Posted on 12/29/2004 1:48:11 PM PST by kattracks
CRAWFORD, Texas – President Bush announced Wednesday the United States, India, Australia and Japan had formed an international coalition to coordinate worldwide relief and reconstruction efforts for the Asian region ravaged by a deadly earthquake and tsunamis.
``We will prevail over this destruction,'' Bush said from his ranch in his first comments on the disaster Sunday that so far has killed more than 76,000. Bush said the catastrophe had ``brought loss and grief to the world that is beyond our comprehension,'' and he pledged a multifaceted response from the United States that goes far beyond the $35 million initially pledged.In the short term, the help will include damage assessment teams and U.S. military manpower, such as a Marine expeditionary force followed by long-term rebuilding assistance. He said he'd also examine a suggestion from German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to consider putting a moratorium on the debt of hard-hit Somalia and Indonesia.
``We'll look at all requests,'' said Bush, who talked by phone Wednesday morning with leaders from Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand and India.
``We're still in the stage of immediate help. But slowly but surely, the size of the problem will become known, particularly when it comes to rebuilding infrastructure and community to help these affected parts of the world get back up on their feet.''
Meantime, the International Monetary Fund said it would work with governments affected by the disaster to provide reconstruction and financial assistance. But details have not been worked out, with governments more focused now on dealing with the immediate humanitarian crisis, officials of the financial institution said.
'The World Will Cope'
The president called on Americans to donate cash to relief organizations to augment the response and said he expected several other nations to join the coalition started by the four countries.
``The United States will continue to stand with the affected governments as they care for the victims,'' he said. ``We will stand with them as they start to rebuild their communities. And together the world will cope with their loss.''
Bush said he talked to the leaders in the affected region and was working to target initial relief efforts to the things those leaders most need, pending damage assessments.
Worldwide Warning
He expressed concern the Asian region wasn't prepared with a warning system that foretold the massive tsunamis and threw his support behind creation of a worldwide system. ``It makes sense for the world to come together to develop a warning system to help all nations,'' he said.
The president also has asked Commerce Secretary Don Evans and Interior Secretary Gale Norton to investigate whether the United States was adequately prepared for tsunamis that might strike the U.S. coast. The U.S. Geological Survey at Interior and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration at Commerce are the two agencies addressing that issue.
'Ill-Informed' U.N. Bureaucrat
The president also pointedly dismissed a United Nation official's suggestion that rich nations such as the United States have been ``stingy'' in relief efforts. ``I felt like the person who made that statement was very misguided and ill informed,'' Bush said.
U.S. Agency for International Development chief Andrew Natsios told The Associated Press on Tuesday that the $35 million aid package had drained his organization's emergency relief fund, forcing it to ask Congress or the White House for more money.
``We just spent it,'' Natsios said. ``We'll be talking to the [White House] budget office.''
At Least 12 Americans Dead, Hundreds Missing
The State Department said Tuesday that 12 Americans had died in the disaster: seven in Sri Lanka and five in Thailand. Hundreds of Americans remain missing.
Bush said U.S. officials were working hard to locate many more Americans who remain unaccounted for and to provide assistance to those who were injured or displaced in the region.
``Our prayers go out to those who have lost so much to this series of disasters,'' he said.
The State Department, meanwhile, encouraged all American citizens traveling in any part of the countries hit by the earthquake to telephone family members to let them know they were doing.
If the travelers need help they should get in touch with U.S. diplomatic posts, the department said in a statement.
So, who needs the useless and "criminal" United Nations!!!
Is this a move to finally tell the U.N. to 'stuff it' and BTW, GET OUT OF OUR COUNTRY?'
Hope so!
They could cut down on the coverage of this. Yes it is a disaster and we pray for the people, the President donated so no need to cover this story 24 hours a day.
There is other news,they don't need to show the same pictures over and over.
Our President and our Country showed compassion.
I like W more every day....
Looks like a step towards it. ;)
Looks like this will be SOP for Bush, he will create international coalitions to get things done while quietly removing the UN from the picture.
Man, I LIKE this! Good one, 43!
"I like W more every day...."
It sure is easy to show compassion when you're using other people's money. Why doesn't Bush and the members of Congress donate their own money instead of stealing it from the taxpayers as an act of charity?
http://timblair.net/weblog.php?id=P95
AUSTRALIA SPENDS BIG
Various contributions to the tsunami aid effort. All figures in Australian dollars:
Australia: $35 million
New South Wales: $2 million
Western Australia: $2 million
Queensland: $1.5 million
Victoria: $1.5 million
Australian Capital Territory: $500,000
South Australia: $500,000
France: $177,000
I wish I could post pictures. The Screw the UN one, would be perfect.
Bush and the members of Congress pay taxes. It 'IS' their money they are donating.
Bypassing the UN with relief efforts.
I had hoped to see this...
What a leader!
Well, the UN means that 8-12% of the funds/material/property that passes through their hands goes to "internal UN" purposes. The UN program leaders have to replace the rebenue they lost when they stopped the Food-For-Oil income. The UN may be run by third worlders but they are not competitive on price because of the, well, graft/skims/kickbacks and set asides to be sold in the local market.
No doubt.
President Bush tried to tell the UN several years ago that they risked becoming irrelevant.
Now A colalition of nations, outside of UN auspices, for purposes of aiding (which will eventually be in the billions of dollars) those counties severly hit?
Yeah ... I think President Bush is side stepping the UN in a very blatent and planned way.
Spare me.
I would rather see the money go from our country directly to where it is needed rather than send it to the U.N.
You know yourself that the money is going to be spent, why
not make sure it does where it is supposed to?
By choosing to go with coalitions of the willing and allowing the UN scandals to get more exposure and asking for transparency and accountability from the UN -- Kofi and the gang will be seriously discredited and weakened this year.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.