The biggest obstacle to helping suffering people around the world

I would say the biggest obstacle is the incredible cost of living in most of the world now. In the 1950s and 1960s here in the U.S. things cost so little (before the Arab Oil embargo) that the U.S. donations and European donations could really do some good in the world. But, as the cost of oil quadrupled and cars quintupled and wages stayed the same people just don't have a lot of free cash that can do the good that it once could.

So, I would say more than anything else the cost of living has risen so high people can no longer send as much as they once could because their wages just don't buy enough anymore. it's the same reason why bridges are collapsing with rust one by one across America. the U.S. with the present cost of living for the average person can't do much to help the world because there just isn't enough (for most people) left over anymore. Most People even in the U.S. are now just barely getting by if that.

I hate to think what happens to most people in the U.S., Europe and the rest of the world if Gas and Diesel goes up several dollars a gallon once again. At this point that likely would bring a world wide Great Recession or even another Great Depression as everyone but those with electrics or hybrids just stopped driving at all and mostly then just rode on public transportation.