Posted on 01/10/2005 12:11:18 AM PST by GVnana
Tsunami cash held back: Powell
From correspondents in Washington
January 10, 2005
US Secretary of State Colin Powell said today not all the billions of dollars of tsunami aid was being spent and that the world should not flood the stricken nations with supplies that might not be needed.
Mr Powell estimated that international contributions to tsunami relief funds were now probably more than $US6 billion ($8 billion).
Of the US government donation of $US350 million ($460 million) only $US50-60 million ($66-80 million) had so far been committed, he told CNN television from Nairobi.
"What we have to do is to make sure that we're providing assistance based on what is needed and providing money based on what is needed, not just flooding all of these places and accounts with supplies that may not be needed, or financial assistance that may not be required yet," he said.
"Even though we have committed $US350 million, not all of that money immediately gets spent.
"That is also the case with the billions of dollars that have been committed by the international community. And some charitable organisations have already said, please stop sending us any more money, because they don't want to have so much money that they can't use it effectively, or it takes away from donations to other crisis areas of the world."
The Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders) group sparked a controversy last week, appealing for people to stop sending money, saying that the December 26 tsunami devastation in the Indian Ocean risked taking the spotlight away from other pressing crises, such as Darfur in Sudan.
Mr Powell agreed there was a risk that world attention could become unfairly focused on one problem.
"While we focus on the tsunami victims now, and a few months ago it was the victims of the crisis in Darfur, let's not overlook the fact that there are people in need throughout the world, whether it's in the Congo, the Darfur region of the Sudan, or in Liberia or in Haiti, or now in the area hit by the tsunami."
Mr Powell said the US government was trying to "protect" the budget sources from which money had been diverted after the tsunami devastation.
But he added that it would be urgent for the US Congress to provide extra funding for the tsunami victims "so that it doesn't come at the expense of other crises around the world".
Agence France-Presse
Makes sense but it'll still go over like a fart in church....
Thanks Squantos. I knew I could count on You!
Can't wait to hear Kofi and the UN embezzlers squeal at the thought of not having complete and immediate control of ALL the cash and stuff.
He sure is!
Congress has no money but that they take from the citizens. Correctly said, "urgent for the US Congress to find a way to increase US taxpayer funding."
A bump to the possibly most logical comment of the day...there, that's better.
Meanwhile 41 and 42 are making ads together asking for money.
"Meanwhile 41 and 42 are making ads together asking for money."
Saw one last night while we were watching the Packers lose the NFC Championship. :(
For some reason, the combination of those two did not make me leap up and find my checkbook...
(But, if ya'll are donating, make sure you do it before the end of January. You can write it off your 2004 taxes.)
Powell would make a good replacement for Kofi, imho.
Agreed.
The U.N. is doing their best to glorify a tragedy in order to create a new money fest that they will line their pockets with.
The survivors of this disaster will be well served by a few hundred million that will totally rebuild their physical damages. All the rest will be siphoned off as graft and corruption.
No amount of money will replace the lives lost, but that is a given.
The joke will the billions that will disappear into the black hole of the most smarmy group of people on the planet. This will guarantee the cushy retirements of thousands of beneficiaries who wait like vultures for things like this.
They got the gold mine in this case,and the gold diggers will be bloated with untraceable cash and materials that will be resold for 100% clear profits.
It's not in the interest of the current UN leadership to actually resolve a situation and call it done. They lose the gravy train.
....and make SURE the U.N. doesn't get their dirty greedy hands on U.S. funds.....
And what a welcome change THAT is!
In all seriousness, though, we could save far more lives than the number of tidal wave victims for a fraction of that $350 million if we provided African nations with DDT to eliminate the scourge of malaria that is estimated to take a million lives EVERY year.
And that's a disease that is completely unknown in North American.
Of course, and on the other side of the coin - KOFI is screaming for these people to give their millions to the UN. I don't like the UN being in charge of all this money .. the oil for food scandal PROVES THEY CANNOT BE TRUSTED WITH OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY.
Why IS malaria virtually unknown in No. America now? Seems the only time you hear of any concern about it is in the South after a wet winter. Is it because of the use of DDT?
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.