[KJacob]

We hope Secretary of State Colin Powell was privately embarrassed when, two days into a catastrophic disaster that hit 12 of the world's poorer countries and will cost billions of dollars to meliorate, he held a press conference to say that America, the world's richest nation, would contribute $15 million

Help me if I am wrong but wasn't Mr. Powell talking about an initial donation from one agency? I was a wait and see how much more was needed plus there are many other agencies and private sources. This is just filth.

[.cnI redruM]

My fiance' brought up a very interesting point. Namely that the US is running a budgetary deficit and still found $35mil to give. That, to me, defines giving until it hurts.

[cyncooper]

Help me if I am wrong but wasn't Mr. Powell talking about an initial donation from one agency?

You are not wrong, of course. In addition, according to Andrew Natsios, the director of the U.S. Agency for International Development, who appeared with Chris Wallace on Fox yesterday (and he's given daily briefings for the last few days, too), our first donation of $4 million dollars was sent on Sunday (in addition to that day the deployment of a ship, I believe). Last I checked, that was on the very day disaster hit. It was not, as the Slimes insinuates in their malevolent way, a belated decision to send aid. And nobody with a brain and good will thought the initial amounts announced were the end of the discussion.

The Slimes is plain and simply an evil and malignant entity.