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[Particle Physicist]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/31/us.aid/index.html

The director of the U.S. Agency for International Development told CNN on Friday that the $35 million pledge was only the first step in U.S. aid to the countries that were devastated by Sunday's earthquake and tsunamis.

"The money was committed on Sunday when the emergency took place," Andrew Natsios told CNN's "American Morning." "It's action on the ground that is needed. We will get more than enough money from the president and I'm sure Congress later on when we need it."

i felt this needed a separate thread. but feel free to merge it.

 

[Ferrio]

Yay

 

[Escape Goat]

Still not enough! /whine

 

[kevm3]

Now maybe these pricks will shut their freaking mouths. All these a-holes can't accuse America of being 'cheap' now.

 

[Guzim]

How much have other countries given?

 

[automagnus]

Still, someone will bitch about about it not being enough.

 

[Matrix]

Still, someone will bitch about about it not being enough.

NY Times

 

[LakeEarth]

Like I said in the other thread, they said they were sending $35 million when the death toll was lower, it increases tenfold and so does the money. Makes as much logical sense as voting this administration in anyways.

 

[andthebeatgoeson]

NY Times

Hmm, playing devil's advocate just for the sake of it.

 

[Flynn]

This is kinda like leaving a .03 cent tip at a diner, then being harrangued by your friends in the parking lot until you agree to go back in and leave the three bucks you were supposed to leave.

 

[Kon Tiki]

When people on amazon.com can raise 10% of what the US goverment deems appropiate, you know it is low.

This new figure it better. Is it enough? Well, no amount is enough.

 

[retardboy]

Screw you guys! There goes more of our money!

 

[Agent Dormer]

This is just the American government, too. The people will give a ton also.

 

[carbonbased]

This is kinda like leaving a .03 cent tip at a diner, then being harrangued by your friends in the parking lot until you agree to go back in and leave the three bucks you were supposed to leave.

Yes, because God forbid you tip based on how large an order you placed. A more correct analogy would be:

This is like tipping $10 after a $45 dinner and then tipping 100 bucks at a $400 dinner, each appropriate at their respective times.

Nice try though.

 

[carbonbased]

This new figure it better. Is it enough? Well, no amount is enough.

So if the U.S. government decided to give aid of several trillion dollars, causing the debt to rise to even higher levels and killing all social programs in America, it still wouldn't be enough? Come on.

 

[pestul]

Screw you guys! There goes more of our money!

Fuck you.

 

[retardboy]

Fuck you.

Thanks! Aid should be voluntary not just taken.

 

[Kon Tiki]

So if the U.S. government decided to give aid of several trillion dollars, causing the debt to rise to even higher levels and killing all social programs in America, it still wouldn't be enough? Come on.

Err, it was not a slam on the US. I meant to say there is no amount of money to 'fix' what happened.

 

[Drozmight]

Yes, thats right... someday I will buy a large part of your country's debt and cash it in... bringing your economy to its knees. During the resulting chaos, I will execute a military coupe and install myself as fuhrer.

 

[MIMIC]

And it only took a hailstorm of global criticism (which is why the initial pledge was a paltry $15 million).

Still, I can't complain because this amount is great...and hopefully not too little too late.

 

[carbonbased]

Err, it was not a slam on the US. I meant to say there is no amount of money to 'fix' what happened.

Ah, okay. Seems I misread, sorry. :lol

 

[NotMSRP]

Peer pressure force them to do it. Otherwise, they really would have been stingy.

 

[carbonbased]

Peer pressure force them to do it. Otherwise, they really would have been stingy.

Yes, because when the true scale of the incident comes to light, adjusting your aid accordingly is unheard of.

 

[gofreak]

How much have other countries given?

The European total stands at $530m approx.

$350m? Not enough!

 

[COCKLES]

"My fellow americans...it has become clear that a transparent danger awaits our homelands from the Al Queda link to the Sutsuma that has engulfed the Isle of White in Antarctica, so we must drive these terrororisms from our frontiers. God bless South America"

 

[FightyF]

Thank God the World put pressure on the cheap-ass Bush Administration.

Without the good people of the World and in the US...the US would really suck (because of it's government).

 

[NotMSRP]

Yes, because when the true scale of the incident comes to light, adjusting your aid accordingly is unheard of.

More like you swallowed their PR damage control.

 

[MIMIC]

Yes, because when the true scale of the incident comes to light, adjusting your aid accordingly is unheard of.

True scale? At what point did you expect the death toll from an unprecedented tsunami to stop?

 

[silver]

We've raised 20 million in the Netherlands (citizens' donations, 16 million inhabitants), our country's donating 27 million. So that's 47 million and rising from my small country alone.

All figures in Euros, so that's 66 million dollars. Wow! Sweet.

 

[Raistlin]

Thank God the World put pressure on the cheap-ass Bush Administration.

Without the good people of the World and in the US...the US would really suck (because of it's government).

I love the assumption that the government had no intention of giving more money as needed, and that only the peer pressure led to the opening of the purse straps.

I have many issues with Bush, but regardless of my feeling towards this administration - spending too little money has never been a complaint leveled against them.

 

[Socreges]

Canada still has a superior ratio of $ to each person!

Whatever the reason for the dramatic increase in money, this is wonderful. And as more and more money pours in, the major problem instead will become logistics. Hopefully things go smoothly from here on.

 

[MIMIC]

I love the assumption that the government had no intention of giving more money as needed, and that only the peer pressure led to the opening of the purse straps.

I have many issues with Bush, but regardless of my feeling towards this administration - spending too little money has never been a complaint leveled against them.

America's foreign aid adds up to only 0.14 percent of the country's gross national product, compared with 0.92 percent given by the most generous nation, Norway, with barely 5 million people. The New York Times reported this week that, according to polls, "most Americans believe the United States spends 24 percent of its budget on aid to poor countries; it actually spends well under a quarter of 1 percent."

Yahoo! News

 

[Deg]

good news. Although i am sure the people have given a huge amount too.

The whole tsunami incident is just terrible. I feel for the people.

according to polls, "most Americans believe the United States spends 24 percent of its budget on aid to poor countries; it actually spends well under a quarter of 1 percent."

dear god

 

[MIMIC]

dear god

And all of that is a result of the Bush Administration repeating the "we are the most generous nation" mantra. People eat that shit UP! And all you have to do is repeat is over and over and over and over and over again (see 'weapons of mass destruction are in Iraq').

 

[Raistlin]

I'm talking about absolute dollars. Regardless, comparing GNP percentages isn't a really great gauge. There are way too many other factors in determining how much cash a country can free up for aid.

 

[Socreges]

I'm talking about absolute dollars.

Fuck Greenland, eh! Those selfish bastards couldn't even shore up $1 million!

 

[SteveMeister]

All Bush needed to do was, last Sunday, make a public statement that we were saddened by the horrible tragedy and will work with the governments of the affected countries and aid agencies around the world to do everything we can to aid the victims. If the President had bothered to say that small amount, questions of dollars wouldn't even have come up. Instead, it looks like everything that has been pledged and said has been in response to criticism rather than to the disaster itself.

Idiot.

 

[seismologist]

strange how everytime we promise to send more money the death count keeps rising...

 

[DarienA]

Late me be a party pooper....

You know it's so nice that all our problems here at home with homelessness, poverty, etc. have been solved so that we have extra money to lend aid elsewhere....

 

[Agent Icebeezy]

Late me be a party pooper....

You know it's so nice that all our problems here at home with homelessness, poverty, etc. have been solved so that we have extra money to lend aid elsewhere....

I say this to myself everytime an emergency happens. I don't think the world blinks twice before asking us for money.

 

[Doogdogg]

Damn if we do. Damn if we don't.

 

[Cubsfan23]

I swear, some of you will find any way to launch criticism. Shut the Fuck up.

 

[Raistlin]

All Bush needed to do was, last Sunday, make a public statement that we were saddened by the horrible tragedy and will work with the governments of the affected countries and aid agencies around the world to do everything we can to aid the victims. If the President had bothered to say that small amount, questions of dollars wouldn't even have come up. Instead, it looks like everything that has been pledged and said has been in response to criticism rather than to the disaster itself.

Idiot.

And how do you feel about Mr. Anan deciding to stay on his vacation for 4 days before helping coordinate efforts at the UN?

 

[FightyF]

And how do you feel about Mr. Anan deciding to stay on his vacation for 4 days before helping coordinate efforts at the UN?

AFAIK the Sec General doesn't have to coordinate disaster relief efforts.

 

[snapty00]

Why does shit like this always become a pissing contest among you people? Fuck.

 

[Hitokage]

I can't believe this thread.

1. To even suggest that the scale of this catastrophe was unknown until recently is bullshit. Are you THAT dependent on the Party on what to think you can't guess what putting a 9.0 earthquake in the eastern Indian Ocean will do?

2. You should be glad the US has now decided to be so generous, not that people will "shut up".

3. Now that the ante has been raised, the pressure is now on OTHER countries to match, not for the US to continue to increase. And to the jingoists, shouldn't America have gotten into this position to BEGIN WITH instead of letting the EU do so?

 

[Fresh Prince]

I'm proud to be America's bitch today

 

[Macam]

Where we're going to get the money, I don't know, but I think it's important that the U.S. certainly contribute significantly to aid the disaster on two counts in particular: moral grounds and international relations. Our blunder in engaging and mishandling Iraq alongside countless gaffes on the administration's parts has really soured the U.S.'s image and it's important that we really play a better role in international affairs, as best we can given the personnel.

But most importantly, the scale of this event dwarves other more recent disasters such as 9/11 in sheer numbers and potential global impact. For those who haven't heard, the current figure is 124,000 (BBC) and is expected to reach, or exceed, 150,000. We need to help out for everyone's sake.

 

[Tommie Hu$tle]

And how do you feel about Mr. Anan deciding to stay on his vacation for 4 days before helping coordinate efforts at the UN?

Haven't you heard of email, instant messenging, fax machines, and cell phones? It's all the rage in cordinating efforts from a far.

Do you think the guy is unreachable?

 

[Boogie]

This aid donation pissing contest is just ridiculous on all sides.

"My country donated more per person than your country. Nyah nyah!"

Grow up, people.