These critics often cite a figure once put forward at the United Nations that wealthy countries should try to reach a target of spending seven-tenths of 1 percent of their national economy for aid to poor countries.According to the Congressional Research Service, an independent agency, the United States is the largest aid donor in terms of dollars, but its record of donating two-tenths of 1 percent of its national economy for foreign aid makes it among the smallest donors as a proportion of what it could theoretically afford.
This is misleading as hell. Only one whose politics incline towards the pink would ignore private charities' contribution to the mix. Total that into the mix and we give more than all other countries combined...
To state the obvious: goverment "charity" is not the most efficient means of spending.
Oil-for-food, anyone?
Maybe President Bush should announce he is taking the US portion of the UN membership dues to donate for the relief effort...