Economic stupidity must stop

The headline of a major national newspaper recently read: "Obama to pledge new Mideast aid."

I have a serious issue with that plan. The country is broke. What part of that does the president not understand?

We are so far in debt, who knows if we will ever recover? We are borrowing money to pay the interest on the money we owe. This is unsustainable.

We will give money to the Middle East to people and governments who for the most part hate us. They will cheerfully take our money as they continue their hate. Remember their celebrations in the streets after Sept. 11? You cannot buy friendship, and I am sure they think we're pretty stupid.

A lot of the money will end up in a Swiss bank account of some government official. This is true of the Middle East and North Africa.

I am sure the accompanying speech will talk about promoting economic stability and other pretty phrases he is famous for. The bottom line is that we as taxpayers, including our children and grandchildren, will be paying for it. The hate for us will continue in the Middle East.

Sooner or later -- preferably sooner -- the economic stupidity must stop.

TERRY CANUPP, Cape Girardeau