40% of world lacks basic sanitation

[cbacon 0]

"an estimated 4,000 children die every day from illnesses caused by their lack of safe water and sanitation."

 

Link

 

3000 people died in the WTC attacks. 4000 children die every day because we can't get them clean water. I'm still waiting for the war on poverty (as opposed to the U.S. government's war on those who are in poverty).

[Guest MikeSC]

I take it you missed the welfare state of the 60's-80's that didn't solve anything.

 

Oh, you want us to give billions to the rest of the world. Got it.

-=Mike

..."War on those in poverty"? That's some weak rhetoric...

[Guest Paul H.]

I agree. Instead of loaning them money we will never see returned why not just funnel the money through USAID to poor yet Democraticilly governed counrties to help get them basics neccesties

[Guest BDC]

Bullshit. Let's make sure our own damn citizens have basic sanitation first. Everyone's so damn quick to blast poor areas in the US, but giving them money so they aren't so poor and dirty anymore? Nah.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

What part of this am I supposed to care about?...

[MarvinisaLunatic 0]

Man..just like those "Feed the starving children in foreign countries" that make me ask "What about the starving kids here?", I have to ask, what about the crappy sanitation here in this country? Namely public restrooms...

 

WASH YOUR HANDS PEOPLE!

[Guest Paul H.]

We are talking about countries that have zero-drinking water.The type of water that goves you the "elephantitis suprise" Like 80% of the diseases in the thirld world are water-related.

 

I understand the isolationist p.o.v. but it comes back to bites us in the ass on a banana boat anyway.If these countries would have their act together then we wouldn't have to intervene so damn much.

[Vyce 0]

And that's our fault....how?

 

And it's our responsibility....how?

 

Oh, I forgot - being a superpower, we have a DUTY to throw our money & resources at third-world countries who will, at the end of the day, STILL hate us no matter how much we've done for them.

[Guest MikeSC]

We are talking about countries that have zero-drinking water.The type of water that goves you the "elephantitis suprise" Like 80% of the diseases in the thirld world are water-related.

 

I understand the isolationist p.o.v. but it comes back to bites us in the ass on a banana boat anyway.If these countries would have their act together then we wouldn't have to intervene so damn much.

Yet again, if we do interfere, we are trying to dominate the world. If we do NOT interfere, we're heartless.

 

That's a good Catch-22.

-=Mike

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

Healthier people = Ability to work = Getting $$$ = Spending $$$ = $$$ for Companies.

 

Of course, this all requires these countries to have the appropriate infrastructure to accomodate the free/mixed market as-well-as a capitalist culture. It would take _generations_ to make poor countries into potential markets, and that's just too much time and money to invest; even if the ROI is worth it. It's funny, because I bet China -the country receiving tons of foreign investment- probably contributes the most to that study.

[Guest MikeSC]

Healthier people = Ability to work = Getting $$$ = Spending $$$ = $$$ for Companies.

 

Of course, this all requires these countries to have the appropriate infrastructure to accomodate the free/mixed market as-well-as a capitalist culture. It would take _generations_ to make poor countries into potential markets, and that's just too much time and money to invest; even if the ROI is worth it. It's funny, because I bet China -the country receiving tons of foreign investment- probably contributes the most to that study.

Of course, to make them successful --- jobs would have to be outsourced to them.

 

But that doesn't want to be mentioned.

-=Mike

[Guest Paul H.]

Japan

S.Korea

Taiwan

Germany

...fuck all of western europe...

 

Your tax-dollars hard at work..there are countries that have devolped very rapidly under the technical assistance of the US alone just cuz we gave a fuck about them.

 

No it's not the responsibilty of the US to police the world.But the rich countries should provide more money to them and technical asssitance instead of justing green-lighting the loans that keep them poor in their first place.

 

P.S.Where Did I say Jobs have to be out-sourced?lol..many of them devolped by importing technolgy from devolped nations and keeping high trade barriers to protect their own shit.

[The Metal Maniac 0]

Reading that 40% of the world doesn't have clean water reminds me that I was once told the majority of the earth's population will never use a telephone. I can't back that up with numbers (but really, it makes sense, when you consider poor people in rich countries, and all the poor people in poor countries), but I'm going to use it to make this point anyway:

 

Most of the planet sucks.

 

One country, regardless of it's size or power, ain't gonna change that, nor should they have to.

[Styles 0]

Isn't the UN supposed to be in charge of things like this? If the US gets involved we're imperialist tyrants trying to push our might onto the world, and if we don't we're selfish isolationists that don't care about humanity. We have our OWN problems to worry about first...

[Guest Paul H.]

I mean the UN the international community whatever.

 

A water program isn't shit to hundred of billions of dollars spent on defense to protect ourselves from these terrorists groups who fester and are created in hell-holes just like the ones we are talking about.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Would it REALLY cost that much to dig a few ditches for people to crap in? No one deserves to live in disease-ridden squalor. Poor or not. The fact that shit like Cholera, antibiotic-resistant TB, and other horrible things live and breed in such cramped grimy environment is enough to motivate me just a little.

 

Especially because DISEASES SPREAD, and the world is globally connected, like it or not.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Would it REALLY cost that much to dig a few ditches for people to crap in? No one deserves to live in disease-ridden squalor. Poor or not. The fact that shit like Cholera, antibiotic-resistant TB, and other horrible things live and breed in such cramped grimy environment is enough to motivate me just a little.

 

Especially because DISEASES SPREAD, and the world is globally connected, like it or not.

They won't let us. That's the problem. Look at the backlash against Bush going after Saddam. Imagine if he tried taking out some two-bit dictator nobody's ever heard of.

 

This is entirely the fault of the UN.

[Guest Agent of Oblivion]

Which "they" are you referring to? The UN? This would be our money, not theirs, so why would they even play into it?

 

I'm pretty sure if we told some poor african disease-ridden town "Hey fellas, we're going to drill a couple wells and make it so you don't step in shit all day." they wouldn't mind so much.

 

Hell, if their people are used to do the actual labor, and we just provide shit like some pipeline and knowhow, it can't possibly cost us much, as taxpayers.

[Guest MikeSC]

Which "they" are you referring to? The UN? This would be our money, not theirs, so why would they even play into it?

 

I'm pretty sure if we told some poor african disease-ridden town "Hey fellas, we're going to drill a couple wells and make it so you don't step in shit all day." they wouldn't mind so much.

 

Hell, if their people are used to do the actual labor, and we just provide shit like some pipeline and knowhow, it can't possibly cost us much, as taxpayers.

Our "allies" would bitch about us being imperialists if we did it.

 

Keep in mind, our "allies" bitched about us trying to get sanctions against Sudan over genocide (why? Because France had oil deals with them). Do you really think they'd be anything but pains in the ass?

-=Mike

[Guest Salacious Crumb]

"an estimated 4,000 children die every day from illnesses caused by their lack of safe water and sanitation."

 

Link

 

3000 people died in the WTC attacks. 4000 children die every day because we can't get them clean water. I'm still waiting for the war on poverty (as opposed to the U.S. government's war on those who are in poverty).

So.........

 

Are we supposed to feel guilty or something? Should we just throw billions of dollars at these countries where it's just going to go to the thugs that run the country so they can have some gold plated toilet seats and nothing changes.

 

Right.......

[cbacon 0]

It's a matter of priroties. The US spends more on the military than any other country on Earth by far.

 

The monthly cost of the US occupation of Iraq would be more than enough cash to save those 4,000 children. Not to mention the fact that within the States you have a rise in poverty that needs to be looked at, as well as the crises in Dafur. When the most influential county in the world focuses more on the military that actually intices more terrorism over basic human rights, somethings wrong.

[Guest MikeSC]

It's a matter of priroties. The US spends more on the military than any other country on Earth by far.

The curse of actually obeying our Constitution --- oh, and having to do almost all of the work in fixing problems.

The monthly cost of the US occupation of Iraq would be more than enough cash to save those 4,000 children. Not to mention the fact that within the States you have a rise in poverty that needs to be looked at, as well as the crises in Dafur. When the most influential county in the world focuses more on the military that actually intices more terrorism over basic human rights, somethings wrong.

Poverty is lower than it was in 1996. Not a huge concern.

 

And funny you mention Darfur, because the ONLY people who seem to give a shit --- is America. The UN refused to allow us to include sanctions if the gov't refuses to disarm the militias.

 

And I love this "Your actions are increasing terrorism" --- as if all of the terrorist attacks we suffered in the 90's didn't actually happen.

-=Mike

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

I'm pretty sure if we told some poor african disease-ridden town "Hey fellas, we're going to drill a couple wells and make it so you don't step in shit all day." they wouldn't mind so much.

 

That's if the warlords in charge actually lets the US do that without a fight, which I seriously doubt. That means removing them from power first, which means a military invasion, which most of the world and much of the US won't stand for.

 

Many people in Europe and North America seem to have a real hard time understanding that most of these poor countries are not run by efficient democracies or even benevolent dictators begging for aid. About the only African country that isn't being run into the ground is South Africa.

[Guest Brian]

The warlords deal with the cell-phone companies over Columbite-tantalite. If the price is right, they'll bite and fight over it.

[Guest Paul H.]

Jesus Christ soldiers don't actually have to go and dig the wells.What's a couple of mill to the G-8?

 

I'm talking about getting them water,electricity,teacher training,etc..we don't have to actually be there to do that.

[Guest MikeSC]

Jesus Christ soldiers don't actually have to go and dig the wells.What's a couple of mill to the G-8?

 

I'm talking about getting them water,electricity,teacher training,etc..we don't have to actually be there to do that.

We've loaned them untold billions for years and years. Their governments steal it.

 

I'll go ahead and say it: There has not been a NATURAL famine in more years than anybody here can count. Famines are, nowadays, ALWAYS caused by a government.

-=Mike

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

Well I just dug a hole in my back yard for some hippie Cambodian to poop in.

 

Would make good fertilizer to boot...

[Slayer 0]

What're you planning to farm?

[Guest MikeSC]

Well I just dug a hole in my back yard for some hippie Cambodian to poop in.

 

Would make good fertilizer to boot...

*psst* It wasn't a hippie Cambodian. It was John Kerry.

-=Mike

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

What're you planning to farm?

Who says I'm going to farm?

 

The Mexican migrant worker that lives in my shed will do all the work...