Africa and Economics 101

I agree with most of this...

But in times of drought, like is occuring in much of East and south africa right now, the food aid is needed...
I have Irish blood, and remember one reason for the starvation was the opposition to importing grain that would undermine the grain growing economy in England and Ireland (indeed, Ireland EXPORTED grain during the famine)

the problem is feeding starving people, and it is a major tradgedy that people like Mugabe estroyed the economy by his socialistic economics (threw out all the white farms that produced the surplus that fed the cities-- if this sounds familiar, the Russians had the same problem after throwing out the kulaks, and the Chinese with their great leap forward)...

In addition, Mugabe is insisting that all food be distributed thru his government, allowing him to stop food aid to his political enemies (similar aid diversion occured in Ethiopia, and is occuring in North Korea)..

Yesterday, Nicolas Kristoff suggested sending money via NGO's and churches instead.

LINK

I have lots more on this depressing subject on my "evil Mugabe" blog...(link at right).