There is no mention that the weapons to commit the killing of millions have been supplied (often free) by some of the wealthy countries. Until we stop the huge global sale of arms we will not reduce the killing.

Where are the facts justifying your suggestion that aid must be used to free up trade, in order to address the root causes of poverty in the third world ? My understanding is that where free trade had been tied to Aid in the past, as in the IMF loans which require privatisation/free trade, in order to get those loans - has proven to be a dismal failure. Witness Argentina - got the IMF loans, opened their markets, privatised everything and within a few years, their economy collapsed making it the biggest IMF defaulter yet. According to the Gaurdian (Monbiot) " As the World Bank's own figures show, across the 20 years (1960-80) before it and the IMF started introducing strict conditions on the countries that accepted their loans, median annual growth in developing countries was 2.5%. In the 18 years after (1980-1998), it was 0.0%." The problem is that 'free trade' tends to mean free trade for the poorest country and the antithesis of free trade ( subsidies, trade protection etc) for the very propopents of same. So, again I ask, where is your proof that aid tied to 'freeing up' the economies that such aid is directed to - will benefit those economies and take them out of the predicament which required them to need aid in the first place.

Ok all I can say is, off you go and change the world, and don't write anything here again until you can prove your work has made the world a better place ;) All jokes aside; I actually agree with you about tokenists, sorry days and the like. Do-ers are better for the world than thinkers. So I say, if you think you have the goods, go do it. I can't because I am too gutless of being kidnapped, shot or whatever...so in the meantime I keep my mouth shut. hee hee

It's still only words. If we are to be practical and actually do something, then the majority of people are only able to start in their own little patch, unless they are in a position to go out and change the world. So, it's about doing stuff that you can during the day - smile at the bus driver, wave to the person in the car who lets you into the queue, pay for the person behind you at the toll gate, laugh at yourself more, and get outside and look at the sky!!

Peace, .. r u for real ?

That is the most simplistic 'disney' assessment to world conflict I've seen for a long time. It fails to address the human condition.
Your approach seems to be 'look, there are 10 mass murderers in your village, DONT let them have guns and they will go away' Only to find they go and grab the nearest chunk of wood and bludgeon everyone else to death. Don't treat the SYMPTOM, treat the underlying cause, which is fallen mankind. Redeemed and renewed people tend to move away from that kind of thing.

Nigeria at last count had consumed something like 3 "Marshall Plans" in $$ stolen by their leaders. <== this, is the problem NOT the debt !
Get rid of the corrupt leaders, introduce values that are enduring, and there might be a chance of success.

The corrupt politicians of Africa learned well the ways of their colonial masters, who just exploited, marginalized and displaced them, so they emulate. We are as much the problem as them. Humanity has never escaped "all have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God" and that is why these problems exist. Where Christ reigns in HEARTS (as opposed to political structures) the politics seems to be beneficial and Holistic. When 'man' is on the throne of his own life, he just acts like a man, hence, Nigeria, Congo, etc etc. We are still trying to exploit them by proxy, nourishing various power factions for the sake of multi-national profit. Shame on us

"Tears are not enough". And there are reasons enough for tears. "All the world is sad and weary, everywhere I go," - sung by my grandparents, with reason enough, some three quarters of a century ago - is still as current as ever.
And Senator Brett Mason stirs us now in relation to the situation: "don't say anything unoless you're also prepared to do something."
Senator, the Parliament, of which you are a part, could do - rather than talk - much, much more. The most important action would be to fully implement our commitment, made at Cairo in 1994, to help developing countries promote the emancipation of women and consequently minimise population growth.
"The real solution to poverty is democratic reform, opening up the economy, freeing up trade, and creating robust social institutions." Fine words. But they are programs difficult to implement and sustain in the face of reality: Africa's population is predicted to double in some 30 years; Asia (excluding China) is expected to take about 44 years to do so. Even now, their environments (eg. soils, water, biodiversity etc.) upon which these populations depend are badly depleted, and are deteriorating.
Until our Australian Parliament does, rather than talk, in relation to amelioration of the most fundamental cause of the tears - incessant population growth - then we need to look around for statesmen who will implement this most effective of all overseas aid. Better that than having yet again to face "The brutal truth is that genocide is only ever stopped by force of arms, or not at all."