You're right, Fionn, I don't know the whole story and have never claimed to. But it's like Leila said, we're damned if we do and damned if we don't.

Perhaps you will consider this facile, too, and perhaps rightfully so... but because I am ignorant of many matters, and freely admit it, I ask these questions because I wish to be enlightened.

The U.S. buys an awful lot of products from other countries. An AWFUL LOT. Look at your clothing labels and you'll see we get things from Russia and the Eastern Bloc countries, not to mention Pakistan, Israel, Egypt, China, Japan, Taiwan, Indonesia, etc. etc. etc. A lot of the lapis lazuli in the jewelry trade comes from - guess where - Afghanistan. And everyone knows where we get most of our oil from.

Does our trade with such countries not help their economy? If not, how is that our fault? We cannot control what happens to the funds when another government gets ahold of them. Or can we? I don't know.

Is it somehow wrong for us to try to aid the poor and destitute within our own borders before we go giving aid and comfort to other countries? Sure, this is a prosperous country, but there's a lot of people here who need help. Do we not have a duty to them first?

Somebody enlighten me, because I really do not know.