Posts by andrea quin

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  • Hard News: Watching the Watchmen,

    Right now, that might mean no aid projects in Afghanistan.

    That may well be the case and would be a tragedy foe the people who live there. But there is scant evidence that things are really stabilizing there to the point that peaceful aid missions will be able to continue their work there after a year or two more of war. Why not rebuild Haiti, help the flooded in Pakistan, the drought plagued in east Africa? The ongoing Afghan war strikes me as a face-saving exercise on the part of the US.

    Auckland • Since Dec 2009 • 44 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Watching the Watchmen,

    I'd agree that helping out the poor and downtrodden is what we should do whereever we reasonably can, but fighting a long and expensive war seems to be a very bad way to do it. Arguing that the US and others should stay in Afghanistan increasingly seems to be about arguing for aid by war. How about they pull out asap, cut military budgets and start doing aid by aid where it'll be most effective?

    Auckland • Since Dec 2009 • 44 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Watching the Watchmen,

    The chart shows that access to "some form" of health care has gone up but infant mortality, a key indicator of population health, remains exactly the same.

    Surely if we were interested in getting communications, health and education to deprived people, the coalition's billions of dollars could have been more effectively spent.

    Auckland • Since Dec 2009 • 44 posts Report Reply

  • Hard News: Watching the Watchmen,

    UNAMA Human Rights (HR) recorded a total of 2,412 civilian deaths between 01 January and 31 December 2009.

    This surprises me because it is really quite a small number. A quick search suggests this number is fairly widely quoted and accepted. Without wanting to be callous, it makes me wonder what all the fuss is about. Far more are dying in the drug wars in Central and South America. Indeed, the murder rate in several US cities makes them more dangerous on a per capita basis.

    Auckland • Since Dec 2009 • 44 posts Report Reply

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