I understand that India has told the U.N. and others that disaster funds earmarked for them could be used elsewhere.
I applaud them for this stand. If they can handle the problem internally, it really does help the other countries.
Thats over $100 million. Without raising taxes that too.
Way to go India!
I just wish you could see such unity of purpose during regular nation building tasks and not just at the time of calamities. Still this is definitely a big change from the olden days.
Now the job is to convince the USA
Tsunami Disaster Relief: How America Can Prove It's Not 'Stingy' Pacific News Service,
Here's a simple proposal that would capture the world's attention, and which a majority of Americans would almost certainly support. President Bush should announce that because of the colossal losses suffered by millions of people in Southeast Asia and East Africa, he will make an exception to his promise not to raise taxes. Bush should propose a Tsunami Disaster Relief Surtax for 2004 and 2005, with very simple components that everyone can understand.
Much of India's current prosperity has origins in US outsourcing, so if you pull the string a little, stingy old Uncle Sam holds the other end.