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Why does the US need our money?
(BBC NEWS, 6 September 2005)
The Red Cross is appealing for people overseas to contribute money to its Hurricane Katrina Appeal. But why does the world's richest nation need handouts? . . . The world's only superpower has been forced to turn to aid agencies to speed up the humanitarian effort in the wake of Katrina. . . . Seemingly unable to draw on its wealth at short notice to immediately respond to the disaster, charities in other countries, such as the British Red Cross, are now launching appeals to raise money. . . . In addition half a million military ration packs worth an estimated £3m have been flown out from the UK and more are expected to follow. . . . The public in many countries are accustomed to providing aid to poverty stricken developing nations, but the need to provide assistance to the most opulent country in the world may leave many perplexed. . . . t is not a position the US is used to being in either. President George W Bush seemed to initially dismiss suggestions of receiving foreign assistance. . . . The gross national income of the US is $37,870 per capita, according to the World Bank. It is just $810 for tsunami-hit Indonesia and $200 for poverty-stricken Niger. . . . And, national wealth aside, Americans have a strong track record of generosity concerning disasters on their own soil. They gave $2bn following the 11 September attacks. . . . "But there are broader political questions about the response of the richest country in the world to such a disaster on its own soil. Hopefully they will be addressed in the fullness of time and lessons will be learned." . . . But will the British public be as keen to make donations as they were after recent disasters, such as the Asian tsunami and famines in Niger and Sudan? . . . Cathy Pharoah, a researcher at the Charities Aid Foundation, points out that it is difficult to predict how people will react because such devastation in such an affluent country is unprecedented in recent times. . . . READER RESPONSES: I will not be giving to this appeal. The United States is the richest country in the history of the modern world. They should be diverting their wealth into domestic social care programs not into imposing their economic will on the rest of the world. Maybe this will be the wake up call that the people of the US need. . . . Of cause people gladley gave after the tsunami, that is understadable. But surely there are enough people in USA that can charitable donations. Should the US government not spend it's own money helping these people? Even if it ment selling gold reserves. To ask other nations for help, and then retaining wealth makes my skin crawl. What % of the American defense budget is needed for aid I ask? . . . I can understand that aid agencies, such as the British Red Cross, can provide the physical help in terms of food parcels and staff on the ground. But why does this need to be paid for via charitable donations? Surely the US Government can transfer money to these agencies easily enough, rather than it needing to be raised by charitable donations. . . . A quick staw poll of people in my office shows up a feeling of disgust that the US can't free up enough funds. I don't think anyone here is planning on giving. . . . This is a disgrace. I am shocked by what happened to the people of New Orleans and surrounding area but to give to a country that obviously went to war for other motives and spent millions on this. A country that is the richest in the world and has the most resources. I will not be helping - Considering the country is reluctant to help the truly needy countries eradicate poverty.

posted by LoZo 6:34 PM