Dictators and Despots

I agree, when we send aid to these countries, their dictators snap up the money and it helps the citizens not at all.

We haven't always been brilliant in this area when it's been tried. Generally, in countries with dictators or who have had totalitarian governments for a long time, you have generations of citizens who aren't very good at democracy and you have poor choices when trying to displace and replace governments. A good example would be the Shah of Iran. Although there were complaints about his "secret police" one has to envision the society he was ruling and trying to bring a more modern, westernized form of life to. Women were given rights, those who were content to live peacefully were able to thrive, but there were religious factions in the country that hated the westernization and freedoms, including women's rights, and that is why you now have the government in Iran that you do today. An Islamic regime that rules by Islamic law with a complete rollback of all rights previously given. Sometimes we have to realize that the best we can do is to support those who will ally themselves with us, who will be influenced by us and accept the changes will be small and slow. Until some of these societies grow or desire a civilized form of government, there's not much else you can do. We are spinning our wheels in Afghanistan, it's too tribal, they aren't ready for the 21st century. And if that sounds politically incorrect, so be it. It's still true.

Hello Flowerchild. We do what we can. Like rollo said we seem to pick the wrong people to help into power. Until citizens of a country are truly ready to take control of their government then there is nothing that any one can do. People have to learn how to be free and what their responsibilities are with freedom. After all freedom isn't free. Sometimes better to keep what you know than to go after something you don't know.

The trouble is that many of these nations are so used to a strong man being in charge and giving them complete obedience that even if what was done the United States did drive out the former dictator or give money to the rebels to get rid of a King or leader who becomes too powerful, then the next one who gets in power even though he went through the right schools and learned through the right schools and learned of democracy, that person will go and act like a dictator because he learned that since he was a child. Yet if America leaves that country alone, then people will blame the Americans for not helping getting rid of the dictator who killed thousands of their people. So you are blamed if you do and blame if you don;t. But guess who gets the blame, the Americans and before it was the British,and so on going back in history. What has to happen is that the whole people have to decide for themselves, and have to make laws - perhaps a revolution that led to the Magna Carta has to come to the fore.

Poorer nations? The people over throwing their dictators. It is their business to be done. It has been done down through the ages. I am unsure of what would be the best way but to wait for stronger countries to come in and kill off the people seems a terrible end.

In order to lift up people in poorer nations, giving them all the good things in life would not help to achieve that goal except leading them further away from self independent and self sufficiency. Giving all the good things to a nation rule by dictator or despot, it is no doubt all of them will end up in the possession of that despot, his family members and cronies. It can't be done as long as the despot remain in power, the needy will have none. Many poor will prefer to see richer nation help them to grow their economy, empower them with knowledge and technology leading to a brighter future and better life in the days ahead.

I agree with you as far as getting rid of the dictators, and also the rich greedy people that control the governments of countries, but I also believe it is too late, because they have control of everything and it would be impossilbe to overcome such power!

Humanitarian aid should come from humans. Not governments. Education is key to the success of these efforts. The world has become a very dangerous place and it takes people interacting with people for progress to be made. I don't see many people willing to go to these third world countries where Islamists are beheading and torturing people left and right. Our government should NOT try and influence one group over the other. It is sad, but that is how I see it.