Kuwait Donates $500 Million For Hurricane Relief

AP ^ | 9-4-05 | my favorite headache

[My Favorite Headache]

Kuwait Pledges $500M for Hurricane Relief Updated: Sunday, Sep. 4, 2005 - 11:26 AM

KUWAIT CITY (AP) - The oil-rich Persian Gulf state of Kuwait said Sunday it will donate $500 million in aid to U.S. relief efforts after Hurricane Katrina.

The offer is the largest known put forward since the hurricane ravaged Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama and follows a $100 million aid donation from the emir of a Mideast neighbor, Qatar.

Kuwait's energy minister said his country would provide "oil products that the disaster-stricken states need in addition to other humanitarian aid."

"It's our duty as Kuwaitis to stand by our friends to lighten the humanitarian misery and as a payback for the many situations during which Washington helped us through the significant relations between the two friendly countries," Sheik Ahmed Fahd Al Ahmed Al Sabah said in a statement carried by Kuwait's official news agency, KUNA.

Kuwait is one of America's closest Mideast allies and owes its 1991 liberation from Iraqi occupation forces to a U.S.-led coalition that drove Saddam Hussein's army out.

Kuwait and Qatar's donations came as the Egypt-based 22-member Arab League called on Arab nations to provide relief to the U.S.

The Arab League said that its secretary-general, Amr Moussa, sent a cable of "deep condolences and regret to the U.S. administration over the effect of Hurricane Katrina ... and called on all Arab countries to extend aid to the United States to face the exceptional humane circumstances."

[Mr. Silverback]

When I get back online, I'm going to send them a nice letter. I'm not a big fan of any country that is run as an Islamic state, but these folks know who their friends are, and that's much to rare in foreign policy these days.

[Spktyr]

Walmart probably won't use the marketing angle.

[DTogo]

Thank you, Kuwait!

[investigateworld]

WM and the other companies management are free to donate or not and will make their decisions on what's best for the shareholders. Which is right and proper, that's what their paid to do.
But in my humble opinion, leaving out a number, but allowing the public to visualize a WM truck as a solution during this emergency promotes corporate good will.
Their sales volume will go down during this emergency as they've lost stores and their customer base is hurting. Thus customers outside the affected areas can pick up the slack, so to speak.
Now just what are Sears/K-mart doing? Thanks for bringing up this point

[publana]

K-Mart/Sears? Zip. Not true. K-mart is matching any donations made in their store to the Red Cross. As for Kuwait, this has been a highpoint for the week. It warms my heart to know they are truly grateful for us kicking Saddam out of their country. Bless you and thank you, dear Kuwait.

[mewzilla]

Shukran.

[plushaye]

Really nice. They are in a position to help with $$ and oil.

Just think how Al-Queda leaders must be gnashing their teeth over all these donations to the US from moderate Arab nations. Sweet.

[Gamecock]

Is something like that sent through PayPal?

[Americanexpat]

Thank you Kuwait and Qatar and all the other countries that gave what they could afford to give.

[newbeliever]

Peolple, THIS is the result of advancing freedom through these areas. This is how a country becomes a responsible member of the global community.

It will take time. Imagine what the Iraq respons would be like 10 years from now. There are going to be some upset people about THOSE people provinding aid to the US.

[fhayek]

Now I know what George Bailey felt like.

[Bommer]

WHERES FRANCE????? New Orleans is a French founded town! WHERES FRANCE????

[servantboy777]

No, he is a has been. Rev. Sharpton is THE dude now. Oh, by the way, how'd he become a reverend anyhow? He sure don't act like a man of the cloth.

[servantboy777]

Thanx Kuwait, America remembers who are our friends.

[Die_Hard Conservative Lady]

Thanks for posting..... Way to go Wal-Mart!

[Cinnamon]

Thank you Kuwait... :hug:

[bad company]

WHERES FRANCE????? New Orleans is a French founded town! WHERES FRANCE????

They long ago surrendered to Katrina. They are now busy pointing out that there was no looting while katrina was in power. New Orleans is a quagmire and people were freer under Katrina. They have demanded Bush seek U.N. guidance before any further action in the big easy.

[TheMom]

Still looking for the french donation

Don't hold your breath.

[cwiz24]

I'm shocked--that is a ton of money. Thank you to Kuwait and to all Kuwaiti Freepers!!

[cwiz24]

Knock it off. I'm sorry--I am usually the last one to scold any fellow Freepers, but your post is as bad as people saying that the war in Iraq is all about oil. Let's not second guess any donations, especially one as generous as that one is.