# Which governments might fall if American aid fell through? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 20, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-governments-might-fall-if-american-aid-fell-through/196520 "2003-08-20T20:55:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-governments-might-fall-if-american-aid-fell-through/196520/1 "2003-08-20T20:55:51Z")
Say the US simply stopped providing any financial or military assistance to foreign governments. Which of them might collapse? More specifically, fall through some kind of extralegal action: an invasion by a neighbor, or a coup or revolution. NOT in the sense of losing a parliamentary vote of confidence, or a normal electoral transfer of power. Obvious candidates are Afghanistan and Iraq. What about Saudi Arabia, and a few of those other Mid East sultanates? South Korea, invaded by the north? Any South American generalissimos who might get strung up on a post if not for their American-supplied tank battalion? ---
**Author:** ![X\_Slayer\_ALE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbe5ce/32.png) [@X\_Slayer\_ALE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/X_Slayer_ALE)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-governments-might-fall-if-american-aid-fell-through/196520/2 "2003-08-20T23:01:56Z")
You missed the Obvious one. Liberia I would think that Isreal would suffer some form of significant or even catastrophic political changes if all aid (not just govt but private as well) was cut off. Russia is a bit shakey. They might revert to some form of radical socialism without US financial aid. ---
**Author:** ![Fuji\_Kitakyusho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Fuji\_Kitakyusho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji_Kitakyusho)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-governments-might-fall-if-american-aid-fell-through/196520/3 "2003-08-20T23:41:34Z")
No one has yet mentioned the fact that if the United States ceased all foreign aid, it would likely experience significant dissent from within. A perfect example of that would be (hypothetically) if the US withdrew its support of Israel and left the Middle East to fend for itself. Do you think the US Jewish community would stand idly by and watch the result? ---
**Author:** ![Fuji\_Kitakyusho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Fuji\_Kitakyusho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji_Kitakyusho)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2003, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-governments-might-fall-if-american-aid-fell-through/196520/4 "2003-08-20T23:42:20Z")
No one has yet mentioned the fact that if the United States ceased all foreign aid, it would likely experience significant dissent from within. A perfect example of that would be (hypothetically) if the US withdrew its support of Israel and left the Middle East to fend for itself. Do you think the US Jewish community would stand idly by and watch the result? The short answer to your question is that if the US did that, the US would likely be the nation that falls. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-governments-might-fall-if-american-aid-fell-through/196520/5 "2003-08-21T00:16:43Z")
I didn’t count Liberia because at the moment it doesn’t have much of a government to fall. Fuji Kitakyusho, I don’t mean to suggest this is likely, or possible, and it is certainly not desirable. Maybe it’s better to approach the question kind of sideways – which countries are most vulnerable if the US turns off aid to that country? Regardless of the political likelihood. Israel is a good candidate for destruction if it loses aid. So are all of its neighbors if the stories about its nuclear capabilities are true. ---
**Author:** ![j.c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@j.c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j.c)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-governments-might-fall-if-american-aid-fell-through/196520/6 "2003-08-21T05:47:02Z")
It’s probably wrong to post this without cites… here I go… Isreal and Egypt pretty much depend on US money. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. ---
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-governments-might-fall-if-american-aid-fell-through/196520/7 "2003-08-21T08:26:06Z")
I was gonna say Egypt too. If I’m not mistaken they get more money from the US than any other country. Correct me if I’m wrong. I think Israel would be just fine on her own, though. IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-governments-might-fall-if-american-aid-fell-through/196520/8 "2003-08-21T08:27:57Z")
When I said “just fine” I meant that I think they’d defeat their enemies. Not that every Arab country wouldn’t carpet bomb Israel the first chance they got if they knew Israel was getting no help. I should go to bed and post when I’m coherent. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-governments-might-fall-if-american-aid-fell-through/196520/9 "2003-08-21T09:35:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SnoopyFan \* > \*\*When I said “just fine” I meant that I think they’d defeat their enemies. Not that every Arab country wouldn’t carpet bomb Israel the first chance they got if they knew Israel was getting no help. > > I should go to bed and post when I’m coherent. \*\* This is often bandied about, but with the exception of Syria (and its mini-me Lebanon), which Arab countries would do this (Iraq now being neutralized)? ---
**Author:** ![fruitbat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@fruitbat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fruitbat)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-governments-might-fall-if-american-aid-fell-through/196520/10 "2003-08-21T13:26:01Z")
I am quite certain Haiti would fall. It is not so much the aid money as the knowledge that the US has stepped in to remove an illegitimate government in the past and may do so again. The guns are still in the country and Aristide has powerful opposition. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2003, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-governments-might-fall-if-american-aid-fell-through/196520/11 "2003-08-21T20:21:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > \*\*This is often bandied about, but with the exception of Syria (and its mini-me Lebanon), which Arab countries would do this (Iraq now being neutralized)? \*\* If Egypt and Syria fell to internal religious fundamentalists, they would join in an attack on Israel. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-governments-might-fall-if-american-aid-fell-through/196520/12 "2003-08-22T00:31:01Z")
Well, Israel _does_ still have “the bomb”… …of course, without the U.S. backing them up, they’d probably have to use it. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![j.c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@j.c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j.c)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-governments-might-fall-if-american-aid-fell-through/196520/13 "2003-08-22T05:26:39Z")
Oh no, I started at terrible trend of posting without cites! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-governments-might-fall-if-american-aid-fell-through/196520/14 "2003-08-22T10:55:11Z")
This is all hypothetical. It’s tough to find authoritative sources for speculation. ---
**Author:** ![gouda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c77e96/32.png) [@gouda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gouda)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2003, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-governments-might-fall-if-american-aid-fell-through/196520/15 "2003-08-22T11:13:47Z")
Pakistan. ---
**Author:** ![j.c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@j.c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j.c)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-governments-might-fall-if-american-aid-fell-through/196520/16 "2003-08-23T03:31:19Z")
**Boyo Jim** If I had more faith in the hamsters I could dig up straight-up aid dollars sites, WHO sites with info about programs in various countries and funding sources, etc. etc. ---
**Author:** ![fushj00mang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d26b3c/32.png) [@fushj00mang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fushj00mang)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2003, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-governments-might-fall-if-american-aid-fell-through/196520/17 "2003-08-23T03:41:15Z")
IMO, the majority of Sub-saharan Africa, sans South Africa and Madagascar would probably deteroriate into bloodshead and genocide. In Asia, the majority of the former Soviet states would probably take a hit, but not much of one as they aren’t ‘dependent’ on the USA. South Korea wouldn’t fall in the least, as its military is frightning for its size (ever seen the ROK Marines? As an Air Force SP, I’ve seen some kickass troopers, but the ROK Marine Corps is truely scary.) On a slightly different angle, what would happen to Japan if the US threw up trade laws identical to those that Japan has against outside competition? In South America, I’d say that Columbia would fall for sure. Everyone else seems to be stable enough (Argentina is shakey, but not terribly so.) In the Macro/Micronesia regions, Indonesia would need American trade, but not so badly that they’d fall. In Europe…god, where to start? The former Yugoslav republics, all of them, continue to exist solely on the US’s willingness to allow them to exist. Serbia and Montenegro (eg, the ‘New’ Yugoslavia) especially. Italy is propped up well by American dollars, and for gods sake, why not just let Russia fall and be done with it? For North America…well, Mexico. That’s it.