America [Abandoned]

[Farnhamia]

Right now some of the middle eastern countries (Was corrected on Iraq so here) want to do a Jihad or (holy war) against us. If we are helping ourselves instead of other countries, we can boost our defense and let the terrorists be taken care of by our allies actually near the middle east.

US foreign aid amounts to about 1% of the annual budget. Saving that is not really going to "boost our defense." None of the countries in the Middle East "want to do a Jihad or (holy war) against us." Some terrorist groups do. They're not the same thing.

[Aksun]

My apologies. Al'Quada and numerous other terrorist groups want to commit Ji'had.

My point is though, we are having problems in the middle eastern area with people trying to kill us and money that can be used for external affairs should be used internally.

[Elle bell]

'Cause we can because we're AMERICA!!!!!!!!!! (Image)

[Farnhamia]

My apologies. Al'Quada and numerous other terrorist groups want to commit Ji'had.

My point is though, we are having problems in the middle eastern area with people trying to kill us and money that can be used for external affairs should be used internally.

Okay, but I think your point is a minor one, just as the amount of money is a minor one.

[Grand America]

Ok fair enough. However, if we allow our economy to fall the third world countries will prosper while we die. In the worst case scenario our enemies (North Korea and Middle East ((Iraq and others))) will attack.

I'm sorry, say what now?

First of all, I don't think this should be noted, but if the American economy falls apart like in the scenario you seem to have planted, most of the world would collapse. In fact, the U.S. invests so much in Europe because they hold similar amounts of the world economy in their hand, as does the U.S. Together, they hold something around 40% of the World Economy. If one falls, so does the other. It's in both sides' interests to assist the other.

Now!

You could ask "How does this affect, say, North Korea?" Certainly, they don't get economic assistance from the US, save for humanitarian aid.

But, then, where do they got their money from?
China.

And who gives money to China?
America and Europe.

Downfall of American Economy = Downfall of European Economy = Downfall of Chinese Economy = Downfall of North Korean Economy.

One hell of a chaos effect, huh?

As for Iraq, they have a similar situation; they, along with Iran, feed the world with oil. Even if we were to take away the US and Europe from their customers list, China pretty much threatened war if Iran was threatened. Therefore...

Downfall of American Economy = Downfall of European Economy = Downfall of Chinese Economy = Downfall of Iranian/Iraqi Economy.

And they're not even tightly intertwined...

Quite honestly, the worst case scenario in such a situation would be a world economic collapse.
Don't believe that crap that "Homefront" tells you. The possibilities of North Korea invading and successfully conquering the US (even a crippled one) are nigh impossible, if not for the logistic boondoggle they'd get themselves into (not even China can occupy the US), then for the fact they'd also have to cross what I like to call "The Redneck Shield."

Quite honestly, an invasion of the US would go very, very badly. Just like an invasion of China would go so utterly badly...

There are a few nations that are logistically impossible to occupy. That tends to be Russia, Canada, the US, China, and Brazil. Five largest countries on the planet, in order.
If you don't count disputed territories, which I don't...

Anyway!

To answer to OP: We worry about third world countries because, indirectly, they matter. I can't currently think of any actual examples, but, I (believe I) do know the "true" reason that there are investments across the world from one Industrialized nation to a sub-developed nation.

Simple; they're selfish. Don't worry, don't worry, we're all a little bit selfish. We all have kids and get them good education so they can go get a good job and take care of us when we're in our last few days...
Right?

Anyway!
I'm gonna make a new nation for this example. Let's call her Shanxi.

So, Shanxi, under her vast lands, has equally vast amounts of resources. Metals, precious gems, and, most importantly, oil!

So, let's say Shanxi becomes an ally of the U.S. Immediately, the United States invests funds from her treasury to assist the nation in her developing phase. Why? So that, when she becomes an Industrialized nation, she gives the U.S. some of that oh-so-precious oil.
See? Selfish.

Because we have the ability to help our own nation and other nations simultaneously. Why must we choose one or the other?

Because one's nation comes first, and seeing the current status of the American economy, the only other nation of significance that should really be invested in is Europe, to assist our own economy in at least remaining in her current pose.

Of course, we need oil too, so that screws with us. I've been warning the world; this stupid black gold is gonna be our downfall!

You care because they have oil. Otherwise you don't care.

Man. That implies only America cares about oil.
Tsk-Tsk-Tsk. Patriotism is a powerful thing, but she should not cloud judgement. As previously stated, the whole world invests because the other guy has oil.

Because our country is a lost cause.
When out of 300 million people, we elect a dumb hick republican from Texas, not just once, but twice, there's clearly a problem.

"I like this human! He understands!"

Yes given their overall smaller GPD, income per capita, and history of trading with others in a fair and open manner?

You think any of those matter?

If China decided to suddenly turn completely isolationist overnight, the entire world would be plunged into a depression worse than the Great Depression. Poverty and unemployment would rise sharply. Resource prices would shoot through the roof. Multiple countries would completely collapse.

China controls the world whether we like it or not.

I do quite believe you've got your things in a mix.

The EU controls about 19.5% of the world economy.
The US controls about 19.05% of the world economy.
China? 14.3%

Sure, China can close down, and it'd hurt us all pretty bad, but they don't save themselves either. In fact, to say they'd hurt themselves is an understatement.

The majority of their economy is stimulated by exports. For example, exports to the US.

No more exports = No more money from World = Lulz.

China going isolationist economy-wise hurts them more than us.

[Republic of Liberium]

because we control the world's economy

I'd give China that spot. Sorry.

I wouldn't say that. Our economy rakes in somwheres around 15 trillion dollars give or take. While China's is at somewheres near 7.5 trillion give or take. You'll notice that they continue to buy our debt, problem is that you're supposed to do stuff with that debt. They just keep buying it and sitting on it. further more, they seem to only have an export driven economy while paying little attention to a domestic economy, at this rate, they are economically consuming itself. They could try to sell the debt, but that would be like taking an arrow to the knee. also, take a look at their economic equality. America has nothing to boast, but even the American poor are far wealthier to the Chinese poor. Half the people there have probably never seen a functioning ipad before. Many of the poor here have ipads.

[Aksun]

China also has 4-5x our population as well... So it is multiplied.

As far as their econ goes I figured China had a better econ than we did.

[Grand America]

China also has 4-5x our population as well... So it is multiplied.

As far as their econ goes I figured China had a better econ than we did.

Nope. They're doing pretty well, sure, but they're behind the U.S. and EU.

[Cruciland]

Ignorance. We should be paying off debt and shutting down government waste, not subsidizing countries and making us even suckier.

[Denireland]

Well....I am not from america so.....

[Nidaria]

The most likely reason is because many of those third-world countries have valuable resources which can then go into the corporations' (and politicians') pockets.

[Dagnia]

Because you want to distract the people and stop them from realising some parts of America are very much third world. Take tent cities.

I have been all over the US and have not seen any of these tent cities. I live in Buffalo which is one of the poorest cities in the US and while we have all the other marks of a city that is slowly dying (bulldozed sections that have become urban prairie, entire sections abandoned), I have yet to see anyone living in tents. That is, aside from the rich New York City kids at my college (most of them English or Literature majors) who have joined "Occupy" who camped out in front of City Hall for May Day.

[Conserative Morality]

Because others are suffering significantly more.

[Bormeatri]

What about the people in this country? I'll help my people first.
Got a few questions,

When did America's become responsible to take care of countries half way around the world.

Why should we help other countries when we can't get our country fixed?

Finally, why should my tax dollars be going to a counties which i clearly do not think are our allies(Pakistan, and China, yeah i said it, China.) when it could be going to pay off this stupid debt. By the way i have problem helping people, but i take care of myself before others.

PS: Equal budget amendment now! We better get someone much, much better in 2012, please not for another 4 years!

[Yorick]

Option 1. "Foreign aid" is just an excuse to destroy local economies and push the third world into perpetual servitude so that the western governments and IMF/WTO/etc. can bully them into doing what they want. It doesn't matter if the general public is aware of it, that's just how it plays out in the real world.

[Southern United States of America]

Call me crazy, but since a) most of the third world is in the situation it is because of European Imperial Colonialism, and b) the modern Europeans are constantly railing about how compassionate they are, shouldn't we make the European nations pay to clean up their own mess? It's not our problem, and we've got countless issues at home that that money could and should go to.

[Aleprennia]

Mineral resources and oil, stuff like that.

[Aethelstania]

Because its the right thing to do. People complain about foreign aid and at the end of the day we are so much more fortunate than most of the world.

[NyxNyke]

I wonder out of curiosity... Why are we Americans worried about third world countries when our own is suffering?

We spend 11% (federal) on welfare plus more under health care. I hardly think that amounts to "Don't care"
The big problem is all our caring only makes the problem worse. Also about half of our problem poor are trespassers from other countries. They are imported to keep the war on poverty going, increasing the spending on the problem so some people get nice powerful jobs.

[Corporate Councils]

China also has 4-5x our population as well... So it is multiplied.

As far as their econ goes I figured China had a better econ than we did.

That's not quite how econ works. Also, just because you hear about the Chinese economy in the news all of the time and politicians chatting about it dosen't mean that it's better than ours. It's economy is big because its population is big, but per capita the average Chinese makes between $4400-$5200/year, an amount that puts them just below the Dominican Republic.

[Aksun]

Then what determines a world power? I figured it was the economy/military combined.

[Genivaria]

Then what determines a world power? I figured it was the economy/military combined.

Prestige, Industry, and Military Strength.

Victoria 2 reference.

[Laissez-Faire]

Then what determines a world power? I figured it was the economy/military combined.

It's more about 'reach' with both of those.

[Rolemagne]

Then what determines a world power? I figured it was the economy/military combined.

Prestige, Industry, and Military Strength.

Victoria 2 reference.

I adore that game.

[Yammata]

we could always absorb the third world countries into ours so that america can spread and maybe get some new sources of income and resources.