United States increases aid to $350 million

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-12-31 02:53pm

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6767190/

MSNBC wrote:The United States is pledging $350 million to help tsunami victims, a tenfold increase over its first wave of aid, President Bush announced Friday.

That sum will provide a substantial boost to the overall international aid effort to areas stricken by Sunday's tsunami. As of Thursday, nations had donated about $500 million toward the world's largest-ever relief effort, including $250 million from the World Bank, but U.N. chief Kofi Annan said even more was needed.

The increase in U.S. aid will likely silence criticism of Washington's initial offer, seen by many as meager in light of the enormity of the disaster and the wealth of the United States.

“Initial findings of American assessment teams on the ground indicate that the need for financial and other assistance will steadily increase in the days and weeks ahead,” Bush said Friday in a statement released in Crawford, Texas, where he is staying at his ranch.

“Our contributions will continue to be revised as the full effects of this terrible tragedy become clearer,” he said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this epic disaster.”

The White House announced Thursday that it would be sending a delegation led by Secretary of State Colin Powell to Indian Ocean coastal areas ravaged by earthquake and tsunami to assess what more the United States needs to do. The president’s brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, will travel with him.

Military backup
As fund-raising proceeded, militaries across the globe also geared up to help. A U.S. aircraft carrier battle group was steaming to Indonesia's Sumatra island, which was closest to last Sunday's quake and is home to most of the casualties.

C-130 cargo planes touched down there Friday with blankets, medicine and the first of 80,000 body bags. New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, Pakistan and scores of other nations also had planes in the air, rushing aid to victims.

"This is an unprecedented global catastrophe and it requires an unprecedented global response," Annan said, as aid agencies warned that 5 million people lack clean water, shelter, food, sanitation and medicine.

Relief flights headed to the region from Britain and France carrying bottled water, tarpaulins, cooking sets and medical supplies. Russia sent a third relief plane to Sri Lanka carrying military-issue tents, drinking water, water purification stations and disinfecting supplies.

Spain on Wednesday announced a contribution of $68 million. Relief agencies said Spaniards were depositing donations directly into bank accounts set up for tsunami victims.

Japan has pledged rice and $30 million in emergency aid and sent disaster relief and medical teams to Thailand and the Maldives. Britain pledged $28.9 million for the relief effort.

France announced $20.5 million in aid Wednesday and said it was sending 60 tons of aid to Sri Lanka, Indonesia and the Maldives.

Coordinating efforts
On Thursday, World Bank President James Wolfensohn announced release of $250 million for tsunami relief by telephone during a meeting at U.N. headquarters convened to plan the next steps in the unprecedented global relief effort, U.N. chief spokesman Fred Eckhard said.

Representatives of 18 U.N. agencies and private aid groups or coalitions participated in the meeting, either in person or via a telephone or video link, the United Nations said.

Thursday's meeting was the first in a series scheduled at the world body’s New York offices to focus on how to quickly gear up the aid campaign and prepare for an initial emergency fund-raising appeal to be launched by the United Nations next week.

Annan also held a videoconference with representatives of a four-country coalition announced by President Bush on Wednesday that will serve as “the core group” in relief coordination efforts, U.N. officials said.

Coordination appeared to be desperately needed in the chaotic aftermath of the tsunami. Survivors fought over packs of noodles in quake-stricken Indonesian streets Wednesday while relief supplies piled up at the airport for lack of cars, gas or passable roads to move them.

The United Nations will launch an international appeal Jan. 6 for money to cover the emergency response phase, but U.N. officials have said billions of dollars will be needed to rebuild the shattered countries.

Debt relief mulled
Meanwhile, there was a growing call among European nations, led by Germany and France, for the Paris Club group of 19 creditor nations to consider granting a debt moratorium for countries hit by the tsunami, to bolster economic recovery and rebuilding.

On Thursday, Canada announced it had taken such a move unilaterally and that it would urge other creditor nations about offering relief to the stricken nations.

Indonesia, which suffered the worst devastation, would likely be the greatest beneficiary of debt relief. It owes the Paris Club around $40 billion and is the largest debtor in the disaster zone, according to the World Bank.

A moratorium would mean little to countries such as Somalia and Myanmar, which stopped paying their debts to the Paris Club years ago.

Celebrities do their bit
International agencies reported an unprecedented surge in individual donations for disaster relief. The British-based relief agency Oxfam raised $1.2 million in three days from private donors.

Hong Kong Red Cross said it received $3.3 million in donations from the public and various organizations. Asia’s richest man, Li Ka-shing, who heads a global commercial empire, pitched in $3.1 million to disaster relief efforts.

Movie star Jackie Chan donated $64,282 to UNICEF, the agency said, and actor Chow Yun-fat, gave $25,600 to a disaster relief fund set up by Hong Kong's Apple Daily, the mass-market paper reported Wednesday.

In Thailand, the royal family, mourning the death of 21-year-old Poom Jensen, the Thai-American grandson of King Bhumipol Adulyadej, led nationwide calls for help for the survivors.

In the United States, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation pledged $3 million and Amazon.com said it raised more than $3.5 million in online donations to aid South Asian countries devastated by tsunamis.
© 2004 MSNBC Interactive

Post by **Mr Bean** » 2004-12-31 06:09pm

Only 350? Drop in the bucket for us AID wise... However its good to help the folks who bitched "Not enough" for how much we gave the first time around

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2004-12-31 06:35pm

Mr Bean wrote:Only 350? Drop in the bucket for us AID wise... However its good to help the folks who bitched "Not enough" for how much we gave the first time around

Well yeah, this is more like it. The initial aid amounts from all nations were stingy until the number started getting into the high tens of thousands then no gov't could really evade giving higher amounts without looking callous.

It's a broken record of a message, but this is a whole lot more than what the UN could have done yet they insist on trying to do the thing their way.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2004-12-31 06:46pm

IIRC Pentagon related spending is not included in any of these figures. So the airbridge of C-130's carrying the aidis pulling funds from a seperate budget. Ditto for the Navy.

Post by **Mr Bean** » 2004-12-31 06:51pm

Col. Crackpot wrote:IIRC Pentagon related spending is not included in any of these figures. So the airbridge of C-130's carrying the aidis pulling funds from a seperate budget. Ditto for the Navy.

Yes I think we've already spent the 350 by the time TWO FULL BATTLEGROUPS get there, loaded with supplies and essetionals

Mayabird · Post by **Mayabird** » 2004-12-31 08:33pm

I can't resist.

We're number 1! We're number 1! We're number 1!

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2004-12-31 08:56pm

I'm glad we're spending the cash on it. Though, I don't think the US should be shamed or compete to get the biggest donation.

Initial aid should save lives, follow up aid should get the countries back on their feet. Throwing money at the problem isn't the end all of it. Get the assets on site and determine what is really needed, then commit to that.

The Duchess of Zeon · Post by **The Duchess of Zeon** » 2004-12-31 09:26pm

Actually, we've pledged more money than this, because this is in addition to the early pledges. So the overall total is very close to 400 million USD now.

Col. Crackpot · Post by **Col. Crackpot** » 2005-01-01 10:06am

according to MSNBC, Japan just increased it's aid package to $500 million.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2005-01-01 10:46am

Col. Crackpot wrote:according to MSNBC, Japan just increased it's aid package to $500 million.

Is giving aid supposed to be a competition?

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » 2005-01-01 10:52am

neoolong wrote:
Col. Crackpot wrote:according to MSNBC, Japan just increased it's aid package to $500 million.
Is giving aid supposed to be a competition?

YES.

And you know who wins the competition? The people who fucking NEED the money. Let them do this pissing contest, the more money being raised and sent the better for the people presently suffering.

Prozac the Robert · Post by **Prozac the Robert** » 2005-01-01 10:54am

It's a real shame though that we care so much less about lots of little disasters or areas of poverty or life lost to disease than we do about the big shocking disasters.

Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba · Post by **Nieztchean Uber-Amoeba** » 2005-01-01 11:22am

'I raise $200 million dollars!'

'I raise $350 million!'

'$500! $500 million dollar!'

I couldn't resist.

Anywho, it's good that everyone pledging in enough so that they have a dollar for everyone person in China. Combine this with those battlegroups rushing to aid and hopefully the devastation could be repaired quickle.

The loss of thousands of human lives, that can't be repaired by money. But at least they're trying to help.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2005-01-01 01:50pm

DARN YOU JAPAN!!!!

They're now giving $500 million, according to CNN.

What's more, I'm too lazy to link the article.

Straha · Post by **Straha** » 2005-01-01 02:02pm

Well, we're just going to have to pledge "One thousand BILLION dollars"

Lets see Japan try to beat that.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2005-01-01 04:42pm

so, what, twice what we spend on our entire military

Chmee · Post by **Chmee** » 2005-01-01 05:16pm

Japan is doing the same thing we are, analyzing information as it comes in and adjusting their aid commitments based on the magnitude of the work that needs to be done.

Although it does humorously remind me of the scene in Casino Royale where all the world powers are bidding against each other for possession of embarassing blackmail photos of all their leaders.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2005-01-01 05:44pm

I should watch that movie.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2005-01-01 08:10pm

This can only be a good thing. Everyone knows America has to have the biggest penis of them all and Japan has this whole honour thing going on, so I'm going to enjoy this never ending one-up manship that will inevitably occur and so will those who benefit from it.

[Insert evil Bender laugh here]

Jon · Post by **Jon** » 2005-01-03 03:03am

Just how much of these 'pledges' will actually be delivered, huh?

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2005-01-03 03:51am

Enforcer Talen wrote:so, what, twice what we spend on our entire military

Almost exactly 2.5 times actually. Though it's only equal its self to about 40% of total US goverment spending.

SPOOFE · Post by **SPOOFE** » 2005-01-03 05:11pm

It's a real shame though that we care so much less about lots of little disasters or areas of poverty or life lost to disease than we do about the big shocking disasters.

Really? Where DID that $15 billion in foreign aid spent in 2003 go, then?

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2005-01-03 05:27pm

SPOOFE wrote:
It's a real shame though that we care so much less about lots of little disasters or areas of poverty or life lost to disease than we do about the big shocking disasters.
Really? Where DID that $15 billion in foreign aid spent in 2003 go, then?

What he probably meant was that the US donates far less as a percentage of GDP than what most other nations do, even if it is still more than most nations.

Post by **Sea Skimmer** » 2005-01-03 05:53pm

Admiral Valdemar wrote: What he probably meant was that the US donates far less as a percentage of GDP than what most other nations do, even if it is still more than most nations.

The US also has goverment spending, which as a percentage of the GDP is lower then most other developed nations. To badt for the world that the US leaves more money in the hands of its citizens.

Admiral Valdemar · Post by **Admiral Valdemar** » 2005-01-03 05:57pm

Sea Skimmer wrote:
The US also has goverment spending, which as a percentage of the GDP is lower then most other developed nations. To badt for the world that the US leaves more money in the hands of its citizens.

Well, I'm a strong "charity starts at home" supporter, but other nations obviously have other ideas. It's not how much money you have, it's how you spend it that really matters. The NHS here has all the money in the world, and it's the incompetent managerial bastards that aren't using it.

Aid money wasted is useless money, so I hope every penny is used wisely.