“We are all brothers,” said Abbas. “When one suffers tragedy, we all suffer their pain.”

Iraqi Col Abbas Fadhil - A very wise man indeed.

We should have said "Thanks, but no thanks. You need the money a lot more than we do."

We should have said "Thanks, but no thanks. You need the money a lot more than we do."

A gift should always be accepted in the spirit given.  They can always be rewarded in other ways, and probably will be.

Not to downplay the good we've done in Iraq, but isn't this kinda like giving your child some money and having them buy you a birthday gift with it?

You can appreciate the thought and still tell them that it would mean more to us if they kept it themselves and invested it in their country so they can get their act together and we can get out of there. It's a significant sum of money for a country like that.

Not to downplay the good we've done in Iraq, but isn't this kinda like giving your child some money and having them buy you a birthday gift with it?

I would not say that, altho I understand what you mean.  No, this is their pay they are donating.  Where that pay came from was from work, not charity.  They gave from what they had, because they felt a need.  They did not give from any charity we gave them.

You can appreciate the thought and still tell them that it would mean more to us if they kept it themselves and invested it in their country so they can get their act together and we can get out of there. It's a significant sum of money for a country like that.

And it is their's to give.  It is not that much (only about $680).  In this case it truly is the thought that counts, and I would not insult them by telling them to keep it.