International Assistance?

[Rob_Davis]

The most significant aid most countries could offer us is to simply quit sucking us dry.

I'd quickly and happily settle for that.

 

[Jeff Lawson]

NOBODY is even offering. We have helped liberate parts of the planet. NOBODY is offering disaster relief? That REALLY irritates me. We lost thousands & thousands to help other countries yet NOBODY offeres disaster relief. The hell with them then, raid the radical islamic countries turn their deserts to glass & keep their freakin oil for us. sounds harsh but hey, do they actually care about us???? Times like this I say no. Just an opinion from a person who has lost loved ones HELPING others.

Get a grip, Kevin. The reason the United States often steps in to assist others when disaster strikes is because we have the financial and logistical resources to do so. What sort of disaster relief to expect the rest of the world to offer at this point?

 

[Kevin Askew]

LOL Me get a grip.???? Yes im actually laughing on that!!Is France soooo poor, right? how about the rediculously rich arab countries? Cmon do some history lessons. Im not talking Somialia here, These countries that we all know & love DONT CARE like the us cares for others bottom line. When YOUR gas is 4 bucks a pop, then see how the wealthy nations sit back & watch the US carnage & light cigars with 100 bills. PLENTY of people that could AT LEAST muster some boots on the ground. Deep down ya know its truth.....

 

[Chris Sokol]

Jeff made the request, and it has been ignored...so, once again I will make it. Please do not turn this into a flame casting, foreign leader bashing, political thread. If the thread continues to go in this direction, it will be locked.

Thank You.

 

[Aaron Kennedy]

I'd like to think we don't need outside help. We're supposed to be the best country in the world in terms of technology an support.

We help others because we're the big kid on the block... We have plenty plenty of people to help with recovery.. we don't need others coming in.

BTW: In every other country, gas costs more than in the US.

We're bringing this sort of stuff on ourselves with 10mpg guzzlin SUVS etc.

Aaron

 

[Jeff Lawson]

Kevin, I have a B.A. degree in Political Science and International Relations. I know my way around this subject. I don't need your history lessons.

The fact of that matter is, you're using this tragedy to make a political point. Nothing more. Per moderator requests, I'll leave it at that.

 

[Kevin Askew]

Appologise for flame. Im not using thread for anything. Just fact thats all. Jeff, true you may not need my history lessons but its the way it is, thats not taught in books. Anyway, Some assistance offers from other countries would be appreciated. I wish I had some more vacation days to help in recovery/rescue, but in short term im giving blood this afternoon & wife & I have been cleanin our closets to send some stuff to those people. We might not have much but we are giving what we can. That is my point, nothing more. Internationally, govt's can give something..... Now all we can do is pray the ones trapped by some sort of miracle can be found.

 

[John Farley]

CNN reports that Germany has made an offer of assistance.

 

[Dan Cook]

http://service.spiegel.de/cache/internatio...,372425,00.html

Words fail me. :evil:

 

[Amos Magliocco]

On the radio this morning I heard some talk show hosts trying to whip up hostility against foreign countries for not offering aid, and against "Hollywood liberals" for not already organizing relief efforts like they have in other crises.

I'm not going to debate their points. Instead I hope everybody can turn off the radio for a moment and consider if what we really need right now is to find more reasons to be angry, or to blame some group, or to turn against the "other half" of the country and try and gain some personal satisfaction by attacking other Americans right when we need to pull together the most. Hate isn't going to solve these problems.

If you hear a talking head or radio host--no matter what his or her political orientation--trying to make you angry at other human beings right now, don't you have to question if that person's agenda is really the best thing for the country? Is this the way we're going to get through some of the most difficult decisions in our nation's history, like what to do with a million refugees? This is the time to tell the sensationalist hate-mongers to shut up and find ways to help, not divide us against each other.

 

[Mikey Gribble]

I read about those comments that were made by that German minister(that Dan posted a link to) the other day. It's just one more example of how someone always manages to blame the United States for everything, regardless of how ridiculous it sounds to reasonable minds. IMO global warming doesn't have anything to do with hurricane Katrina and the people that are saying we brought Katrina upon ourselves are just looking for an opportunity to criticize the U.S. If global warming was responsible for Katrina, where were the effects of it during tornado season? We could have used the extra water vapor that would have resulted from higher temperatures.

Edit: Amos is right about how we need to focus on helping others right now. I will donate what I can (which isn't much) just like I would expect others to help me if I experienced a similiar tragedy. I think are fellow Americans will step up to the task. After seeing the donations and the outpouring of support after 9/11, I believe we are capable of anything.

 

[Bobbi Andrzejek]

What I would honestly like to see, as a tax-paying American, is much of our generous funding of other countries stopped and the money used for our own people.

I am so tired of seeing my beloved country leap to the aid of every little country on earth and in some cases hearing those countries demand our help.

If we focus on ourselves for awhile, think of how many of our own problmes we could solve, how much money and resources could be put to use for our own people.

I know it's not practical, but I sure would like to see done.

 

[Tim Vasquez]

The Stormtrack staff has determined this has become a political thread.

You may continue posting but only to report news developments from news bureaus pertaining to the flow of international aid. The moderators will delete on sight any opinions or editorializing. This board is about the Katrina disaster, not about foreign policy.

Stormtrack staff

 

[Kurt Wayne]

...

Saudi Arabia and Russia offer to help. So does Canada.

 

[Anonymous]

If you live abroad and would sincerely like to help us, please make a donation to the Red Cross and request that the $$$ go to the Hurricane relief effort.

Many thanks!