Powell: U.S. Will Send More Aid to Asia, "chafes" at "stingy" accusations

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

So far, the "initial" offering of $15 million is $25 million less than Bush's one-night coronation party on January 20th.

When the U.S. has pledged $40 million and beyond, I'll be impressed. If Junior decides that his little tea soiree is in excruciatingly bad taste and opts for a simpler ceremony, I'll be even MORE impressed.

I'm not holding my breath for either scenario.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,142719,00.html

Powell: U.S. Will Send More Aid

WASHINGTON — Secretary of State Colin Powell said Tuesday the United States "will do more" to help the victims of a massive earthquake and tsunamis in Asia and said he regretted a statement by a United Nations official suggesting that it hadn't helped enough.



"The United States has given more aid in the last four years than any other nation or combination of nations in the world," Powell said when asked about a suggestion by Jan Egeland, the U.N. humanitarian aid chief, that America was being "stingy."



Initially, the U.S. government pledged $15 million and dispatched disaster specialists to help the Asian nations devastated by the catastrophe that has claimed tens of thousands of lives. On Monday, President Bush sent letters of condolence and Powell exclaimed, "This is indeed an international tragedy, and we are going to do everything we can."



Appearing Tuesday on ABC's "Good Morning America," the secretary said that at least 11 Americans have died in the disaster and "hundreds" are unaccounted for. Powell chafed at statements that Egeland made at a Monday news conference, at which the humanitarian aid chief exhorted "rich" nations to do more. "We were more generous when we were less rich, many of the rich countries," Egeland said. "And it is beyond me, why are we so stingy, really ... Even Christmas time should remind many Western countries at least how rich we have become."

[NJCher]

1. We should pressure bush to give his $40 million to aid

He should cancel his celebration and all that money should go to the recovery.


Cher

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

8. I think we should call the talk radio shows and plant that seed.

I plan to drop that idea in Bernie Ward's ear soon. There's also Guy James, anyone on Air America...

There's "wrong," and there's "Capital-W-Wrong." That $40 million party is WRONG.

[tk2kewl]

11. exactly what i was thinking

how could you possibly send less to relieve suffering than you are willing to spend on a party?

[rfkrfk]

12. why is it always, money, money, money

I never hear these places ask for:
medicine, tents, portable hospitals, water systems...
.
Its always,
send your check to the Ministry of Graft,
after all, they now how to best spend the money.

[izzie]

2. These people can not vote. Fa. people do.

It falls in line with his good Christian ways.

[spooked911]

3. I agree 15 million is absolutely pathetic!

Even 40 million is.

But that's our Bush!

[Forkboy]

4. Colin is a punk ass whore

[MaineDem]

5. A local GOP message board I read...

I know, I know but it's part of the "keep your enemies closer" thing.

They're saying the statement about nations being stingy is a reason to do away with the UN.

:eyes:

[liberalmuse]

6. Shameful.

We're one of the richest nations on earth and we give a measly $15 million in aid? One of our own states gets more than that for a disaster 1/1000th of this scale. God how I hate Bush.

[Kindigger]

9. If he hadn't spent so much

... giving payoffs errrr I mean "aid" to the "coalition of the willing", maybe we'd have more for legitimate aid?

[flordehinojos]

7. colin powell still being a disgraceful disgrace.

[Spinzonner]

10. Hey, give them a little time

it takes a while to figure out how to launder it through the quake/tsunami relief to Halliburton

[hatrack]

13. To quote your boss, Colin, "Who cares what you think?"

You're gone in a month anyway.

Oh, and by the way, we've pledged the equivalent of about two hours and forty minutes' occupation costs in Iraq, so don't blather on and on about America's amazing generosity, you WHORE.

[robbedvoter]

14. I was trying to make that correlation. How much per day in Iraq?

[hatrack]

17. Very conservative estimate - $4 billion monthly

So, divide by 30 or 31 and you get around $130 million per day.

And it's probably a bit more than that . . .

[Inland]

20. That was the original spending rate

Now it is estimated at $8 bill a month.

[shady lane]

15. Money is rolling in already from all over

BUT time & again when disasters happen people move in and steal a large portion of donated proceeds & goods.

I would guess America would end up once again be the largest donor in the world; but we have to be careful who gets the money and how they plan on distributing it.

I rememeber the Red Cross scandle over the World Trade Tower donations they received. The money never got to the people that needed it most because they rolled it into other programs.

[xultar]

23. IT was wrong to divert, but you know, the 9/11 families got mucho $$$

OK city didn't get nearly as much Aid.
I can't say I disagree with the diversion of funds to help fire, flood, and other victims of disasters.

[shady lane]

24. The point is they said it was for 911 victims when they raised the money

THEN they diverted it. It, in many ways, could be compared to a con job of everybody that thought they were donating to 911 victims.

[newyawker99]

26. Hi shady lane!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[blackangrydem]

16. Enuff US bashing already

before this is over the US will no doubt have provided more cash (govt & private), personnel, medical supplies and food than any other country.

As usual.

Must we politicize this?

[xultar]

19. YES we must cuz Bush doesn't act. His Words and Actions don't match.

The money for aid will come from individual American donations not from our government.

WTF....

His inauguration costs 40million.

[hatrack]

21. And will have provided less on a GDP % or per capita basis . . .

than any other developed economy. It's been this way for decades.

Oh, but I'm sorry - I didn't mean to "politicize" this. Shocking - next thing you know I'll be getting all "partisan"! :eyes:

[xultar]

22. What will we call it, BiPartisanOnTheGround.com? n/t

[Bridget Burke]

25. The US is already slow & stingy in giving aid.

Yes, we're giving privately. But our government would rather blow Iraqis to smithereens--& plan a big Inaugural celebration.

DU is a political board.

[mogster]

18. There's some campaigning going on over in Norw. at the moment

Main goal: to get the Norwegians to puff a few crackers less this New Year, and instead send some money to organizations dealing with the situation after the tsunamis.

Could be an idea in the US as well?

I can live with a less spectacular New Year sky if I'm all glowing inside from the people-to-people charity ;-)

[mogster]

27. The US govt. has added 20 million $

Saw it on CNN.

Good stuff. And BTW: Egeland said "the West" was stingy, not the US--again if we're to believe the CNN Europe.

[orpupilofnature57]

28. Shrub has managed to desoul, the few repukes that had a heart