Posted on 02/10/2005 12:40:34 PM PST by srm913
Bush pledges another US$600m in tsunami aid
PRESIDENT George W. Bush has pledged a massive US$600 million (S$991 million) boost in United States financial aid to countries affected by December's tsunami.
This would take the total of Washington's relief package from US$350 million to US$950 million and make it the largest single donor nation.
The increased funds will be earmarked principally for reconstruction efforts in the worst affected countries, among them Indonesia, Thailand and Sri Lanka.
President Bush, who made the announcement on Wednesday, said: 'We will use these resources to provide assistance and to work with the affected nations on rebuilding vital infrastructure.'
The boost in relief aid was described by Mr Andrew Natsios, the administrator of the US Agency for International Development, as the most generous and the most extensive in American history.
Mr Bush was chastised in December for his initial offer of only US$15 million in tsunami relief.
The sum was subsequently incrementally increased to US$35 million and then to US$350 million when the full magnitude of the catastrophe became apparent.
The latest pledge will catapult the US to the top of the list of donors, ahead of Australia with its US$810 million and Germany with US$660 million.
kinda generous with our money.
Is the US stingy? Nope.
But this reeks of overkill to me. 350 mil was just fine. This is too much, considering the private donations and what other countries are also putting up.
I hate to seem unsympathetic, and I am sure someone will get mad at me for saying this, but do we have to foot the bill for the entire friggin' world all the time?
Overkill yes and a lot of it will probably never get to those in need. The amount of fraud in this effort will be massive, but underreported IMO.
Getting called 'stingy' costs a whole lot less than $950 million. Still, look at the money trail. An extra $600 million for southeast Asia. An 18% increase in the state department budget. Ove 10% increase in foreign aid. Over $350 million for the Palestinians. Can we all say 'legacy building'? Or perhaps 'legacy buying' is a more accurate term.
He pledged it.......
Let him reach in his pocket and pay it.
Time Out! How about Darfur?
The Tsunami relief thing has run its course. I want the Saudis and other oil-soaked muslims to pick up the remainder of tsunami relief.
We should be spending our money on those starving at the hands of muslims.
Enough already !!
I think this country has done more than its fair share. Their government has the money/tools to do the job with what has been given.
The chicoms have a lock on darfur. They're in there getting the oil. No one will go in without their sayso.
What a jackass Bush is. He has no right to pledge my money. If I want to pledge it, I'll do it myself.
Considering the aid is being sent to the countries (who don't seem to be doing a very good job of getting it to the people), I say we stop being so generous!
It reminds me of 9-11. How much money can one family use? If I am correct, I thought I remember a ridiculous sum of money going to one of the countries that had hardly any losses to "repair fishing nets"??
I TOTALLY disagree with increased funds.Don't we have some budget issues we are trying to resolve. Dems probably won't complain seeing that they like to fund the worlds ails . I think we as a nation have already done our share and so have individual Americans.
I don't care what anyone says. We have already done enough. We don't have to rebuild these countries that are mostly muslim, and the gave the finger to the U.S. after the disaster happened.
I think we should stop. There is enough from this country especially with the private donations raised.
At least this will ease their situation a bit, now that they have to buy A380s to get rid of the shrimp tarrifs...
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1326549/posts
TOO much.
I'm not mad at you,
I agree WITH you!
Why is it always up to us to rescue the world when some natural or man-made disaster comes along?
Why does Uncle Sam feel so free to shove his hand in MY pocket every time he thinks it's justified?
To add insult to injury, it's often the same people who would happily see us DEAD... or at least injured!
I don't know about everybody else, but I'm not sure how much more blood he can GET from this turnip, and if I have to watch somebody we've help spit on us one more time, I just don't know WHAT I'm going to do!
Damn George, I think we have sent enough, especially now since we dont who is in charge of disbursement and those people will never thank us anyway.
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