Foreign Aid For Hurricane Katrina Relief: Now Who’s Being “Stingy”?
How quickly some forget.
On December 27, 2004, the day after the Indian Ocean tsunami struck, the U.S. pledged $30M for disaster relief. Then the U.N. undersecretary criticized us for being “stingy,” whereupon the government raised our charitable donation to $350M.
Now, the tables are turned. And what of the “united” nations?
NewsMax.com reports: “Though the U.N.’s own top official for disaster relief has called Katrina one of “the largest, most destructive natural disasters ever,” shamefully only a handful of nations - at last count just 25 nations of the 191 countries in the United Nations - have come forward to offer assistance.
And almost none have offered what America has so often provided: money”
When the going gets tough, you learn who your friends really are.
“The offers of assistance so far pale in comparison to the aid pledged by the U.S. for tsunami relief, including $346 million from the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Defense Department for their relief efforts, $339 million for reconstruction and $168 million to help victims with food, shelter, housing and education.
In addition, a private fund-raising campaign led by former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton brought in more than $1 billion for tsunami victims.”
So, what do the other developed nations of the world have to offer?
aaron’s :cc provides a roster (”Coalition of The Ingrates”) and keeps a rolling count of the donations.
“Of the nations that have offered assistance to the U.S., few have offered money. China, for example, presented $100,000 to the American Red Cross.
Russia has offered boats and aircraft. On Wednesday, Russian president Vladimir Putin offered to send a group of military special forces specializing in search and rescue to the region. That offer was rejected by the State Department.
Japan has promised tents, blankets and generators. Even France offered a fire brigade.
Germany is willing to provide communications equipment. Israel, which receives $2.2 billion in U.S. aid each year, has offered to send doctors, nurses, technicians and other experts in dealing with natural disasters, as well as field hospitals and medical kits.
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, a vocal critic of the U.S., made a mocking offer to send cheap fuel and relief workers to the stricken area.
At about the same time he used the disaster as an opportunity to attack President Bush, calling him a “cowboy” who failed to manage the disaster.”
Well, there you have it. Thank you very little.
Who’s the U.N. calling stingy now?
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September 7th, 2005 at 2:37 pm
Seems like you want to be critical of the offer from Chaves, but I am sure you would approve of an offer from Pat Robertson. Make up your mind which dogs your sleeping with.