Qatar gives 100 million dollars for US hurricane relief

news.yahoo.com ^ | 1 hour, 26 minutes ago Sept 3, 05

[Esther Ruth]

Qatar gives 100 million dollars for US hurricane relief 1 hour, 26 minutes ago

DOHA (AFP) - The Gulf emirate of Qatar announced it will donate 100 million dollars to relief efforts for the US victims of Hurricane Katrina.

The aid was granted by Qatar's emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani "in the name of the government and the Qatari people," the official news agency QNA said.

Quoting a foreign ministry spokesman, QNA said: "Qatar expresses its sympathy and its solidarity to the US people and government in these painful circumstances and sends its condolences to the families of the victims in this humanitarian catastrophe."

Three other Arab countries -- Saudi Arabia, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates -- have also offered aid to the United States.

[nuconvert]

The gov't of Qatar could order AlJazeera to stop their anti-American/pro-terrorist propaganda tomorrow.

[JasonC]

They do have NG, but they export 700,000 barrels per day of light crude as well (out of 1 million bpd with product equivalents included). They have 15 billion barrels of proven and recoverable reserves. It is an oil sheikdom, I don't know where anybody got the contrary impression but at any rate it is completely false.

[antaresequity]

Thanks for the clarification....

Quatar is the number one LPG nation in the middle east?

Curious...

[antaresequity]

err NG...

[George W. Bush]

A US-based risk management company that specializes in disaster recovery said that the damage caused by the storm in Louisiana and Mississippi is likely to surpass 100 billion dollars.

The Army Corps of Engineers estimated $15 billion to build the levees up enough to withstand a Katrina-style Category 5 hurricane.

Qatar is a very loyal ally to us. I would be surprised if Kuwait does any less than Qatar. Among these small Gulf oil-rich states are our most warmly loyal Muslim allies. They've been with us since the first Gulf War and even more strongly so afterward. They did a lot to wreck the Arab League themselves, having observed how their neighbors responded to Saddam's invasion of Kuwait. The story of their alliance with America is one that should be told in more detail.

[George W. Bush]

$100 million is a lot of money.

Like Condi Rice, I was even more touched by Sri Lanka offering its $25,000. She kept mentioning it and didn't shed a tear but she came close.

Qatar can afford it. Sri Lanka can't afford anything.

But Qatar was our command/control center and welcomed our basing forces there and they still do to this day. And unlike with the Saudis, I haven't heard about them forcing our servicewomen into burqas or forbidding their driving.

[freeangel]

That will keep the mayor of NO in style for a while!

[Silverdrake]

Hubby just said that a Colorado Springs radio station has raised $100k donations-in-kind for the past couple of days. Time, loading equipment, palletization, and shipping all donated. A good bit of it is clean water.

[George W. Bush]

Russia offered aid and the USA turned it down.

Condi denied categorically that anyone has been turned down.

She also said that aid offers need to be matched to identified needs in the disaster area. It really was one of her best press conferences.

You should also keep in mind that this country last received foreign aid during the Revolutionary War. We don't have any protocol for accepting foreign aid for domestic crises.

[WoofDog123]

maybe a good rejoinder for them is maybe qatar shouldn't accept our LARGE airbase there as well. it is certainly a reciprocal relationship.

[stocksthatgoup]

Qatar is the same Arab country that has been moving towards democracy without bloodshed.

[Ruth C]

I doubt it would, the SA is a Christian organization.

I saw a heartfelt thank you to Qatar.

[Ruth C]

I doubt it would, the Salvation Army is a Christian organization.

I saw a heartfelt thank you to Qatar.

[conservativebabe]

Holy Shmoly! At first I thought I read that wrong!

THANK YOU QATAR!

Anyone know where to find a chart of donations thus far? One that shows countries and companies with $$ amounts?

[MikefromOhio]

But but but....

doesn't matter. Since it is in the ME, it will always carry that stigma with FReepers. Right or wrong, as in this case, wrong.

[CDB]

If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you are reading it in English, thank a soldier

LOVE your tagline!!!

[Silverdrake]

According to this article "Russia has offered boats and aircraft. On Wednesday, Russian president Vladimir Putin offered to send a group of military special forces specializing in search and rescue to the region. That offer was rejected by the State Department."

It's NewsMax, which I take it with a grain (or pound) of salt, but that much should be fairly accurate.

[MikefromOhio]

Let's remember that since Al Jazzera is government owned and operated (sarcasm) then it obviously called for it's OWN overthrow (dripping ironic sarcasm).

Let us thank the Qataris for their support now as well as in the future.

[Silverdrake]

I would be surprised if Kuwait does any less than Qatar.

Prepare to be surprised. A Kuwaiti minister's comment on Katrina was that Allah would continue to punish the unbelievers.

[Silverdrake]

From Post 72: Embassy website with email contact is http://www.qatarembassy.net/