Give and ye will receive - not!

[Dodger666]

I copy this from the Mail-on-Line website, I couldn't have have put it better myself. Ungrateful b................

"Well that's gratitude! We give India £1bn in aid, THEY snub the UK and give France a £13bn jet contract"

Read more: http://www.dailymail....ct.html#ixzz1l7TFLKrx

[Ankou]

its disappointing, but are you suggesting we should give aid so these countries can bolster our defence industry or that our aid should pay for military jets ?

the eurofigher typhoon is more expensive and given that bae shed 3000 jobs last year, delivery capability would be questionable. and, we only build a part of the eurofighter. we share production with germans, austrians, spanish, and italian..........

[ludwig]

Maybe France gives them a bigger bribe. 1.5bn perhaps.

[Ankou]

it is reported in the current "deal" that each eurofighter it is costing about 1million euros more than the rafale. so 126m euros aint to be sniffed at.

and as regards bribes, the saudis are also involved in eurofighter production, so if anyone can flash the cash in a brown envelope they can.....

[NOX]

Aid is not supposed to be used as a stick to beat third world countries into doing what you want them to...I think you are a little confused about the meaning of the word ' charity'.

[rowanwitch]

I feel any country that wants to spend that much on weapons while their people live in squalor doesn't deserve aid

[China Doll]

You don't do someone a favour or help someone out in order that they will 'owe you one'... don't see why it should be any different for international aid.

[Dodger666]

"its disappointing, but are you suggesting we should give aid so these countries can bolster our defence industry or that our aid should pay for military jets ?"

In a word no, I'm not suggesting that all! I thought the aid was for the underdeveloped regions of India, not for buying fighter planes from France or the UK, or indeed to fund their space programme. If they can afford to spend money on these things they don't need help from the British taxpayer.

The article suggest the planes cost the same amount. In fact the Eurofighter is better in all respects, speed, payload & range. Furthermore, if we won the contract some of those 3000 jobs lost may be reinstated.

If it's possible we should withhold the next three years £280M and tell the Indians to go cap in hand to France.

[Ric.ror]

How about in future we only give aid in a form of goods we produce here - not weapons obviously but medicines, wells etc that we make. Infact we should stop all cash aid and only give aid in the form of goods needed

[Brenden]

Good idea Ric.cor, trouble is neither monies or goods in most cases go to the people or places where intended.

[venator]

I would strongly suspect that Dassault is getting French government aid. When this comes out, there will be a small EU fine.

This happened when Santander took over Abbey with undisclosed help from its government.

[Ankou]

i agree but mr cameron does not want to cut aid to foreign nations (including india).

what is your plan b ?

[Ric.ror]

No we dont need to cut aid at all just get the goods made here (helping our revenue).
I gave up supporting overseas charity a few months ago because I believed its a political solution that is needed.

[venator]

We're giving aid to France as well.

Britain is the largest net contributor to the EU, as we have a large adverse balance of trade.

[Gromit]

I thought the Typhoon was the Eurofighter of which we only build a part? It certainly isn't British.

[Gromit]

// The Eurofighter Typhoon is a twin-engine, canard-delta wing, multirole fighter.[5][6] The Typhoon was designed by a consortium of three companies: EADS, Alenia Aeronautica and BAE Systems; working through a holding company, Eurofighter GmbH, which was formed in 1986. //

http://en.wikipedia.o...i/Eurofighter_Typhoon

More Daily Mail heap of sh*t distortion designed to anger the gullible.

[Ankou]

gromit, see my 1st post.

[Gromit]

Sorry Ankou

[anotheoldgit]

Just stop cash aid to such countries as India, simple as that.

You don't give cash handouts to the guy down the street, who's kids are walking about in rags, when you know it will be spent in the pub or the bookies.

Better to give clothes to the kids.

[Ankou]

"Just stop cash aid to such countries as India, simple as that."

aog, read my post at 10.17 and then answer again.

[venator]

Ankou - "agree but mr cameron does not want to cut aid to foreign nations (including india)."

So Mr Cameron has to be right? No possibility for us to disagree?

Nuts to that.

If we get some influence or credit for our aid, well and good, but we don't seem to be getting anything.

I'd agree with sending aid in the form of manufactured goods, as it's harder to siphon off into the pockets of corrupt officials.