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a poverty of ideas

Reader comment on item: Palestinians Don't Deserve Additional Aid

Submitted by Vijay Dandapani (United States), Dec 21, 2004 at 10:35

The Palestinian situation is notable, not for a lack of aid, but a poverty of ideas. Daniel Pipes is only partially right in arguing that aid will do nothing to bring the Palestinians out of their present morass but errs in suggesting that it follow recognition of Israel's right to exist. The eminent economist Peter Bauer long argued that aid actually fosters a culture of dependency and decried the myth of a self-perpetuating poverty. The Palestinians like numerous peoples in Africa are eminently capable of creating a viable state if only they were freed from the shackles of a controlling and corrupt leadership and allowed to trade freely within themselves, with Israel and the larger world. With real free trade "popular" support for the destruction of Israel as espoused even by Abbas and certainly by the late Arafat will self-destruct . Unfortunately, Palestinian leaders as well as those in the thuggish regimes surrounding Israel have little interest in the plight of Palestinians and aid only serves to fuel movements like the intifada which have a single malign focus.
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Reader comments (55) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Palestinian this [98 words]AlSep 29, 2009 01:18162271
Palestinians Don't exist! [388 words]AsafNov 7, 2005 15:0827899
Additional Aid to Palestinians- [21 words]Regina CaldasJan 12, 2005 01:4919624
Aid for Tsunami [149 words]Marcus MannJan 3, 2005 05:2719323
A plan to stop terrorism [878 words]Carol McNeillJan 1, 2005 06:5419283
One size should fit all [294 words]Benjamin CableDec 31, 2004 11:1819268
Where is the wider view? [46 words]ZoDec 31, 2004 07:2119264
Pala who, what ? [87 words]Jim StcruzDec 29, 2004 17:4819219
Palestinians Don't Deserve Addl. Aid art.2298 [30 words]S.C.PandaDec 29, 2004 04:4919201
The aftermath after [278 words]Roberta H. SimonDec 26, 2004 20:3919137
Swedish blood money. [88 words]Hans, SwedenDec 26, 2004 18:2819136
The real enemy [296 words]GaryDec 25, 2004 14:4419130
Well said, Dr. Pipes [157 words]GregDec 23, 2004 21:2619124
So what's new ? [94 words]JaladhiDec 23, 2004 11:3719119
Money down the drain [140 words]Bob BartlettDec 22, 2004 20:2219114
How does Palestinian aid compare to Israeli aid? [312 words]Douglas RossDec 22, 2004 14:4119112
Palestinians Don't Deserve Additional Aid [125 words]Menahem DunskyDec 22, 2004 10:2719109
Spot-on! [143 words]Srinivasan VaradarajanDec 22, 2004 08:1119108
My wish [50 words]David EisenbergDec 22, 2004 01:5719107
30 years… of hard work [108 words]Alain Jean-MairetDec 22, 2004 01:2419106
A hearty second [515 words]Peter J. HerzDec 21, 2004 23:5819105
Don't send money without manifest changes in practice and policy of palestinians [392 words]Andria SpindelDec 21, 2004 23:1919103
Funding Terrorism [109 words]Funk Soul BruhvaDec 21, 2004 22:2119102
Brilliant [34 words]Ann EllerDec 21, 2004 21:0019101
Optimist [75 words]Avram KaliskyDec 21, 2004 20:4819099
Stop all aid [84 words]Romesh ChanderDec 21, 2004 20:3319098
Meanwhile in DARFUR... [108 words]Marcos BerensteinDec 21, 2004 20:0919096
Oil-for-food Part 2 [102 words]Donald ODec 21, 2004 20:0619095
Hatred poisons the mind [188 words]YonasonDec 21, 2004 19:5019094
The Jihad Cash Machine [409 words]Arlinda DeAngelisDec 21, 2004 19:4719093
Bad money after bad [259 words]Benjamin CableDec 21, 2004 19:4019092
Racism or Common Sense?! [111 words]Octavio JohansonDec 21, 2004 18:1919090
What do we do now? [53 words]MarcyDec 21, 2004 17:5319089
Additional funds to PA [104 words]Dr. John PorDec 21, 2004 17:4119088
Peace in thirty years? [251 words]Alan KohnDec 21, 2004 17:3619087
Dead On Accurate Article [60 words]Ross StevensDec 21, 2004 16:2619085
Thank you for facing the truth! [165 words]Reni RobertsDec 21, 2004 15:3919084
Punishment, not aid [159 words]Ralph C. Whaley MDDec 21, 2004 13:2619081
Agreement [77 words]Robert G. MogullDec 21, 2004 13:0419079
300 $ is a lot [39 words]JD BermanDec 21, 2004 13:0319078
No aid until Jewish state recognized [9 words]Jordan YellinDec 21, 2004 12:5219077
Nazareth and Hebron: response to commenter Ahmed [310 words]Irfan KhawajaDec 21, 2004 12:4119075
More aid? How about no aid at all?! [16 words]Cato the ElderDec 21, 2004 12:2819074
One of your best [24 words]Yolanda CanfieldDec 21, 2004 12:2819073
Correct Again! [7 words]Myrna Linett StrappDec 21, 2004 12:2519072
What will it take? [455 words]Kenneth S. BesigDec 21, 2004 12:1719071
Withholding Taxes [73 words]Joan BaronDec 21, 2004 12:1519070
Where are the strings? [116 words]GregDec 21, 2004 12:1119069
You know the drill by now [193 words]Mike NargizianDec 21, 2004 11:5019067
MONEY WOULD BUY BOMBS [116 words]Octavio JohansonDec 21, 2004 11:2519066
About David Brook's Column [47 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Sharon A. FinegoldDec 21, 2004 11:0719064
a poverty of ideas [178 words]Vijay DandapaniDec 21, 2004 10:3519063
30 Years? [27 words]AhmedDec 21, 2004 10:0419062
Did I read that right? 300$ per person?! [32 words]Rob JamesDec 21, 2004 09:3119061
Alternative Aid [35 words]Timothy RobertsDec 21, 2004 09:0119060

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