How good is America doing in their foreign affairs?

[DeadSeraphim]

[QUOTE=Baron Samedi][size=1]Two things I'd just like to point out, but I can't be bothered quoting.

Someone said that the US had only donated $35 million: Well, thats the old figure. It is now $350 million.

Someone else said that nobody would be giving more money than the US. Japan donated $500 million towards the efort.[/size][/QUOTE]
[COLOR=Indigo][SIZE=1][FONT=Arial]Australia has topped that again, and is pledging 1 billion on top of the 46 million already pledged. Granted, it's mainly to rebuild Indonesia, but it still a huge contribution for a country of Australia's size.[/FONT][/SIZE][/COLOR]

[Boba Fett]

[color=green]I?d just like to add this.

The entire world is donating to the Tsunami victims in affected countries. However, the infrastructure isn?t in place, especially in Indonesia, for this aid to be distributed. Most of the aid is being flown into Jakarta, far from where it is needed.

How is this aid being distributed? Not by the UN, or any of the other countries that have been hounding the US for more aid dollars. The USS Abraham Lincoln?s helicopters are working full time to fly aid from the airport to affected regions. In addition, security units that were supposed to be deployed to Iraq to assist with their elections are now being diverted to assist Tsunami victims.

The cost of these acts is not factored into the donations you see on the news. Bear that in mind.[/color]

[Roxie Faye]

[color=#9933ff]*nod* Actually, I saw something on the news last night that said these huge contributions might not even all get to the victims - according to the news article, it's all PR. It was talking about an earthquake that hit Iran last year. All these big countries pledged big donations, and less than half actually got to the city that was the epicenter (or got really damaged). I'm not saying this is the case with the Tsunami, considering that the news article never mentioned if the money was given to groups working to fix things up or the government. If they gave it to the govt. it probably went to fund a nuclear program. ¬_¬

But yes, all these contributions aren't going to magically fix things. They have the money - but currently (as of this second) they need [b]man power[/b], and Boba is right, no amount of money is going to fix that, unfortunately. >_<[/color]

[Juu]

[quote name='MistressRoxie'] I don't remember hearing about this at all. But let's assume it's true. I also read in the newspaper on Dec. 28th, that Saudi Arabia, at the time we had propose $35 million, were donating $10 million. OIL. OIL OIL OIL. The same goes for Qatar - OIL. The countries in the middle east that have oil are rolling in dough - they can definitely give a lot away. They make so much in oil it's not even funny. Their economy is also on the rise, while ours is in a freaking recession, so they can still afford to send the money.[/quote]

[size=1]But are you suggesting they're wealthier than America?... Also, it just so happens that there was a situation very similar to this earlier this summer. But of course, it was kept under wraps. Haiti (islands located about a puddle jump from Jamaica/Caribbean) were hit with massive storms during hurricane season in the summer of 2004. While the USA proposed (sorry, I had the number wrong the first time I mentioned this) [b]six billion[/b] towards Florida + other states hit, with 20 dead, they sent $60,000 towards Haiti where they were digging mass graves for thousands of people dead. And yet, Venezuela even sent one million, as well as the European Union (1.8 million). After being criticised then, just as now, about the meagre contribution, they finally raised it to 2 million. Just another recent-ish situation I found interesting.[/size]

[quote]The thing I don't think some of you take into consideration was at the time of the quake, the inital death toll was around 7,000. Then it was 15,000, then 22,000, 50,000, 75,000, 100,000, 150,000 people and I think its still rising. We didn't decide to give this $15 million knowing 150,000 + people had died. At that time, it was only 7,000 people or so, and the property damaged hadn't even begun to be assessed. How can you expect America to just throw their annual revenue of, what was it - 5 billion, I think - to the countries of the disaster when nobody even knew the figures of devastation coming out of it? You know what? I bet if we did spend that much money on them it still wouldn't be enough for you people who think America needs to take care of everyone. I stand by what Drix says.[/QUOTE]

[size=1]Well, we managed to spend [b]six billion[/b] for the hurricanes. But I do take into consideration the human efforts being sent, and I'm very thankful. What I keep saying is, his FIRST reaction of 20 million - not 35 million (that was the second press conference) wasn't exactly a fantastic way for such a powerful country where families have their own private swimming pools to respond to a disaster which hit a country where people were many people are still starving. And I never said America needs to take care of everyone, but we need to treat others just as we would want under crisis. We are constantly being aided internationally, but CNN and NBC in particular don't seem to fancy making a big deal out of it until America proposes something 'greater'.[/size]

[Mykul]

well of course America would spend more money to rebuild one of her own states as apposed to giving it to aid Haiti. im so sick of all the "ooo america polices the globe! western culture is invading!" crap. cus when natural disaster or terrorists strike, who does everyone hold out their little hands to?

and i think haiti is a poor example to use. in the real world you must give to your allies (and to the ppl you defeat for some reason?) and not to countries that really dont help yours. what has haiti ever done for the US other than send their drug dealers and derelicts into florida?

and you mentioned the EU contributing $1.8 million? MILLION? and some posters have the nerve to call MY country cheap? the EU consists of a good healthy few well to do countries and others that arent so much. WE are but one country fighting a war that we really dont have the funds to afford in the first place.

[Zeta]

Well I am not sure of exact numbers right now ot what but think of this. The US government is sending a good deal of money, though may still be small compared to what others want us to send. Why not inclue all the celebrities who will be adding lumps of money as well? Unless their money is all ready being counted, I am sure our sum total will be very high up there.

[Roxie Faye]

[quote name='Juuthena][size=1']But are you suggesting they're wealthier than America?... Also, it just so happens that there was a situation very similar to this earlier this summer. But of course, it was kept under wraps. Haiti (islands located about a puddle jump from Jamaica/Caribbean) were hit with massive storms during hurricane season in the summer of 2004. While the USA proposed (sorry, I had the number wrong the first time I mentioned this) six billion towards Florida + other states hit, with 20 dead, they sent $60,000 towards Haiti where they were digging mass graves for thousands of people dead. And yet, Venezuela even sent one million, as well as the European Union (1.8 million). After being criticised then, just as now, about the meagre contribution, they finally raised it to 2 million. Just another recent-ish situation I found interesting.[/size][/quote] [color=#9933ff]It was not "kept under wraps." I'm perfectly aware of what happened in Haiti during hurricane season - I'm sure it does happen once in a while, too, because it is a whole "season." Florida is a state in [b]our own country[/b]. Our obligation is first to help Floridians, and THEN to help other nations, not the other way around. It sounds selfish to you, doesn't it? But just consider it for a moment: The order of priority is [b]our country first and [i]then[/i] other nations[/b] - not the other way around. If you say: "Well.... it should be the other way around!" find me a country that has that attitude and I will wholly retract my statement. The fact that other nations were criticizing us totally proves my point - whatever we give we get criticized. We could have given nothing - we had enough on our plate with the hurricanes. But we gave to Haiti anyway, and then we gave some more to shut up the world.

Venezuela can also afford to send the amount of donation they did, because, once again, they generate a lot of money because of the [b]oil[/b] found in their country.

I agree with MehrLicht: The EU's donation was pretty weak, since it consists of MANY wealthy nations - the UK, France, Germany, to name a few. But I don't see anyone yelling at them.

[quote name='Juuthena']Well, we managed to spend six billion for the hurricanes. But I do take into consideration the human efforts being sent, and I'm very thankful. What I keep saying is, his FIRST reaction of 20 million - not 35 million (that was the second press conference) wasn't exactly a fantastic way for such a powerful country where families have their own private swimming pools to respond to a disaster which hit a country where people were many people are still starving. And I never said America needs to take care of everyone, but we need to treat others just as we would want under crisis. We are constantly being aided internationally, but CNN and NBC in particular don't seem to fancy making a big deal out of it until America proposes something 'greater'.[/quote] You may think that the donation was weak, but in comparison to all other initial contributions, it was pretty large. I think I might still have the CNN Article: [url]http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/12/27/quake.aid/index.html[/url]


I keep saying the same things over and over again, and I've seen nothing from anybody to convince me that we NEED to throw all the cash we have at every single country in need. I think I'm just going to stop debating now, because I don't think anybody's opinion is going to be changed by what I've said, and it's getting boring, reiterating the same position.

[quote name='MehrLicht']well of course America would spend more money to rebuild one of her own states as apposed to giving it to aid Haiti. im so sick of all the "ooo america polices the globe! western culture is invading!" crap. cus when natural disaster or terrorists strike, who does everyone hold out their little hands to? [/quote] That's awesome stuff. (P.S.: Do you speak German?)[/color]

[Mykul]

a bit. learned most of it from Rammstein and stallhammer songs. thanks for your the "awesome stuff" comment! its about time ppl started opening their eyes to these things.