[jonathanyc]

"Save them from themselves" is quite possibly the most dangerous mentality to have ever existed on the face of the Earth. The Belgians thought they were saving the Congolese from themselves. Totalitarian states thought they were saving the people from themselves. As soon as you take it upon yourself to decide what is good for someone else, you have decided to become a god with the knowledge of a man. I am quite disappointed to see such ideas supported here.

[lmm]

The Belgians knew they were in it for the money - the main reason it went so wrong there is that they really needed the money now, and so were willing to inflict long-term damage for short-term profit.

Yes, it's very easy to get helping other people wrong, but the answer isn't to give up on doing so entirely.

[Normati]

When you're making the decision yes, I agree it's risky and perhaps arrogant, but with the benefit of hindsight it's clear that it was successful in this case. Not in other cases, sure.