Is it America's responsibility to make El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala a safe place?

This is a long but interesting article
www.nytimes.com...

It is written by a lady that was an immigrant and has a so called plan to fix the current immigration/migrant issues.
I don't find her thoughts particularly inspiring. Basically she wants the US to invest more money in making these countries safer (El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala), and be more humane to those seeking asylum.

She asks: "What kind of country takes someone who asks for safety and throws him into a prison"
Hmm I can think of a few: Japan, Russia, Poland,Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Hungary I could go on.
"Japan has the third-largest economy on the planet, but in the last five years, has granted refugee status to fewer than 100 people."
www.businessinsider.com...

But back to my question. Is it America's responsibility to fix these countries? What kind of responsibility do we have to any country other than our own? Why is it ok for Japan to only take in 20 people a year but we get scoffed at for just wanting to reduce the numbers??

There are a lot of things that I do not like about President Trump, but he is right. The US has been taken advantage of for too long.
Economic nationalism is NOT racism!

a reply to: JAGStorm

May have been on another thread, but this guy sums it up pretty well.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Not it's not our responsibility, and no that's not racist.

However, it is in our interest to help those places succeed. They're in our hemisphere and the Chinese are beating us to it.

So there's that.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Nah, America should actually stop trying to mess with every other country.

It has never been the world police and a whole lot of nicer places (and some less nice) don't appreciate being dragged down to the level of the neighborhood thug.

originally posted by: loam
a reply to: JAGStorm

Not it's not our responsibility, and no that's not racist.

However, it is in our interest to help those places succeed. They're in our hemisphere and the Chinese are beating us to it.

So there's that.

I think many people would agree with you if we thought it was even possible to help them "succeed".
There is a saying, a cracked pot will leak no matter how many times you fill it. Let's face it those countries are cracked pots right now.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Well we can't now backtrack our world police position.

If we are not to meddle in foreign affairs, we need to do so unequivocally ; not just when immigrants are considered, oil and trade, and military conditions shouldn't be when we put our boots on foreign soil.

If their problems are their problems, let's stop suggesting military intervention in countries like Venezuela and others.

We're top nation who police the world, this is part of it.

Where interest aligns I feel we should interfere. Not in the form of aid but following the old saying "give a man a fish feed him for a day teach a man to fish feed him for a lifetime."

I don't mean creating mini china's by allowing us to be taken advantage of, but helping these countries develop their natural resources into useful products that inspire investment in their countries.

a reply to: JAGStorm

Didn't we help El Salvador and Nicaragua in the 80's?

a reply to: odzeandennz

If their problems are their problems, let's stop suggesting military intervention in countries like Venezuela and others.

I could not agree with you more. As a military child that grew up on foreign bases all over the world I think I have a unique perspective. Most countries do not want the US involvement.

Then something happens, and they are like Help us help us America! And then we help, and we create bases, and then it goes on for years and decades, and it is a terrible love hate relationship. Maybe America needs to do a little tough love on these countries. Help yourself!!!

originally posted by: JAGStorm

She asks: "What kind of country takes someone who asks for safety and throws him into a prison"

Not the USA! When someone goes to an official port of entry and asks for asylum, they are not throw in jail. Only when they break the law by sneaking across the border. How someone can write an article in the NYT and not understand something that basic is a true mystery.

We don't owe anything to anyone. It isn't our responsibility to take every immigrant from every sh*t hole country just because they decided they want to come to the US. It also isn't our responsibility to give said sh*tholes money either. We often do out of the goodness of our own hearts, but even compassion has limitations.

I'm of the mindset right now that I rather focus on our own citizens who need help. We have our own little mini third world sh*tholes in most major cities. The aid we are sending over seas could have much more of an impact here locally.

Some of these countries will never succeed anyway because they do not have the cultures to do so...

a reply to: Edumakated

I'm of the mindset right now that I rather focus on our own citizens who need help.

Yes Yes Yes and AMEN!!!

A couple of things come to mind, our elderly, our veterans tons of children that need help right here in the US.
I think of my time in Florida. I don't think a lot of people know about the poverty in Florida. There is some extreme poverty down there.

You are absolutely right about the culture too. These people are born into a culture that is absolutely lawless. There is no way to change that mentality.

originally posted by: CriticalStinker
a reply to: JAGStorm

Didn't we help El Salvador and Nicaragua in the 80's?

You mean, with the Iran/Contra Affair?

The USA is responsible for much of the destabilization in the area. Is it still in our best interest to allow the destabilization to advance, turning a blind eye to government corruption, gang violence, drug running as well as human rights violations?

a reply to: JAGStorm

If we help people will bitch. If we don't help people will bitch. No, we don't help. It is their country let them fix it. I don't want us to be the world's policemen.

a reply to: Sookiechacha

I don't think you know how freedom works.

We imported those people freedom.

To those that feel we should have zero involvement in cases like this, I ask what are you going to do when these countries become reliant on adversaries and these adversaries develop a new reserve standard. Having our dollar so revered throughout the world is a benefit reaped by our actions in helping other countries and while helping them they become dependent upon us dollar standard and many are reliant on all trade being done in that standard. Not trying to be a globalist but we do reap some reward for actions elsewhere (albeit not as much as we should in my opinion).

a reply to: JAGStorm

It's actually Matt Damon's responsibility



(sorry, I've been in a weird, giffy mood all day and can't seem to snap out of it)

originally posted by: bluesjr

originally posted by: JAGStorm

She asks: "What kind of country takes someone who asks for safety and throws him into a prison"

Not the USA! When someone goes to an official port of entry and asks for asylum, they are not throw in jail. Only when they break the law by sneaking across the border. How someone can write an article in the NYT and not understand something that basic is a true mystery.

Absolutely. These freakin talking head journalists in this country .... most should be taken out for an afternoon of electro-shock, just to keep them on track (Borrowed that line from Lewis Black )

I blame media for most of the ills in this country today, especially the social ones, like Face# and Twerker... and the Mainstream Media websites that quote most of their self-righteous comments, like they were coming from people that knew what they were talking about.

You really have to pay attention today to anything that is said in public and it requires not only checking sources, but having the knowledge to understand when something is correct or not. Tall order.

If we are honest, the West's foreign policy of regime change has never worked for the affected country. The middle east has been a debacle ever since oil was discovered, and we have been bullying central america for decades. It is our fault really, and I mean ALL of our fault.


This is a lefty leaning source, but true none the less. It does make me SMH when we hear the Russia interference BS.

www.salon.com...

a reply to: JAGStorm

Well the CIA has been sticking their noses in central and south america for years.

Might be nice if they fixed things for a change.