[extropy-chat] sri lanka tsunami

[Mike Lorrey]

--- Max M <maxm at mail.tele.dk> wrote:

> Mike Lorrey wrote:
>  
> I think you have misread it. It seems pretty clear from the text that
> he means the entire western hemisphere. Not especially the US.
> Besides, he is making a statement as a UN official. Not as a
> Norwegian nor as a European.

In which case, he should not be surprised at the stinginess of western
nations toward the UN. Given that many billions of 'oil for food'
monies were siphoned off by Annan's son and others (including Clinton
pardonee Marc Rich), the UN is the LAST group we should be trusting
with any money for this effort.

> 
> It also seems that you choose to not to read:
> 
> "Offers of aid have poured in from around the world in the past two 
> days, with the European Union's executive arm releasing $4 million in
> emergency aid and pledging an additional $27 million."
> 
> Clearly stating that $27 million more is on the way.

And $20 million is on the way from the US in addition to the $15
million, plus a larger package is going to be based on what the first
team evaluates is needed.

Furthermore, keep in mind that most charitable programs in the US are
private. Engelund's comments were judging the US' 0.13% of GDP on
budgeted foreign aid, but that number ignores US contributions in
Afghanistan, Iraq, as well as US agricultural assistance around the
world, of which the US is the leader. Furthermore, it also ignores
private aid through NGOs that operate off of private funds, not
government subsidies.

> 
> Besides from that. My surprise was not really about amounts, but
> about the unnessecary attack on the French, which I don't understand.

Max, you are not THAT obtuse. Please, the French are now proven "do as
I say, not as I do" types, having continuously railed against the US
30+ nation "unilateral action" in Iraq, yet France chose to go it alone
in Ivory Coast..... besides the French being a co-captain of the EU. So
long as France is a leader of the EU, people in the US will tar
everything an EU nation does in foreign policy with a French brush.
Such is the result of 'assassination by association', which is another
one of those two-way streets...

=====
Mike Lorrey
Vice-Chair, 2nd District, Libertarian Party of NH
"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom.
It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves."
                                      -William Pitt (1759-1806) 
Blog: http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=Sadomikeyism


		
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