Like Rocketman Tex said, it is pretty shortsighted policy. We are more worried about outdoing France than helping people? ...but if a little humiliation is what it takes, fine.
I'm not one to bash the French, but in this instance it seems they are trying to humiliate the US as well. Since it all goes to the Tsunami victims, it's all good.
France responded to humiliation as well, because when we were at 15 Million France was at $165,000, but like you'all said, in this case the bidding war over the more humanitarian nation is going to be a good thing.
According to ill-minded number's we are the #2 country in the whole wide world in the pledge of aid...the number of $35 million was inferred as a start, and when all is said and done especially with private donations...we will again be #1... Complain for the sake of complain is petty and a sad state of the political maniacs...
We got the biggest economy, it is our responsibility to be the most generous, not in percentage but in actual total cash. DD
There is nothing wrong with assessing the situation properly...Our initial pledge was never meant to be set! Guess what? $350 million dollars is now officially authorized... Now find another idiotic reason to complain!...
I'm completely baffled by everyone's emotions on this... it's a pretty simple deal to me. 1) The Bush admin is focused on terrorism. 2) Our country isn't living up to it's promises on foreign aid because it was promised by the Clinton administration, a war is going on, and current economic policy has us in debt. 3) We initially offered a low number for the aid to the tsunami victims. 4) International influences has us upping the aid dollars. It's how the world works! Complaining is one major way of getting things done in this world, and it is working great right now.
First off... I think the percentages being thrown about are for development aid and have nothing to do with disaster relief which is what the tsunami money is all about. Secondly... does everything from Glynch (and other hateful people) have to bash Bush? Can't we wait a week or so while the world is trying to assess the actual damage and figure out the best way to handle it before we start complaining about Bush or Republicans? It was the same way when Reagan died. Instead of letting the country and his family have their day or week or whatever, the left just had to get in their cheap shots. If you disagreed with Reagan's politics that's fine... but couldn't you have waited until after the funeral? Here is an article from the Washington Post that reiterates this.... It's About the Tragedy - Not More Bush-bashing
paraphrasing... Clinton: "Lisa, I went back and told them to give you first place because of your constant complaining!" Lisa: "Wow, thank you so much Mr. President!" Clinton: "The lesson being learned here is if you complain a lot about something, you will eventually get your way!" Marge: "Uh, I don't think that is a very good lesson to teach people." Clinton: "Well, I am not that very good of a President." Yes, because the world according to glynch says that Dubya is the cause of all the world problems including the neverending conflict in Israel, North Korea, AIDS, and even cancer!
How about taking 4 days for our President to take a break from his Holiday to hold a press conference on one of the civilized worst natural disasters ever? Esp. in a region where some good US PR could benefit us directly. That's a smart reason to complain about an idiotic President. Now WRT to folks who complain about US generosity, I would like to see an all-inclusive assessment of US $ that goes 'foreign'. That would include all sources (government, corporate and personal) and all destinations (UN, developing countries, militaries, foreign charities, ...whatever). Then and only then will I be convinced that we don't give as much or more than anyone else. The only numbers that I've ever seen are always qualified...e.g....'direct humanitarian aid to developing countries'.
You know, you people really like to second guess and play Monday Morning quaterback. Nobody figured the disaster was as bad as it was/is initially. First it was an earthquake and tsunami and the death tolls were in the hundreds. It wasn't until late in the second day or even the third day that the magnetude of the event became evident. Nobody KNEW it was one of the "worst natural disasters ever" until the damaged was assessed. And when the magnetude of the event manifested itself most of the world responded pretty quickly. Besides, why does it matter so much that the President say something? I haven't heard anything from the president of France or the Prime Minister of Canada. Where are they? France, the last I saw reported, had committed less than $200,000 to disaster relief and France wants to lead the EU and be a "foil" to the US. Where is the critisism of them? I just can't believe that the hatred some of you have for Bush will allow you to use any event, no matter how tragic, as an opportunity to bash him. It's really very sad and pathetic.
I love liberals: Before November - We need to cut th deficit. Bush is an idiot and he will bankrupt us for spending money. After the tidal wave - Send more money you stingy bastage!
Pardon, but what a joke. First, what is it with this 'you people'? I knew it was a calamity long long before Bush's speech, so give us a break. No hindsight was required to make that assessment. Our President's response was not 'quick'. Next, I don't care what France, Canada, or even Haiti are doing. We are the country that apparently wants to essentially rule the World (if you subscribe to the neocon view; i.e. you voted for Bush). The butting-your-nose-into-everything mentality comes with responsibilities. And 'you people' who so blindly support Bush and refuse to admit his most obvious failings, esp. WRT anything pertaining to foreign policy are what's sad and pathetic ... and what angers me is that we will pay dearly for your blindness for many years to come (and you cannot 'see' that either).
Speaking out of turn (for 'those' liberals), you missed an obvious part of the equation which is taxes. Get it?
Little problem with your response: when the first UN emergency personnel arrived in the stricken area, what had the US done? Answer: sent condolences; the inital paltry pledge had not even been made yet. So if Bush had already taken concrete steps, I wouldn't have had a problem with him taking his sweet ol' time having a press conference about the tragedy. And an aside: the UN does not have an image problem in the Mulsim world. If you want to look at this purely from a self-serving perspective, this was a great opportunity ... lost (AGAIN) ... because of Bush's ineptitude.
Aid bumped up to $350M U.S. Boosts Tsunami Aid Tenfold to $350M By DEB RIECHMANN CRAWFORD, Texas (AP) - The United States is pledging $350 million to help tsunami victims, a tenfold increase over its first wave of aid, President Bush announced Friday. ``Initial findings of American assessment teams on the ground indicate that the need for financial and other assistance will steadily increase in the days and weeks ahead,'' Bush said Friday in a statement released in Crawford, Texas, where he is staying at his ranch. ``Our contributions will continue to be revised as the full effects of this terrible tragedy become clearer,'' he said. ``Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this epic disaster.'' Bush also is sending Secretary of State Colin Powell to Indian Ocean coastal areas ravaged by earthquake and tsunami to assess what more the United States needs to do. The president's brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, will travel with him. The newly announced aid came after some critics claimed that the initial U.S. contribution of $35 million was meager considering the vast wealth of the nation. France has promised $57 million, Britain has pledged $95 million, Sweden is sending $75.5 million and Spain is offering $68 million, although that pledge is partly in loans. Powell was traveling to New York on Friday to discuss the crisis with U. N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan. Bush said disaster response officials are on the ground and the United States has established a support center in Thailand that is in operation. More than 20 patrol and cargo aircraft have been made available to assess the disaster and deliver relief supplies, he said. ``Many of those aircraft are on the scene,'' Bush said. The president said the United States has dispatched the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, a maritime squadron from Guam and an amphibious ship carrying a Marine expeditionary unit. ``They will soon be in position to support relief efforts to include the generation of clean water,'' he said. On Friday, the president spoke by phone with British Prime Minister Tony Blair, Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi and Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin about the relief and recovery efforts and was briefed by Powell and National Security Council officials on the efforts under way. White House deputy press secretary Trent Duffy, who read the president's statement to reporters on the phone, did not disclose details of where the additional U.S. aid was being found in government coffers. He said, however, that the administration was talking with congressional officials about replenishing funds being used to back the tsunami aid pledge. The president's brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who has experience with extensive hurricane damage in Florida, will travel with Powell overseas. A congressional delegation headed by Rep. Jim Leach, R-Iowa, a former U.S. foreign service officer, is scheduled to visit Thailand and Sri Lanka next week. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who often travels to blighted areas, said Thursday he plans to visit India to try to help victims of tsunamis that have left millions of people at risk of disease. ``I feel like I've been hit in the stomach,'' Frist, R-Tenn., said in an e-mail to friends and supporters. ``It is like 9/11 but so different. There is no one to blame.'' Andrew Natsios, chief of the U.S. Agency for International Development, said his staff arrived in the stricken areas on Monday, and he stressed the importance of assessing needs and organizing. ``This is a very complex operation,'' Natsios said Friday on CBS' ``The Early Show.'' ``If it's not managed properly, we can actually slow down the relief effort.'' Canada was added Friday to a coalition of countries and organizations planning relief efforts. Others are the United Nations, the United States, Japan, India and Australia. The U.S. death toll rose to 15, with eight dead in Thailand and seven in Sri Lanka. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said some 600 Americans who were listed as missing have been found, but several thousand had not been located four days after the disaster struck. In Sri Lanka, Boucher said, Americans have been showing up at U.S. consular offices wearing bathing suits, with no money and no clothes. With the global death toll continuing to rise, European governments discussed holding an international donors conference Jan. 7. Boucher said the United States would participate in any such gathering, but he did not give details. --------------- no, i didnt vote for bush but i am sick of all the anti-american crap being spewed. help is coming.
