United Nations ReliefWeb

[120mm]

I no longer make contributions to any fund-raising organization, and yes, the UN is a very large fund-raising organization. My personal bad experiences with the Red Cross, CFC and United Way, has led me to targeting contributions to individuals, and executive-type groups.

Fund-raising = Criminal, almost always.

[Stan]

120mm,

I often wondered about those Command "suggested" automatic allotments from my 23 years of active duty. Mine were CFC and the American Cancer Society.

[120mm]

I quit giving, and started making references to how the regs treated commanders who "suggested" such things. Surprisingly, despite what everyone warned me, my career has not been adversely impacted by this decision.

Instead, I decided to go 4GW on giving: We give 10% of our income to organizations and causes that we personally know and vett. Additionally, we donate time to these same organizations, part of which, we continue to evaluate the organization and the value of our monetary gift.

We've found that we can become very big fish in a small pond this way, and we find that we no longer become "slob givers". The difference between giving to allay corporate guilt, and giving to actually and truly make a difference makes one feel very good about ourselves.

[Tom Odom]

I made the decision long ago that the very fact I was wearing a uniform--in the 1970s when President Carter forbade the wearing of uniforms inside the National Capitol Region, told Congress that people in uniform don't go into the service to get rich as an explanation for denying military pay increases for 4 years, and I got a welcome packet from the Naval Postgraduate School that explained how to apply for food stamps--was my own charitable program.

My own sensing is that in the long term charity programs do 2 things: they tend to create their own clientle and they obviate responsibilty from those who should be addressing the problems which stimulate a need for the charity in the first place.

Best

Tom

[marct]

My own sensing is that in the long term charity programs do 2 things: they tend to create their own clientle and they obviate responsibilty from those who should be addressing the problems which stimulate a need for the charity in the first place.

I always had the feeling that many charities, and a lot of social welfare programs, were designed to create jobs for social work graduates. I'm not sure about the US, but in Canada, it is really difficult to get ff the welfare programs - you are actually penalized if you try.

Marc

[Stan]

Hello Marc, Tom and 120 !
What a day !

I like 120's approach. A shame, I gave up soon after retirement and now just spend my own time (no longer money) with programs here assisting foster homes (when USN ship visits are in port). It's far better and you see immediate results.

Tom brings up a rather embarrassing DC story. Also bake in the 70's we would routinely see food stamp owners at the local watering holes and restaurants. Trading in their food stamps for a drink or two and then promply drive off in their Beemers I don't think I ever understood that nor the system my taxes were paying for.

I always had the feeling that many charities, and a lot of social welfare programs, were designed to create jobs for social work graduates. I'm not sure about the US, but in Canada, it is really difficult to get ff the welfare programs - you are actually penalized if you try.

Marc, the US version of the Canadian social work for graduates is a trash truck driver You indeed are penalized if you jump the truck prematurely (it's called being run over by the Beemer driver in rush hour)

Regards, Stan

[Tom Odom]

The thing that struck me most about the Rwandans (the new government and new army) was their attitude toward assistance. I was married to a USAID officer for nearly 10 years. I worked drought relief and looked at security assistance in the Sudan. I was in the Sudanese Army as a student for 4 months and got a real feel for what the military thought and felt. At the conclusion, my classmates asked me, "when is the US goong to come run this country? And when are you going to head the effort?" Startling to hear that as a junior Captain, especially from Majors and Lieutenant Colonels; it also indicated that ever present Arab/Muslim fatalism that translates Inshallah as the American S$%# Happens without the smiley face.

The Egyptians and the Israelis each had their own spin on assistance. The Egyptians with their background of assistance from the USSR/Warsaw Pact seemed to concentrate getting the best toys for whatever and--especially in the non-military arena--getting a PhD (or 3) in the process. Israel is essentially get us the check--early if possible and certainly never late; the local and government reaction when the few times the US has said, "enough" on a money-pit project is amusing and disturbing to watch. I saw Israeli Aircraft Industries bus workers down to stage a protest at the US Embassy when we shut off funding to the Lavi fighter project. If the US check does get there late, the embassy gets a written protest.

And then there are the Zairians/Congolese. two words describe it: steal or break. Steal whatever comes in and break it as soon as possible. Demand more. Start the most fanciful projects possible--and never complete them as they are cash cows to be bled not milked. Stan has years on the ground wtaching this. In writing two books before I went there as DATT, I was well aware of this dynamic.

In contrast, Rwanda when I was there and according to folks who have followed me broke this mold/pattern. They are hper-sensitive to the colonial and post-colonial models of dependency often attached to donor programs. In my case, they looked to build capacity in their leaders and the people and sustainment in the military. And they will do so in charge of their own fates. It was amusing to watch when then VP Kagame ordered all the NGOs to take down their vehicle flags and forced them to register. Prior to the war Rwanda had one of the largest assortments of NGOs in Africa; in the post-genocide, you weren't a real NGO unless you had been to Rwanda. Many were shocked and dismayed when the new Rwandan government actually proved it was determined to govern, set its own goals, and then actually evaluate its progress in meeting those goals.

I hope they continue.

Best

Tom

[120mm]

I always had the feeling that many charities, and a lot of social welfare programs, were designed to create jobs for social work graduates. I'm not sure about the US, but in Canada, it is really difficult to get ff the welfare programs - you are actually penalized if you try.

Marc

Ding, ding, ding! We have a winnah!

[pcmfr]

So Tom/120mm, you don't feel that NGOs provide any type of value for us in the GWOT or COIN campaigns? Wouldn't we rather have NGOs conducting development efforts in countries where we are trying to create an environment unfavorable to terrorists, rather than bringing in the US military? Islamic extremists are exploiting NGOs to their advantage, why shouldn't we?

I wouldn't give two squirts for any of the UN run relief organizations, but there are private NGOs who are doing good work all over the world and helping to prevent the next generation of folks in these places from repeating the mistakes their uneducated parents have made.

[redbullets]

I no longer make contributions to any fund-raising organization, and yes, the UN is a very large fund-raising organization. My personal bad experiences with the Red Cross, CFC and United Way, has led me to targeting contributions to individuals, and executive-type groups.

Fund-raising = Criminal, almost always.

As a member of one of these almost always criminal organizations, I have another equation for you - Beltway Bandits (particularly doing relief and development work) = Waste, Fraud, Abuse, almost always.

Cheers,

Joe