have been taken for a ride

[vil]

Dear teacher,

In an NYT's article under the title "U.S. Officials See Waste in Billions Sent to Pakistan" I read an idiom which attracted my attention with its abstractness.
Please see the follow excerpt bellow:

"Civilian opponents of President Pervez Musharaf say he used the reimbursements to prop up his government. One diplomat in Islamabad said the United States should have been more cautions with its aid.

"I wonder of the Americans have not been taken for a ride". said the diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity."

Could you explain to me in plain English the meaning of the idiom " have taken a ride"?

I have heard the expression "I need a ride."

I suspect here something as " getting money without being taken for a (full) ride".

Maybe there is a similarity with the meaning of another article's title:"Taken for a rides. "How Daimler Benz drove off with Chrysler?"

Thank you in advance for your efforts.

V.

[David L.]

So, USA gives money to a country, and they use it for means other than those intended, the reasons for giving the money. The USA was taken for a ride = deceived and cheated by the Pakistani Government. The expression carries with it the implication that the person (or as here, the USA government giving the money) is naive, over-trusting, "green", with a touch of 'easily fooled/taken in' - like, the poor innocent didn't know what he was walking into and got taken for a ride.
Where/how the expression arose, perhaps some other post can say.

[vil]

Hi DavidL,

Thank you for your prompt and comprehensive reply.

Owing to your magnificent explanation I understand now the meaning of the expression "have taken for a ride".

In my native language in such being the case we use the verb "dupe" or the expression "cat's paws", as in:

"You always try to make a cat's paw of me, but I refuse to do any more of your work."

This term alludes to a very old tale about a monkey that persuades a cat to pull chestnuts out of the fire so as to avoid burning its own paws.

Happy Holidays.

Regards.

V.