HELP!!!!' threads. Just makes you look oh so stupid.

I wouldn't call 500 million "chump change".  Never look a gift horse in the mouth.

Quoted: 500 million!  Japan is sending 200 thousand.  LOL

That reminds me of the Seinfeld episode where Kramer had the three Japanese tourists staying in his new chest of drawers...maybe they got the yen/dollar conversion mixed up lol...

Quoted: (That may never happen, certainly not within my lifetime.) I was not sure if you were trying to be sarcastic, so if you were, my apologies...

Nope, I am being perfectly serious. I think that securing the US will come through repairing the damage done to that region of the world, which is a project for many future generations to undertake, as well as my own.

For those in that part of the world who are willing to join the 21st century, I will extend my hand in friendship--for the rest, I have some "bullet logic" to share.

Quoted: Quoted: Ok here comes a rant.... The nations of Kuwait (uh didnt' we save their ass a few years ago?) giving a paltry $500 million for relief. Quatar giving $100 million. They've already made that much and more from selling America oil at hyper-inflated prices in just the last week. They're out nothing, still raking in gigatons of money on overpriced oil and now they did their good-deed for the day for us.

My thoughts too. Judging from the majority of posts here, most would agree the arabs can keep their precious dollars.