Should the US cut off aid to Uganda?

[Mad Deadly Worldwide Communist Gangster Computer God]

Yes, we should.

I'm generally skeptical of government aid to foreign countries, not in principle but because I've yet to hear any success stories that can attributed to public, and not private, charity not getting swindled into corruption.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Plan

...Which was obviously a very long time ago.

[PiMp DaDdy FitzGerald]

We need to kick Ugandas *ss to stop their homophobia.

[Tetro Kornbluth]

Would doing so actually be effective? Is there any evidence that it would be?

[Filuwaúrdjan]

Would doing so actually be effective? Is there any evidence that it would be?

It would make a certain type of flabby western liberal feel good, and isn't that, like, the point?

[afleitch]

Would doing so actually be effective? Is there any evidence that it would be?

It would make a certain type of flabby western liberal feel good, and isn't that, like, the point?

My brother has been in Uganda in a governmental capacity. In as anonymised a way as possible the answer is Yes; if it's money to the government. A not insignificant amount of that (for the military, computers, infrastructure) is creamed off anyway. It's a meal ticket for the political elite. Cut that and they'll change the law. F-ck the people over however and they don't care.

[PiMp DaDdy FitzGerald]

Would doing so actually be effective? Is there any evidence that it would be?

When you pressure the people, such as in place like Germany, Japan, and Egypt, they will respond.

[TNF]

Yes, we should.

I'm generally skeptical of government aid to foreign countries, not in principle but because I've yet to hear any success stories that can attributed to public, and not private, charity not getting swindled into corruption.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Plan

The Marshall Plan wasn't so much direct aid as it was loans, was it? But Marshall Plan aid (iirc) comes with strings, like all foreign aid payments do today. Nowadays you have to privatize state-owned industries, weaken the bargaining power of labor, deregulate and all that jazz to be eligible for a good amount of aid. Which is why I think there's a good case for eliminating our transfer payment from working class Americans in the states to fabulously wealthy foreign elites, which is what foreign aid is. Phase out foreign aid unless you're going to cut the strings that bind these countries to the will of international finance capitalism. The better way of aiding these countries would be debt-forgiveness as is.

[Snowstalker Mk. II]

Yes, we should.

I'm generally skeptical of government aid to foreign countries, not in principle but because I've yet to hear any success stories that can attributed to public, and not private, charity not getting swindled into corruption.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_Plan

The Marshall Plan wasn't so much direct aid as it was loans, was it? But Marshall Plan aid (iirc) comes with strings, like all foreign aid payments do today. Nowadays you have to privatize state-owned industries, weaken the bargaining power of labor, deregulate and all that jazz to be eligible for a good amount of aid. Which is why I think there's a good case for eliminating our transfer payment from working class Americans in the states to fabulously wealthy foreign elites, which is what foreign aid is. Phase out foreign aid unless you're going to cut the strings that bind these countries to the will of international finance capitalism. The better way of aiding these countries would be debt-forgiveness as is.

The Marshall Plan had strings (and the covert intent was to weaken the communist cause in Italy/France/Greece) but continued and expanded even as postwar governments like Attlee's were nationalizing industry. Of course with the IMF that's all changed. But yeah, debt forgiveness to HIPCs (of which Uganda is one) is a must.

[ElectionsGuy]

Yes, regardless of the anti-gay bill.

[Wake Me Up When The Hard Border Ends]

Our government shouldn't be giving any foreign aid period. If private citizens want to go help improve the lives of Ugandans, I've got absolutely no problem with that. Let's stay out of their internal politics.

[Repub242]

Yes, I think we should cut aid to Uganda.