Why Help People in Other Countries?

I don't always write with a strong religious aspect, but this posting was in a religious forum.  The sentiment expressed was that people in the U.S. should not assist people in or from other nations, as long as there are people in need in our own nation.  This was my response: 

It's not "because" we help others. If we never sent another dime anywhere, would the government share that unsent money? I've never met a Christian who didn't express confidence that by following Jesus's teachings, there would be "blessings according to His riches and glory." How can we say we believe that while demonstrating fear that there are not enough resources to share? 

Then there's the story of the loaves and fishes, a pretty strong indication that with faith there will be enough of what is needed to take care of everybody. We're also called upon to be "good Samaritans." Samaritans were specified because they lived in a different nation. Then there's the "New Commandments," one of which is to love one another has He loved us (besides the call for charity, it also speaks to forgiveness). What constitutes a neighbor, you know the one we're supposed to love as much as ourselves? Do people cease to be neighbors when they live across the street, down the road a piece, across a line drawn on a map? 

The problem is not that we share. It's that we don't share enough. If people down the street are suffering, it's because we haven't stood up for them. Yes, there are people down the road that are suffering, and no, we haven't demonstrated our Christian principles and compassion toward them adequately. 

The government takes a more pragmatic approach to foreign aid. Most if not all of the money spent in other countries is to prevent conditions that lead to violent revolt, spread of disease, and other problems that in all likelihood would negatively impact the US. So, it's really a matter of spending some money there, or spending a lot more here, while dealing with more suffering here as well. 

Is the antichrist a person or a principle? Or is it a person who embodies the principle? If it's a principle, I'd call it a nationalistic compassion deficit. 

It's a small world, and getting smaller. If we turn our backs on either the poor in our country or in other countries, should we be surprised if God turns His back on us?