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| U.N.: U.S., others 'stingy' on foreign aid |
| 2004-12-27 |
| U.N.: Tsunami damage 'unprecedented' Emergency relief head calls on nations to step up aid UNITED NATIONS (CNN) -- The United Nations' emergency relief head called the tsunamis that devastated large parts of southern Asia "unprecedented," and warned Monday that it may be weeks before the full effects are known. The tsunamis were "not the biggest in recorded history, but the effects may be the biggest ever because many more people live in exposed areas than ever before," said Jan Egeland, undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief. With tens of thousands dead, many missing and millions displaced, still more serious problems lie ahead, Egeland said, including widespread illnesses. And it could take years to rebuild places that were wiped out, he said. "A lot of airplanes are already being loaded. Some are already airborne and going to the hardest-hit countries, like Sri Lanka," he said Monday afternoon, adding that experts had already arrived in Sri Lanka and the Maldives. The United Nations has been unable to reach some of its staff in affected areas, including people in Sumatra and Aceh, Egeland said. "When we do not hear from them we are afraid of what has happened." In a news conference at U.N. headquarters in New York, Egeland called for a major international response -- and went so far as to call the U.S. government and others "stingy" on foreign aid in general. I'd love to hear this wanker make that claim in an average American bar room. I doubt anyone could dial 911 fast enough to save his worthless skin. "If, actually, the foreign assistance of many countries now is 0.1 or 0.2 percent of the gross national income, I think that is stingy, really," he said. "I don't think that is very generous." This coming from a member of an incredibly parasitic organization. Someone needs to remind him about the UN menu at their world hunger summit. The U.S. government expects to spend $15 million in its initial response to the disaster, the State Department said Monday. The United States' overall foreign aid commitment is around 0.2 percent of its gross national product. The Congressional Research Service at the Library of Congress, in an April report to lawmakers, said total foreign assistance -- excluding the costs of reconstruction in Iraq after the U.S.-led invasion -- was larger in the 2003 and 2004 budgets than in any two-year period since the mid-1980s. "The 0.2 percent of U.S. gross national product represented by foreign aid obligations the past two years, however, is among the smallest amounts in the last half-century. The United States is the largest international economic aid donor in dollar terms but is the smallest contributor among the major donor governments when calculated as a percent of gross national income," said the report, which is posted on the U.S. State Department's Web site. Egeland said that in the United States, Europe, and elsewhere, politicians 'believe that they are burdening the taxpayers too much and that the taxpayers want to give less. That's not true. They want to give more." Like we're supposed to take this moron's word about spending other people's money? At a White House briefing Monday in Crawford, Texas, CNN asked spokesman Trent Duffy about the "stingy" remark. He said he thinks the United States is "the largest contributor to international relief and aid efforts not only through the government, but through charitable organizations. The American people are very giving, so we'll continue to be that and we'll be a leading partner in this effort that lies ahead." I just hope that this time around we learn to attach some significant strings to our aid packages. Egeland, at the U.N. news conference, said the cost of the devastation will "probably be many billions of dollars. However, we cannot fathom the cost of these poor societies and the nameless fishermen and fishing villages that have just been wiped out." He said that international responses in the wake of major disasters are often overestimated. "We need rich countries, rich individuals, even only those of us who are reasonably affluent to respond generously. Here we are facing people who have lost everything. Hundreds of thousands of people have lost everything. Millions of people are now living in the worst possible hazards of having polluted drinking water, no sanitation, no health services," he said, adding that the conditions are sure to lead to disease. He neglected to mention how the UN has served to keep in place many incredibly corrupt regional governments who have done next to nothing regarding disaster preparedness. "The important thing is that we give and that we as citizens also demand that our countries give generously to those who have been so hard hit." The tsunamis were triggered by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake, and Egeland said the quake struck less than an hour before Sumatra was hit by the waves. (Explainer: Tsunami and earthquake facts) UNICEF: Clean water crucial UNICEF Executive Director Carol Bellamy told CNN that the agency is doing "everything possible," focusing on getting blankets, medicine and water purification tablets sent to the affected areas. "Getting clean water to people is crucial," she said, and predicted widespread disease if that is not done. Yet, halting corruption that has forever interfered with the installation of sanitation infrastructure never seemed to be a high priority for these UN parasites. But that is not an easy prescription, she said, because transportation and communications in many of the affected areas are difficult even in the best of times. Asked about the concern that U.S. foreign aid is "stingy," Bellamy expressed confidence that the United States would chip in its fair share for what promises to be a protracted effort. "I think we're going to see a good response," she said. "I hope the American public will understand and support a long-term response." Asked what form of aid would be best for Americans to send, she did not hesitate. "I know people like to send cans of food or clothing, but the fact is money can get what people need quickest." The Center for International Disaster Information, which helps coordinate aid efforts, also urged people to give money rather than goods. We've heard it before, "Don't ask questions, just send more money." Time for that old tune to change! |
| Posted by:Zenster |
| #21 And um...what percentage of the UN budget goes to the eminently supportable UNICEF?... |
| Posted by: mojo 2004-12-27 11:59:34 PM |
| #20 If the Islamic OPEC countries can't kick down several billion, then America should adopt a matching funds attitude.None of this assuages my ardent desire to kick the living sh!t out of a sanctimonious @sshole like Egeland Good rant, Zen! |
| Posted by: joeblow 2004-12-27 11:43:35 PM |
| #19 Gotta go with TGA on this one. Time to make all UN dignitaries and staff fly coach. Just like it's time to relocate the UN's headquarters to Bangladesh or Eritrea. The nerve of this Egeland maggot is incredible. Hubris on this sort of level should involve waves of protracted jaw-clenching physical agony. I also have to commend the numerous comparisons with The United Way. It's sad to see so many small charities handcuffed to this totally incompetent 900 pound gorilla. It disgusts me to consider how many honest people have given up on making donations because of the routine nepotism and corruption within that organization. I never understood why all the United Way's board of directors' executive membership weren't sacked right along with their accounting department so many different times. It's difficult to tell who's taking a page from whom between them and the UN. I'm also going to go with smn and await fellow Islamic countries ponying up some real dough towards relief of their Muslim brethern. If the Islamic OPEC countries can't kick down several billion, then America should adopt a matching funds attitude. None of this assuages my ardent desire to kick the living sh!t out of a sanctimonious @sshole like Egeland. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2004-12-27 10:41:09 PM |
| #18 TGA - And there were probably 3 murders over that C-note after he blissfully flew away on our dime, too. Either something goes wrong in people who work for such entities, and I guess this applies to Gov't employees as well, or such jobs attract many of the wrong sort of people in the first place. Or a combination. What's truly sad is how much generosity from good hard-working people of good intent, the world over, is wasted or stolen. The lack of gratitude is a different subject - as a parent, I've already mastered my anger over that topic, lol! The UN is in very serious trouble. Clowns like Egeland exacerbate the problem and accelerate the end. An interesting psychological process, a step-wise sequence of consciously acknowledging what your subconscious has already decided, is fully under way. In classical Psychology, one flavor of the study of this process uses poker terminology to describe it: "When do you throw in a bad hand?". I think it's tick... tock... for the UN. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-12-27 10:09:54 PM |
| #17 I remember the "American Red Cross" as wanting to take donations given for 9/11 and use them as it saw fit but so much bad PR was got they relented. I see Red Cross on ambulances all over the world rushing people to the hospital. Well I don't even have a hosptial in my town anymore. I certainly don't have a Red Cross ambulance to take me to the one 35 miles away for free. The one ambulance trip I made once cost $3000 and it wasn't an "emergency" with red lights but I was forced to take the ride. The hospital we had was put out of business by all the state mandated free medical care provided by it's emrgency room to illegal aliens. I don't trust the Red Cross. I'll give money to anyone else. The Paleos and Jihadis seem to use the Red Cross as a front for smuggling weapons and fighters as far as I can tell. That and they seem to be able to bad mouth my country all they want without penalty by selecticvly releasing confidential reports about "abuse" they some how gin up to the level of torture and war crimes. Screw them. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2004-12-27 10:01:06 PM |
| #16 When I'm handing out money, and somebody calls me stingy, I suddenly get tired of handing out money. And stop doing it. |
| Posted by: Fred 2004-12-27 9:57:06 PM |
| #15 nope - I agree - they got wise, and cleaned up. |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-12-27 9:55:22 PM |
| #14 Frank - I remember when they became arrogant, ala United Way - but a big slump in donations turned them around. I saw a documentary-style report just a month ago, using the hurricane relief as backdrop, that was pretty convincing that they "get it" now - even to the point of faithfully segregating funds which donors have specified for certain uses / events. You can now donate and say you want it used for X - and they make the effort to do so. So, I was just giving credit where due - unless I was totally hoodwinked... heh... |
| Posted by: .com 2004-12-27 9:47:44 PM |
| #13 .com, you know there was that refugee camp in Africa. Some UN official visited it, lamented about the poverty... and then left 100 dollar proudly "out of his own pocket". He flew in from New York first class. A first class flight to Africa costs about 10000 dollars, plus accomodation. Here's the bone. |
| Posted by: True German Ally 2004-12-27 9:43:57 PM |
| #12 well, the former has had their bad moments, especially here in SD with wildfire loss donations, but it seems they've cleaned house and turned the corner (locally in San Diego)...the int'l lost all cred over the Mogen David Adom crap |
| Posted by: Frank G 2004-12-27 9:41:47 PM |
| #11 SPo'D - Please differentiate between the American Red Cross and the International Red Thingy, K? Lol! Not the same, don't share funds, and not even related other than in (stolen) name. The former does the good stuff, just like it's supposed to. The latter, well, I'll let you handle 'em - you've got a head of steam worked up and I know you could tear 'em a new asshole, so... I'll bring the popcorn, bro! |
| Posted by: .com 2004-12-27 9:37:07 PM |
| #10 TGA - Sheesh. I wish you ran the world. You cut to the bone, heh. :-) |
| Posted by: .com 2004-12-27 9:33:13 PM |
| #9 I saw this rich boy on TV. I WILL give when it's established who can get to most to the people who need it with the least overhead. This disqualifies The UN and the Red Cross in my eyes. I also will not give to any islamic counrty. I will be happy to give to Buddhists, Hindu, Christain, Anamist and , Pagans. .com you put it in much better grammar and perspective than I could. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2004-12-27 9:29:40 PM |
| #8 I caught him making the statement on video while scrolling past the BBC news tonight - it was at least as arrogant as it comes off in written form. According to USAID, the .2 percent figure is based on measuring a type of giving that accounts for less than 20% of US foreign aid. Total USG aid is more than double that, and 60% of US giving comes from private sources (i.e., Red Cross, religious charities, foundations, etc.) But if it doesn't come from a government source, and the correct account at that, it doesn't count for this clown. In fact, in relative terms the U.S. is one of the most generous nations on earth, and given the size of our economy, the absolute number dwarfs every other nation, especially those who like to think of themselves as our moral betters. Which surprises very few of us here. |
| Posted by: VMark 2004-12-27 9:29:14 PM |
| #7 Abolish all business and first class flights for UN officials of all levels. That alone would feed a million children. |
| Posted by: True German Ally 2004-12-27 9:26:26 PM |
| #6 ZF, I'd be more interested in knowing how much he is stealing from those he is supposed to be helping. |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2004-12-27 8:55:42 PM |
| #5 I saw this self-aggrandizing buffoon in his $2K Saville Row suit, Egeland, on FoxNews making these pronouncements - and he was, indeed, as insufferable, sniffy, arrogant, pontificating, and insulting as his written words imply. I found his remarks that people are eager to give more money a rather hysterical moment and he was clearly out of his depth, not to mention his mind. But events like this are The Golden Goose to the schemers, skimmers, and thieves of all stripes. They want big buckets of money instead of planeloads of drinking water, food, medicine, and clothing. Only in places where the fundamentals are luxuries are they instant wealth - such as Somalia. I was happy to hear that we are not planning to give any government direct cash aid (from Duffy) but, rather, get the planes flying - full of the right goods. Egeland, the UN, and all of the other parasites pretending to be the arbiters of aid (It's fun to be generous with other people's money, I'm sure.) had better wean themselves of the "you owe it to us" mentality - the last bunch of scam artists that tried that tone, The United Way, took it on the chin for the arrogance and has never fully recovered the donation levels they once enjoyed. |
| Posted by: .com 2004-12-27 8:53:45 PM |
| #4 Being that these are moslem nations, I want to see Iran, Saudi Arabia among others, to step up to the plate with humanitarian aid! And yes even China, who sells their cheap exports to the same afflicted countries. Short of this, not one red penny will leave my pocket! |
| Posted by: smn 2004-12-27 8:28:47 PM |
| #3 The first priority: Rebuilding 5 star restaurants and hotels in devastated resort areas for use as forward UN bases. Give til it hurts America! |
| Posted by: tu3031 2004-12-27 8:21:12 PM |
| #2 How about the largest source of US foreign aid. Namely in the cash paid for products we buy from all over the world |
| Posted by: Cheaderhead 2004-12-27 8:16:46 PM |
| #1 Article: "If, actually, the foreign assistance of many countries now is 0.1 or 0.2 percent of the gross national income, I think that is stingy, really," he said. "I don’t think that is very generous." It might be instructive to investigate this guy to see if he puts his money where his mouth is - does he donate 20% of his income to charity? Or does he just want the rest of us to do so? |
| Posted by: Zhang Fei 2004-12-27 7:57:54 PM |