U.S. struggles & allies gloat

New York Daily News ^ | September 11, 2005 | Richard Z. Chesnoff

[RWR8189]

Suddenly the roles are dramatically reversed. The great giver is in dire need. And the image of some 50 foreign nations, including some of the world's poorest, offering aid to an America devastated by Katrina should be deeply heartening to every American. Less heartening is the smugness that seems to accompany much of the international help offers. While voicing sympathy for the victims, a foreign legion of gabbers have been quick to blame America and American policy for the horrors of Katrina.

First are the glasshouse critics - those who conveniently overlook their own failures to protect their populations in dire emergencies. The French press has been clucking about America's "inability to save its own population of the forgotten."

But remember when France was hit with a horrid freak heat wave two summers ago? An estimated 15,000 people died because France's much-vaunted social and hospital system - under pressure from a public welfare program France can't afford - found it couldn't care for them.

Most of the victims were elderly, many dying because their families failed to interrupt their paid summer vacations to check on grandpère or grandmère. So much for French family values.

Then there are the prophets of doom, like German Environment Minister Juergen Trittin, who say Katrina was nothing less than a direct result of the Bush administration's policies on global warming - specifically, its failure to support the Kyoto Accord.

"By neglecting environmental protection," Trittin recently pontificated, "America's President shuts his eyes to the economic and human damage that natural catastrophes like Katrina inflict on his country and the world's economy."

What Trittin and other environmental "experts" forget is that America has been battling devastating hurricanes since long before the days of three- and four-car families or fuel-driven heavy industry.

The problem is that much of the world, especially Europe, suffers from schizophrenia when it comes to the U.S. While admiring, even envying our accomplishments, they revile our standards, policies and way of life.

It's fair enough to question how the administration handled (or mishandled) the aftermath of the storm. But it's downright dumb to blame racism for the chaos gripping much of the Gulf Coast. Ditto the war in Iraq: It's one thing to oppose it, but simply silly to insist that our efforts to bring democracy to the Middle East are what has left the United States without resources to handle natural disasters.

Some foreign reaction has been nutty. Several Islamic "scholars" have informed their faithful that Katrina was a direct result of "America's war on Islam."

Not to be outdone, a wacko rabbi in Jerusalem declared that Katrina struck because the Lord was angry with President Bush for forcing Israel to withdraw from Gaza (Oy Vey!). I'm sure there were some equally enlightened Christian, Buddhist and other religious screwballs with similar "I told you so" theories about America and its millions of sinners.

Thanks for the aid offers and advice, foreign friends. But try to give without gloating!

[EagleUSA]

The NYT will continue to sell papers as long as their price does not exceed that of an equal amount of toilet paper...

[malia]

The giving of 50 foreign nations, including some of the world's poorest, offering aid and their voice of sympathy to an America devastated by Katrina is deeply heartening.

This American thanks you!!!!!!

[DCPatriot]

bump for later read

[Republican Party Reptile]

this was not the NYT ...

[jimboster]

Sounds like a pretty pro-American piece to me.

[RWR8189]

It was...

I think some people just don't bother reading the article before commenting...

[Brilliant]

"Allies gloat..."

In other words our "allies" wish us ill. Not very good allies, if you ask me.

[msf92497]

With friends like that, who needs enemas?!!!

[AFreeBird]

I think some people just don't bother reading the article before commenting...

It's a drive-by posting.

[Little_shoe]

The french have landed and they have the situation well in hand. I know because I saw them land.

[ExcursionGuy84]

Just don't ever say thus about those Iraqi Soldiers who dug into their financial lifelines to raise a contribution of 1 Mil Dinars ($680 US dollars) for the displaced refugeees.

[luvbach1]

The giving and the gloating are inseparable. The former supports a desperate need to feel superior compared to the US (which, ironically, is actually perceived as superior). The latter is a manifestation of the deepest schadenfruede.

[Bratch]

People like to kick the biggest guy on the block when he's down.

[Brilliant]

True, but then don't call them "allies."

[MississippianAftrKatrina]

Great Views RW.. Bush is trying to play the hard ass role first off. Bring our troops home to. The way this national mess-up was handled from my (being here seen it) view was and still is crappy. Maybe next time FEMA will be better prepared.I live in a rural community in Ms. We Had to call radio stations and raise hell to get stuff to us. Then once we got the aid it wasn't fairly handed out. If you knew someone giving it out you got loaded. Otherwise you got leftovers. I am thankful for what I got for food. MRE's are pretty good! I lost all my food. I have a wife and three kids that I had to feed. At first there was no water, ice, gas,lights,or phone. The community pulled together and found all the needs.For the people of the Coast and New Orleans feel my most pain no homes and nothing to go back too.With my little losses I feel down, but not out! I speak for all Mississippians.

[caspera]

Yeah, this is the News, not the Times. You'd never catch something like this in the Times.

[dila813]

They should reject the aid if it is offered with such jabs at the US.

If it is only individuals and not senior public officials in their governments, this jabbing can be ignored.

[GoLightly]

I'm sorry to hear things have been so difficult for you and yours & welcome to Free Republic.

Your state was in the middle of revamping it's emergency plans & so kinda got caught with it's pants down. Unless Mississippi handed command & control over to the feds, I'd have to think most of the problems you're talking about, dealing with have to do with decisions being made closer to home. FEMA has around 2500 employees & most of them are paper shufflers. They have to rely on information provided to them by those living closer to the areas, those more familiar with the communities in need, in order to direct resources in to do what's needed.

[RobbyS]

Amazing that people don't know the least thing about the limits of bureaucracy. Expecting direct aid from FEMA is a bit like expected SSA employees to fix a broken leg.