First of all, 7 of those countries are members only because the rest of the world is so poor, or not acceptable to the group of 8 Including China, who has pretty much sucked all the jobs from the United States and Switzerland, who, if they were so inclined, could just take all those secret unlawful numbered accounts and pay off the world's debt. No, it is an elite club of nations who are responsible for two world wars and a lot of animosity from those nations they seek to help.

Had the Europeans used their occupation of the nations in Africa to help them instead of just plundering them, maybe a lot of today's problems there would not exist. Had the Europeans not tried to save the souls of the middle east, maybe things there would be different.

That, being as it may, is history, and no one dwells on the past except the old, wise and caring people of the world. So, this latest "feel good" effort may be the G8's way of apologizing for making those areas such a mess. However, common sense and history says the following will happen: The Palestinians will use the money for weapons to continue their fight with Israel, and the African War Lords and Dictators will fatten their accounts in Switzerland.

Then again, it may be a conspiracy on the G8's part, since a unified, fully developed Africa would become the richest most powerful continent on the planet.

It would have been better if the G8 would have earmarked their money to solving their own poverty.

John E Fedele