Should we set an embargo on countries like Nigeria and Singapore?

[stebbinsd]

Think about it:

Cuba (who we're starting to lift the embargoe on) depends almost entirely on their cigars.
Jamaica depends almost entirely on tourism.
Nigeria, Singapore, and similar countries depend almost entirely on scams! So much so, in fact, that they're governments sanction, and even cooperate with, the scam artists.

Well, at least with Cuban cigars, we're getting something in exchange for our money. With places like Nigeria and Singapore, we're not getting jack.

So, instead of invading the countries and demanding that they repay us, or spending millions of dollars buying airtime to explain the news scams that are coming out of these countries, let's just put an end to this stuff, once and for all, by simply engaging in a normal, run of the mill embargo on scamming nations. We remove all American embassies and force shipping or money-wiring services like UPS or Western Union to make a choice; Either stop serving these countries, or stop serving the United States. The Christian Children's Fund will have to go elsewhere in Africa to provide their services. I think you get the idea.

Since most of these countries are on opposite sides of the world from us, smuggling will be very difficult, and even if they do manage to succeed in their smuggling, who's going to buy smuggles scams? They can't turn to drugs, because Peru is already serving us with those, and they're close enough to us that the transportation of the drugs is much cheaper than places like Nigeria and Singapore can ever even hope to provide.

So, when Nigeria's and Singapore's economies start to bust because they've lost their #1 "customer" (notice the quotes), they'll probably be forced to engage in legitimate, honest trade, just to end their famine epidemic.

What do you think? This is peaceful, cheap for the taxpayers, and likely to be about 90% successful (the other 10% is, of course, for their smuggling).

 

[Gerald Brisco]

Im willing to bet that Singapores number 1 trading partner is probably Indonesia,China and Malaysia..

And what type of scams do the singapore government Operate? Depend on scams? I think you've thought Singapore is just a third world country when in reality is one of the better economy's in Asia (well not right now)

 

[Kip The Fury]

The economy of Singapore is a highly developed state capitalist mixed economy. While government intervention in the market is kept at a minimum, the state controls and owns firms that comprise at least 60% of the GDP through government entities such as the sovereign wealth fund Temasek. [1] It has an open business environment, relatively corruption-free and transparent, stable prices, and one of the highest per capita gross domestic products (GDP) in the world. Its innovative yet steadfast form of economics has given it the nickname the Singapore Model. Exports, particularly in electronics and chemicals, and services provide the main source of revenue for the economy, which allows it to purchase natural resources and raw goods which it does not have. Singapore could thus be said to rely on an extended concept of entrepot trade, by purchasing raw goods and refining them for re-export, such as in the wafer fabrication industry and oil refining. Singapore also has a strategic port which makes it more competitive than many of its neighbours to carry out such entrepot activities. The Port of Singapore is the busiest in the world, surpassing Rotterdam and Hong Kong.[2] In addition, Singapore's port infrastructure and skilled workforce, which is due to the success of the country's education policy in producing skilled workers, is also fundamental in this aspect as they provide easier access to markets for both importing and exporting, and also provide the skill(s) needed to refine imports into exports.

The petroleum-based economy of Nigeria, long hobbled by political instability, corruption, and poor macroeconomic management, is undergoing substantial economic reform under the new civilian administration. Nigeria's former military rulers failed to diversify the economy. The economy has overdependence on the capital-intensive oil sector, which provides 20% of GDP, 95% of foreign exchange earnings, and about 65% of government revenues. The largely subsistence agricultural sector has not kept up with rapid population growth, and Nigeria, once a large net exporter of food, now imports some of its food products. In 2006, Nigeria successfully convinced the Paris Club to let it buy back the bulk of its debts owed to the Paris Club for a cash payment of roughly $12 billion (USD)[1].

Research is a wonderful thing. it took me 30 seconds to find out that about singapore and its not the third world country on the brink of collapse you portray it as, its pretty successful as it goes. Admittedly though nigerias economy is in pretty bad shape

Nigeria, Singapore, and similar countries depend almost entirely on scams! So much so, in fact, that they're governments sanction, and even cooperate with, the scam artists.

Where is the proof of this, can you provide evidence to back it up? Yes scamming from countries like nigeria is a problem but to say it's the main form of income for those countries without evidence to back up your claim is ridiculous

So, instead of invading the countries and demanding that they repay us, or spending millions of dollars buying airtime to explain the news scams that are coming out of these countries, let's just put an end to this stuff, once and for all, by simply engaging in a normal, run of the mill embargo on scamming nations. We remove all American embassies and force shipping or money-wiring services like UPS or Western Union to make a choice; Either stop serving these countries, or stop serving the United States. The Christian Children's Fund will have to go elsewhere in Africa to provide their services. I think you get the idea.

Provide proof that these scams are sanctioned by the government and are the major source of income and you might have an argument. It'll get shot down straight away, your basically talking about sending a third world country into deeper poverty because a minority of individuals in that country are participating in fraud.

As i understand it these scams are undertaken by individuals against individuals and businesses, its not the country of Nigeria scamming the US government. This scam isn't limited to America, its worldwide, i think basically everyone with access to an email account has recieved an Email similar to what your talking about.

Since most of these countries are on opposite sides of the world from us, smuggling will be very difficult, and even if they do manage to succeed in their smuggling, who's going to buy smuggles scams? They can't turn to drugs, because Peru is already serving us with those, and they're close enough to us that the transportation of the drugs is much cheaper than places like Nigeria and Singapore can ever even hope to provide.

What? Smuggling is rife in Africa, smuggling drugs etc goes to places other than America you know. I have no idea what point your trying to make here.

So, when Nigeria's and Singapore's economies start to bust because they've lost their #1 "customer" (notice the quotes), they'll probably be forced to engage in legitimate, honest trade, just to end their famine epidemic.

So because a few individuals participate in fraudulant activities (and some people are daft enough to fall for it) you basically want to crash the economy of those countries? You said it yourself, famine epidemic.

Yes its a problem but destroying the country's economy isn't the answer. Educating people against these scams is. If people know about the scams they can stop falling for them which is a much better option than destroying a country's economy.

 

[Razor]

Cuba (who we're starting to lift the embargoe on) depends almost entirely on their cigars.

Exaggeration #1

In 2005 Cuba had exports of $2.4 billion, ranking 114 of 226 world countries, and imports of $6.9 billion, ranking 87 of 226 countries. Its major export partners are China 27.5%, Canada 26.9%, Netherlands 11.1%, Spain 4.7% (2007). Cuba's major exports are sugar, nickel, tobacco, fish, medical products, citrus, and coffee; imports include food, fuel, clothing, and machinery.

Yeah. Those Cubans and getting all their money from cigars. Wiki is lying to us, guys.

Jamaica depends almost entirely on tourism.

Exaggeration #2

Recent economic performance shows the Jamaican economy is recovering. Agricultural production, an important engine of growth increased 15.3% in third quarter of 1998 compared to the corresponding period in 1997, signaling the first positive growth rate in the sector since January 1997. Bauxite and alumina production increased 5.5% from January to December, 1998 compared to the corresponding period in 1997. January's bauxite production recorded a 7.1% increase relative to January 1998 and continued expansion of alumina production through 2009 is planned by Alcoa. Tourism, which is the largest foreign exchange earner, showed improvement as well. In the third quarter of 1998, growth in tourist arrivals accelerated with an overall increase of 8.5% in tourism earnings in 1998 when compared to the corresponding period in 1997. Jamaica's agricultural exports are sugar, bananas, coffee, rum,and yams.

At any rate, I don't see why Jamaica making a lot of money from tourism is a bad thing.

Nigeria, Singapore, and similar countries depend almost entirely on scams! So much so, in fact, that they're governments sanction, and even cooperate with, the scam artists.

Exaggeration #3

Nigeria is classified as an emerging market, and is rapidly approaching middle income status[citation needed], with its abundant supply of resources, well-developed financial, legal, communications, transport sectors and stock exchange (the Nigerian Stock Exchange), which is the second largest in Africa. Nigeria is ranked 37th in the world in terms of GDP (PPP) as of 2007. Nigeria is the United States' largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa and supplies a fifth of its oil (11% of oil imports).

Singapore has a highly developed market-based economy,The economy depends heavily on exports and refining imported goods, especially in manufacturing.

Please explain to me where scams fit into these figures.

So, instead of invading the countries and demanding that they repay us,

If we tried that every other country would say "Wait....we want our trillions that you owe us." Hypocritical to the nth degree.

or spending millions of dollars buying airtime to explain the news scams that are coming out of these countries,

1) If you're stupid enough to fall for a Nigerian Mail Scam then you're fucking ******ed. They are quite obvious.

2) The major news networks already run pieces on scams like the ones from Nigeria. If you're still falling for them, it's your own fault.

let's just put an end to this stuff, once and for all, by simply engaging in a normal, run of the mill embargo on scamming nations.

So we're punishing countries for what their citizens do? If we embargo Nigeria because a few of their citizens are tricking our citizens, then countries should embargo us because we have just as many scammers in our country. Bernie Maddoff remind you of anything?

We remove all American embassies and force shipping or money-wiring services like UPS or Western Union to make a choice; Either stop serving these countries, or stop serving the United States.

That's bullshit. Lose the millions in taxes we get from those hella large corporations because they help other countries that have a few scammers in them?

The Christian Children's Fund will have to go elsewhere in Africa to provide their services. I think you get the idea.

So now we're hindering humanitarian aid? That's going to make a lot of friends with the world. Israel was shit on because they wouldn't allow Red Cross aid into the Gaza Strip. So shit on that if they hadn't let through what they did they may very well have had sanctions place on their own country. People already don't like war. But they don't like women and children dying of starvation even more.

Since most of these countries are on opposite sides of the world from us, smuggling will be very difficult,

That makes no fucking sense. You seem to think that the nations that have scammers get all their goods from the United States. You know how many different countries are in Africa? And how many wouldn't hesitate to help their fellow Africans in Nigeria? Yeah. You try to police those borders. I'll sit here and watch the hell going down in Afghanistan because we're wasting our troops in Nigeria.

and even if they do manage to succeed in their smuggling, who's going to buy smuggles scams?

I'm under the impression you're smoking whatever Xfear smokes, because you're just rambling here. I'm sure of it.

They can't turn to drugs, because Peru is already serving us with those,

Right. Because there's a point at which people won't buy any more drugs. "Oh, we woulda bought those drugs..but there's already a lot of cocaine in our streets, and I don't think I would be doing the Patriotic thing if I bought anymore."

and they're close enough to us that the transportation of the drugs is much cheaper than places like Nigeria and Singapore can ever even hope to provide.

Afghanistan must be feeling pretty silly right now. All those opium fields and a United States millions of miles away. What are they going to do with all that heroin? Initiate contacts that will get the heroin there for them? Naw. That'd be silly, and the plan would make them billions in opium sales.

So, when Nigeria's and Singapore's economies start to bust because they've lost their #1 "customer" (notice the quotes), they'll probably be forced to engage in legitimate, honest trade, just to end their famine epidemic.

Like the legit trade they do now?

What do you think?

This has been your 3rd deluded thread. I almost went through and numbered all of your exaggerations, but I stopped at 3. Figured people would get the picture.

This is peaceful, cheap for the taxpayers, and likely to be about 90% successful (the other 10% is, of course, for their smuggling).

Right. Because everyone will love the fact that the US is placing embargoes on countries because US citizens are stupid enough to fall for scams. Oh, and don't forget the whole "punishing a whole country with a legit economy because of the crimes of a few."