Clinton Urges U.S. to Follow Tsunami Relief Principles in Dealing With World

Associated Press ^ | Apr 13, 2005 | Edith M. Lederer

[Pharmboy]

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - Former President Clinton said Wednesday the United States should try to build a world of more friends and fewer enemies by following the principle that guided Americans after the devastating Asian tsunami: helping people because it was the right thing to do. At his first news conference in his new job as the top U.N. envoy for tsunami recovery, Clinton said the quick deployment of U.S. military ships and soldiers after the Dec. 26 natural disaster, the arrival of American relief workers and the donations from millions of Americans made a positive impact on worst-hit Indonesia.

A recent public opinion survey in Indonesia showed that the approval rating for the United States increased from 36 percent to 58 percent "because we did not have an ulterior motive," Clinton said.

"We just went someplace and dealt with people on a human basis because it was right," he said.

Clinton said the lesson should be clear to the United States and other powerful nations.

"Every country, even the biggest ones, should be trying to build a world with more friends and more partners and fewer enemies," he said. "And the way to do that is not to worry about your image. The way to do that is to worry about your reality and trust people to let the image reflect the reality."

Clinton said he accepted Secretary-General Kofi Annan's offer to be the special envoy for tsunami recovery "solely because the world has an enormous obligation when a tragedy of this magnitude hits." His annual salary is $1.

An undersea earthquake of at least magnitude-9.0 off Indonesia triggered a tsunami that traveled across the Indian Ocean, killing at least 126,000 people in Indonesia, almost all of them in Aceh, and another 48,000 in 10 other countries.

Clinton said he plans to return to the region in a few weeks and will spend "whatever time it takes" to accomplish what he sees as his new job:

-Ensuring that the billions of dollars pledged are well spent and accounted for, and raising additional funds if necessary;

-Assisting in the coordination of recovery efforts to avoid unnecessary delays and wasting money;

-Communicating to the world that the problems of tsunami-devastated countries will need constant long-term attention; and

-Championing best practices on how to prevent, mitigate and deal with disasters, and building back devastated areas so those who suffered most have better homes, schools, health-care facilities and government buildings.

Clinton, who is recovering from heart surgery, said he now can undertake any activities and doctors told him his stamina should return in two to five weeks.

"I keep score by results," he said. "I kept score all the nearly 30 years I was in public life, and that's the way I'm keeping score now. So I'm going to do what it takes to achieve the objectives that the secretary-general set for me."

Annan, seated beside Clinton, said there was no person better qualified to sustain international interest in the fate of the survivors and their communities than the former president.

[Pharmboy]

...and how about freeing 35 million people from tyrants? That doesn't count?

Will this guy ever go away??

[Pharmboy]

Ping

[Diogenesis]

---

PARTIAL LIST OF TERRORIST ACTIVITIES IGNORED BY GORELICK, CLARKE and CLINTON

1993 Attempted Assassination of Pres. Bush Sr., April 14,1993
1993 First World Trade Center bombing, February 26th, 7 Killed, Hundreds injured, Billions
1995 Attack on US Diplomats in Pakistan, Mar 8,1995
1996 Khobar Towers attack
1998 U.S. Embassy Bombing in Peru, Jan 15, 1998
1998 U.S. Kenya Embassy blown up, 100's murdered
1998 U.S. Tanzania Embassy blown up, 100's murdered
1999 Plot to blow up Space Needle (thwarted)
2000 USS Cole attacked, many U.S. Navy sailors murdered

[Pharmboy]

Well put.

[iso]

Terrosists thanks Clinton

[pbear8]

Now running for Secretary-General...

[Mad Mammoth]

That sums it up pretty well my FRiend. In the years following the collapse of the Soviet Union, America had a window of opportunity to make the world more secure, but the eight years of treason and malfeasance known as 'Clinton/Gore/Reno' squandered that opportunity, and it led directly to 9/11.

The blood of thousands of Americans are on the hands of the Clintons, Al Gore, Janet 'Shakes' Reno, and each and every one of their accomplices.

This makes the current Administration's cozying up to those SOBs all the more disturbing.

[Finalapproach29er]

Nobody can exploit death for polital advantage like Clinton. Remember OKC/talk radio ?

What a sow, he is.

[clintonh8r]

clintonh8r Urges Clinton to Just STFU.

[Txsleuth]

Oh, Clinton get over yourself---

He is preaching that the US become the benevolent tooth fairy of the world---when the tooth comes out, it is our responsibility to supply the "money under the pillow"--!!!

I love the way he says that he likes to "keep score", that he judges results by keeping score, and that he has done it for 30 years of his political life. I am glad he is being at least honest about something---KEEPING SCORE, in my book, means scratching the back that scratches yours, that payback is hell, and so on, with all the cliches that fit...

I love the way the first duty listed was the oversight of the billions of dollars being sent to the region---can anyone say fox/hen house?

[speedy]

Yeah Clinton, you did so much to help Rwanda when millions of people were being slaughtered. He would never have taken the UN gig if it hadn't involved a beach resort.

[ALPAPilot]

-Championing best practices on how to prevent, mitigate and deal with disasters, and building back devastated areas so those who suffered most have better homes, schools, health-care facilities and government buildings.

Mr. Clinton, if we "champion" the self evident truths that all men are created equal . . . governments derive their just power from the consent of the governed . . .etc, the rest will follow. (You moron)

[OldFriend]

Unless of course, they poor hapless victims being machetti-ed to death in Rwanda.

Unless they are hapless victims getting cluster bombs dropped on them in Serbia.

Unless they are hapless Rangers being left to die in Somalia.

[Sterco]

Bill break out the old check book and start writing away. Most of us are not near as benevolent and forgiving as you are dude!!! Or as forgiving of you dude!!!

[steenkeenbadges]

"Will this guy ever go away??"

It used to be fun and energizing to follow the Klinton Follies. Now it's more like having overdosed on Ex-Lax - cramp, CRAMP - yuk.

[N. Theknow]

How nice. A lecture on principles from someone who has none.

[RightWhale]

how about freeing 35 million people from tyrants? That doesn't count?

No. The Gov't did that. Nothing the Gov't does counts.

[Cyclopean Squid]

..and how about freeing 35 million people from tyrants? That doesn't count?

You're not thinking like a leftist. On DU mode: Bush didn't free 35 million people from tyrants...he placed 300 million + under the rule of a tyrant. The Iraqis and Afghanis are just the latest to be subjugated under the rule of the imperialist fascist evil McWorld *Co. / DU mode

[river rat]

Veneral Diseases must have finally taken a horrible toll on Clinton's brain.....

A diseased brain, a bent dick, a lesbian wife, an ugly daughter, a bum heart, a ruined legacy, his dog killed by neglect, despised by millions of Americans and loved only by the stupidest residents of America....

It's tough to be a worldwide recognized a$$hole...

Poor guy.......good on him!

Semper Fi