4 Answers

Never in the history of the US do I remember or read any aid to the US at any time from any country.  I would think though that during Katrina there may have been private aid to victims from other countries, I am only guessing though, I don't ever remember hearing about it though. Here in the USA when there is a catastrophe on foreign land we have thousands of 'do-good' organizations that will send help and or aid of some sort.. On our TV here we are constantly bombarded by commercials begging American citizens to give 20 bucks per month to help some kid with flies in his nose in some third world country-- Ethiopia, Somalia, you name it, we have an organization collecting aid for every country.. I always wonder, considering how expensive these commercials are, 'how much is actually making it to the cause?"

A most excellent and thoughtful question and one that I have no answer to....I'll go along with Expert's opinion on this one!

Your question is a very good question, albeit too simplistic for today's world. 

The U.S. is among the richest countries on earth.  It commands nearly the highest average wage and has among the highest standard of living anywhere.  It is important for the Americans to maintain such way of living, and the only way to do that is to that is a smooth trading process with other nations.

The livelihood of our trading partners in all regions is critical for:  the supply of goods and services at a very low price to the Americans, and the fact that they also buy goods from us.  Consider this: if a country, say, Japan, got into a crisis.  It not only impacts the manufacturing of its own products such as Toyota cars, but also its ability to purchase American goods such as Apple’s I-Phone and Caterpillar’s tractors.  Its situation, if not rectified immediately could put Japan into a recession, affecting its neighbors’ economies such as China and Korea,  and hence impacting the American economy in a violent way in the end.  For example, with less products sold by the Japanese, supply goes down, demand rises, relatively speaking, and so do prices.  It nothing’s done to help them, the American consumers would bear the brunt of the price increase.

Why then do we have to help them?  That’s because it helps to ensure that our economic machine continues to push forward.  It’s all math.  Giving some assistance ensures little disruption in the region and subsequently worldwide.

Now, to your question of why other countries do not help the U.S. as much in return.  Per capita income of many places in the world is less than $3000 a year.  It would be difficult for them to help this country in the way that it could or should be helped.  If all things are equal (they never are) and foreigners are making the same amount of money as do Americans, I would be surprised if they would not do more to help.  As it is, any  assistance provided by the smaller countries seems infinitesimal to the Americans. 

We have a choice, pay the Reebok workers in Thailand the American minimum wage or more instead of $6 per day, and go to the store and pay $120 for a pair of shoes instead of $29.99, then you will see that the table may turn around.

Sorry it had to be so long.

I CAN"T UNDERSTAND WHY THE PEOPLE HERE PUT THEIR MONEY TO GOOD USE BY HELPING OUR OWN.  BESIDES, THERE ARE ENOUGH MILLIONS AND BILLIONS OUT THERE TO WHERE WE THE PEOPLE SHOULD NOT HAVE TO SEE HUNGER, HOMELESS, OR HELPLESS PEOPLE.

THE DOCTOR'S ARE FOREVER TELLING US ALL TO EAT A BALANCE MEAL BUT, WHAT IF YOU HAVE A LITTLE MONEY AND CANNOT EAT RIGHT?  IT'S ALL A PLAY ON WORDS.  EVERY GOVERNMENT HAS A WAY OF WHAT THEY WANT TO DO.

THE ONLY AID THAT WAS AFTER 911 WAS FROM THE ARABS, DOES ANYONE HAVE THE ANSWER FOR THAT ONE?  THANKS FOR YOUR POST............SWORDFISH