The NYT editorial page weighs in on the "Are We Stingy?" relief efforts debate and concludes that yes, we are. The paper contrasts the public perception that the U.S. gives 24% of its budget on aid to poor nations and the reality that we only spends a quarter of 1%. In 2003, America gave $16.2 billion in development aid, while the European Union gave $37.1 billion. In 2002, America offered $13.2 billion, while Europe contributed $29.9 billion. Also, very often, the U.S. does not actually deliver all the aid it promises.
Still, all spending is an indication of priority. When a country, a people, or a politician (do you like how politician get her/his own category?) allocate money towards a cause, they acknowledge the importance of that cause. When not enough money is allocated, the cause is deemed less important than a higher spending priority. In this case, the message couldn't be clearer. Helping the poorest nations on earth overcome one of the largest natural disasters in history is less important than the Bush inauguration. The inauguration of Bush is more important than rebuilding the lives of millions.
Now, I wonder. If (God forbid) a natural disaster occurred in the Western hemisphere, or even in the United States, would we, as Americans, not expect all other nations to (1) send their condolences immediately and not wait almost a week [note to Bush: since you're president and all, you'll sometimes have to disrupt your vacation, especially when 80,000+ suddenly die in the poorest region on earth. If you were a true statesmen you would fly to India and Sri Lanka to survey the damage and extend your personal sympathies] (2) contribute all that they can to the relief efforts.
Is it all too much to ask for?
www.politicalthought.net.
Article comments
— go to most recent comments1 - JR
Bush should not fly to South Asia to extend his sympathies. He would just get in the way of relief efforts, especially with the kind of security force he would take with him.
To some extent, I actually applaud Bush's willingness to stay out of the limelight after disasters. It would be even classier if he could do it without taking veiled swipes at Clinton.
2 - Aaman
Indeed - a politician's visit disrupts relief efforts - even the Indian Prime Minister has not visited the areas to avoid disturbing relief efforts.
It is crass to call any country that shares it's bounty, no matter how little, stingy - the real issue is the inability to address world problems with the limited resources that do exist.
3 - andy marsh
So, because the U.S. only gives about 40% of what ALL OF EUROPE gives, that makes us stingy?
And after we give it the world shits on us anyway?
Makes me proud to be AN UGLY AMERICAN!
4 - Sandra Smallson
Well, Britain has given 50million pounds=100MILLION dollars to the Tsunami cause. The great British Public in this short time have donated 25million pounds=50 million dollars. So, I should think that all the recent rhetoric of America being the number one with cash donations so far will probably stop because I should think 150million dollars is the most any country has given so far.
This is not about how much a country can give or has given, but as is always the case with Americans(note to Andy marsh) in every opportunity even in the worst situations, they are still trying to show they are the biggest and the best. Sometimes that is just not the case I'm afraid and it doesnt make u a bad nation. If y'all could just learn to appreciate others sometimes and know that it is possible to be second or third and still be good in certain circumstances.
Tony Blair hasn't shown his face yet. I would have expected that he would have by now. I think it was wrong of he and Bush not to have at the very least given a short televised statement immediately the magnitude of this disaster was known which was at least 3 days ago. I dont expect either to go to the epicentre of the crisis. Neither do I expect Blair to return to England from Egypt. Of what use will they be from far off? Still, a statement earlier would have been appreciated.
Clinton would have been out within a couple of hours offering his condolences.
People already hate Bush and Blair, why give them the opportunity to criticise further?! Who runs their PR dept anyway?!
5 - Purple Tigress
People give time and money for different reasons. However, the measure of the gift isn't always in how much is given but rather how much can be spared. Someone on a tight budget or with little time versus someone who has plenty of money and no need to work are really on different scales.
I think the greater question is why we have so much technology devoted to our need to know news like this tragedy and so little devoted our need to prevent such tragedies.
6 - Eric Berlin
From a coldly political standpoint, it seems as though it would be a no-brainer to issue a quick statement immediately following the tragic events acknowledging the loss and human suffering. And from a non-cold perspective, it's also the right thing to do for a US President or a UK PM. Perhaps they thought the events were too far off to really be on the minds of their constituents.
However, money is what really matters in such times, and I would think this would be the type of tragedy to really open up the coffers.
But what do I know?
Eric Berlin
Dumpster Bust: Miracles from Mind Trash
http://dumpsterbust.blogspot.com
7 - MFB
The US actually was aware of the coming danger but it was the lack of technology, and such, in that part of the world.
In general we give more than anyone in many ways. We are not stingy, we are the greatest country in the world. Unlike that bearded Scotish lady SS.
8 - Aaman
I heard one person from the US establishment say on NPR that they could not pass the information on because there are no agencies 'over there' to pass it on to - I guess he has never heard of the Indian Geological Survey, et al.
9 - MFB
This is a decent article on the Asian Tsunami warning system.
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/FL31Aa01.html
10 - Adam Bloom
There was a report posted on Slashdot or Boing Boing that said that the Indian Geological Survery DID know, but couldn't relay the information to the areas where it mattered. I wish I could find the link.
11 - MFB
There's a bit more on this link. I guess this is a situation where you have to let them handle these things the way they choose and not how we would like for them too.
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/27/science/27science.html
12 - Mike Kole
The natural disaster is unfortunate, and I believe that any donation given by any person or nation should be seen as a blessing, and greeted with only two words: "thank you".
But in policy terms, I am very much in favor of taking care of Americans first and the rest of the world later, if at all.
13 - Eric Berlin
"If at all"? Mike - I'm sure we have a fundamental disagreement on this, but I'm just curious, in an age of globalization, pandemics, non-state-based terrorism, and nuclear proliferation, that it doesn't pay off, long term, to help others along with ourselves?
In my judgment, it's self-serving to help other nations. It's also a nice thing to do, but that doesn't always make the best argument.
14 - Aaman
Mike, with that attitude, I hope America never has to turn to the rest of the world, begging bowl in hand, Ozymandias-like, in despair. Thankfully, this is not characteristic of the general weal, and the world knows it, and appreciates American efforts through the twentieth century (The Peace Corps, aid, education, etc)
15 - Eric Berlin
Strange new developments abound:
Bush 'Undermining UN with Aid Coalition'
http://news.scotsman.com/latest.cfm?id=3944374
16 - Purple Tigress
I believe in something like karma. By helping others, one also helps oneself, if not now, in the future.
My friend lives in the country (Nebraska). She was recently called to help a neighbor whose horse had been bitten by a rattlesnake. Likewise, she later depended on a neighbor to help her when her car became stuck in mud.
Living in California, I've been through earthquakes. I was here during the Northridge Quake, firestorms and the LA Riots. People needed to help other people. People outside of Los Angeles gave aid.
In a global community, helping our neighbors means creating and nurturing a community that will hopefully in turn rise to help us in our time of need.
In a global economy, when one area suffers economically, it effects the whole community.
If these people are our partners in commerce, how can it not effect us?
If we cannot overcome self-interest and see our neighbors as our allies and as a mirror of ourselves, how can we ever expect to find peace on earth?
17 - spiderleaf
Canada announced they are donating $40mm so far and the citizens of the country have raised additional funds as well (don't have the exact stats but is over $1mm). This from a country of 32mm people. 1/10th the size of the US.
$35mm is nothing considering that amount is spent in Iraq every 4 to 5 hours.
And to all the conservatives who claim we should be worrying about America first... shouldn't that include "winning hearts and minds"...
As John F. Harris and Robin Wright of the Washington Post cannily note, US President George W. Bush has missed an important opportunity to reach out to the Muslims of Indonesia. The Bush administration at first pledged a paltry $15 million, a mysteriously chintzy response to what was obviously an enormous calamity. Bush himself remained on vacation, and now has reluctantly agreed to a meeting of the National Security Council by video conference. If Bush were a statesman, he would have flown to Jakarta and announced his solidarity with the Muslims of Indonesia (which has suffered at least 40,000 dead and rising). [Ed note: I think sending Powell would have done the trick just as well]
Indeed, the worst-hit area of Indonesia is Aceh, the center of a Muslim separatist movement, and a gesture to Aceh from the US at this moment might have meant a lot in US-Muslim public relations. Bin Laden and Zawahiri sniffed around Aceh in hopes of recruiting operatives there, being experts in fishing in troubled waters. Doesn't the US want to outflank al-Qaeda? As it is, the president of the United States is invisible and on vacation (unlike several European heads of state), and could think of nothing better to do than announce a paltry pledge. As Harris and Wright rightly say, the rest of the world treated the US much better than this after September 11.
18 - mr.blake
Tigress,
Your friend has some balls messing around with rattlesnakes. That should qualify for her friend pushing her out of the mud at least 6 times and dinner.
Big deal canada's 40million. We have and will always surpass these other chump countries. It's only been a few days. Why is everyone getting in line for a pissing match over someone elses misfortune?
19 - mr.blake
Fuck the UN. They have shown nothing but continual incompetence. Kofi Anan is a dman joke. Yeah let the mighty shithole UN do it. Those people might get lucky enough to each get a little clean once Kofi has finished embezzeling. Kofi the biggest failure this world has known.
20 - Temple Stark
mr. blake - that was kind of depressing in a "we know you've already started drinking" sort of way.
But you'll piss match it away with the best of them. Congrats on that - shows what you're good for.
21 - mrblake
I think you're the one drinking. Do you take offense to people picking on Kofi?
22 - Sandra Smallson
If America is so big and bad why on earth did you not just fight the war against terror yourselves? If America does not need any help from anybody you should have gone into Iraq on your own. What the F are you doing in the UN anyway? What on earth are any Americans doing working and living outside the USA? Why dont they all just stay within your borders and when Osama comes "a" calling you sort your own shit out yourselves.
After all, neither France nor the UK, nor Germany et al benefited from whatever you guys were getting from Osama when he was your "friend" and you gave him weapons to drive the Russians out of Muslim land. When Sadaam was your friend as well, you never shared your benefits with the rest of the world. YET, when the student becomes the master you turn round and want sympathy from the rest of the world..
You GET it..and yet there are people like this dimwit MBF who do not appreciate anything.
America is allegedly the most powerful country in the world(The North Koreans must be laughing at that age old belief) but it is not the BEST by a long stretch. Neither is Britain mind you.
The point is, in todays world, it is impossible for any country to exist on it's own. You clearly don't have enough oil that's why you are in Iraq. You clearly don't have enough coffee and the list goes on and on.
After 9/11 you turned to the rest of the world for support and sympathy. It is not too much for the Asians to turn to you now for support and sympathy. Americans died in this quake too.
That's the beauty of nature as opposed to man. She doesn't ask for your passport before you are killed. Unless the likes of Mike and MBF can ensure that Americans remain within American borders and never set foot outside, I'm afraid you WILL have to be interested in what happens elsewhere.
I have a friend who lives in an Arab country. The American bars are always empty because they know if there's an attack, thats the first place to blow up. So, Yah, Mike, American life before any others if you wish. I bet you would like it if the rest of the world adopted YOUR attitude and asked the terrorists to please tell us when next they are going to attack you guys or American spots anywhere. We won't tell you beacuse you don't need us. You are so big and bad by your damn selves.The rest of us would like to get out of there first. By all indications, it's you guys they are after and they are only after us because we support you guys. That's because you went about lying with strange bedfellows and it's now come back to bite you in the ass. Now, its wa wa wa..we need coalition, these barbarians are after all of us and our liberty. No Shmuck. It's you guys they really hate. They just hate us because we support you. We support you beacuse we stand for liberty too but everyone knows the terrorists' real hate is America and not necessarily hatred for freedom.
Mike, keep up your attitude, just hope the rest of the world is better than you. If not they'll all be thinking...Osama and friends....indeed...AMERICANS First. By all means. Be our guest.
23 - mr.blake
Damn, why don't you right a book. Ask Tony Blair why he chose to go to war. The goddamn UN is really fucked up. Look at all of Kofi's stupid shit. I personally don't want to wait on fuck-up's like him to decide what's best for me or my country.
I'm satisfied, it's idiot's like you who may or may not even be from the UK, and all of the, "we ain't got no civil right's" fuck's crying. If you're not from here and don't pay taxes then fuckoff!
24 - mfb
A part of your cake hole babbling is called history. Alot of it crosses party lines for decades.
You have a muslim friend? I've had five close friends from Lebanon from the time they moved here some 14 years ago. Don't run that dick sucker to me. Know your damn role if you don't know who and what you're talking about.
25 - mfb
Kofi is Rwandan genocide king. Kofi should be charged in his international court on several hundred thousand counts of conspiracy to commit murder. Kofi is the no-confidence king.
The last time I checked George W. got re-elected and won the popular vote by the largest margin ever. You take Kofi and I'll take my President.