if america is the bully everyone thinks we are, why do we send so much money to foriegn countries?

Answer 1

we are the bullies only when they don't need us.

Answer 2

Several possible reasons why the USA might be so perceived:

1. Its foreign aid budget as a percentage of GDP is much less than that of many other, poorer countries;

2. The 'aid' is often tied so that it can only be spent on projects that will help US companies (although this is a common characteristic of many countries' foreign aid, you're by no means alone);

3. Also, the aid is often tied to the current political sympathies of the incumbent administration - again, you're not alone in this, but it makes life embarrassing when so much of it is military and the US switches sides - so, the US used to arm Saddam Hussein when he was fighting Iran (remember the hostage crisis?) and the US armed Osama Bin Laden when he was leading the fight against the Soviet incursion in to Afghanistan.

4. Then you have to add the Project for the New American Century, which was a think-tank started when Clinton was in office and a great many of the neocons associated with the present administration decided to rethink US foreign policy to make it far more interventionist - even to the point of pre-emptive strikes. The PNAC added a new and overt twist to what was already happening, and given that the first pre-emptive strike has been disastrous - I mean Iraq - I'm afraid that this distracts people's attention from the good work that has been done at country or individual level.

Answer 3

Not everyone thinks we are bullies. It may appear that way at times just becasue of what is currrently going on. But the money we send to foreign countries is money that is used by plans and companies to help underveloped nations get on ther feet and to evetually survive on their own. Kind of like a giant welfare program. Alot of the programs are also privately funded as well so not all the moeny comes from the government.

Answer 4

Good question. Even though we are talking big bucks by other countries' standards, some are just not satisfied and think we don't do enough. But, what we do give is enormously inefficient and has really failed to make a change in the welfare of almost all of the receiving countries, except maybe Israel.

Answer 5

Don't mix up Government foreign policy and Over-sees investment. Two different things. I would say you are using your military for the wrong reasons and enforcing the "American way of life" on every body is wrong. I for one don't want the American way of life. No way. But you do invest loads of money in Spain where I am from and I am very thankful for that. The 2 feelings are healthy and reconcilable.

Answer 6

I do no now that all Aid is cut off unless they agree not to press charges against anyone in the Unites States in the New International Criminal Court.

Answer 7

you send 0.13% of GDP, the lowest of all the developed countries and nothing near the 0.7% OECD countries (including US) signed up to.

your bullying takes diffferent forms, with conditionalities imposed on countries through bilateral trade agreements, the World Bank and IMF, as well as the military threats you make.

Answer 8

no one said we were the smartest bullies on the block. We can't even house, feed and clothe our own people, which we should look at doing first

Answer 9

To justify the bullying and to bribe so countries will ignore the bullying.

Answer 10

I am in foreign country and do not think US is bully.
PS. Send munny pliz!!

Answer 11

They see us as bullies when it comes to war. But, they sure know how to cry out when they need our Tax payers dollars!