U.S. Military Intervention and Foreign Aid

[Not A Communist Shill]

Here are the most recent stats on how the world perceives the USA:
http://www.pewglobal.org/2014/07/14/...merican-brand/

This is also an article that explores how the US has a habit of giving to countries that hate it:
http://www.vocativ.com/usa/us-politi...tries-hate-us/

I'm not in control of any major budgets but I do frequently wonder why the US devotes so much energy intervening militarily in so many conflict zones, often on the other side of the world, rather than using its soft power more and additionally supporting countries better placed to intervene militarily (due to things like proximity and cultural background). If a country hates you, except in cases of an acute humanitarian crisis, why get involved so unilaterally as the US of course is famed for?

Another problem with foreign aid is it going to countries that perhaps shouldn't really be getting it, and also having strings attached to aid you give. (Israel for example has frequently been the US's top receiver of aid, with the exception of when a country like Afghanistan is given special assistance. In the UK, there has also been criticism for giving aid to a country like India which has its own space program...of course the aid may not be given directly to the government itself. I do wonder why a country like Turkey is given aid though for example).

I think if Western military budgets were cut in half and the cash spent on foreign aid instead, we would live in a much better place generally. And that is why I think I should win Miss World.

[InvisibleJim]

But then how is the US supposed to bomb China?

[ashlesha]

¯\_(ツ)_/¯