Ted Rall for July 30, 2021

“Be permitted” by WHOM?

I have thought for a long time that it would probably be shocking to follow foreign aid money to see exactly how it is spent.

We know that significant funds are for ‘defense’ of a specific country are for them to buy weapons from chosen American arms dealers or manufacturers. Odds are that no American currency ever leaves our shores, literally or virtually. The U.S. govt just gives money to the mfrs and the mfrs delivers weapons somewhere.

Something similar probably happens with humanitarian aid. I have no idea what oversight mechanisms are in place. I don’t think many know.

We have taken on the role of having the US dollar as the currency standard of the world. We have taken on the role of rebuilding Europe and Japan after WW2. We have , presently the largest economy. It is our responsibility to be the police man for the world,

That said, some places police don’t go, and should not. Some neighborhoods are controlled locally. By the local gang. They keep order and kill the bad guys. But some of those places think freedom and democracy are bad, and then they kill what they call the bad guys. Not saying anything about China or Russia. Just saying.

So now we are not the most powerful power on earth without help from our allies. That is actually a good thing. It means that the rebuilding of great countries has been successful. They are doing much, much better. We are doing OK. Let us keep the party going.

The downers are indeed downers. They should not succeed , keep the party going. And large corporations and especially “energy” companies seem to be the worst. Very much like tobacco companies or slave traders. Vile people that don’t want progress or a clean world.

Ted, I have to agree with you on this one. All we do is make it worser!!

Absolutely right! I say the first step should be cutting off all foreign aid.

Have you read any history, Ted?

Au contraire.. there is always a business opportunity in any foreign crisis. And the U.S… ever the opportunist, relish the challenge.

Actually, more often we do not get involved than do………………..we just need to avoid warlike behavior even more.

But what about the current crisis in Freedonia?

Isolationism worked for the first half of our nation’s history. WW2 showed us that what happens on the other side of the world effects us and we fools to ignore it. We can’t afford to be uninvolved.

After the war we assumed that we could “Americanize” any culture and that our military could crush any resistance. Any revolution that wasn’t seen as capitalistic was resisted by any means fair or foul. That did not work in the long run. It’s not a question of whether we should be involved or not, it’s how we are involved.

You could have drawn a cabinet meeting or session of Congress instead of a news studio and it would be just as true.

Unfortunately, in an increasingly interconnected world, disasters that happen somewhere can affect people everywhere.

Should never happen. We surrendered the Vietnamese to the Viet Cong and now we’re surrendering the Afghan people to the Taliban.

Hey, hey, USA, how many kids did you kill today?

Most of what you see in national news is permitted. By someone. You don’t need to know who. You’re on a need to know basis.

Do you mean the Iraq war?