NEWS: 9.0 Quake, Tsunamis Strike SE Asia - 275,000+ Dead

Originally posted by Banshee

France: $135,000, 100 rescue workers, 5 tons of supplies

[edit on 28-12-2004 by Banshee]

Watch out France...don't hurt yourself.

absolutely farking pathetic...

The aid by the rich countries is in one word pathetic! The highest by US is $35 million, which would be thrown away in 35 shows of "who wants to be a millionaire" Just to make you realize how pathetic that is. No wonder India has rejected it.

GDP - Purchasing Power Partiy:

India: $3.3 trillion
Indonesia: $758.8 billion
Thailand: $477.5 billion
Sri Lanka: $73.7 billion
Somali: $4.361 billion
Maldives: $1.25 billion

The peanuts dished out by the rich countries won't even help Maldives. If US, an economy of $10.9 trillion can throw away $3 billion a year in military aid to Israel, that does not even need it. Why can't it give $3 billion to these countries who do need it? It really goes to show you how self-serving and greedy America is. So much for that high moral ground.

[edit on 29-12-2004 by Indigo_Child]

Because the U.S. couldn't care less.....and here's the proof

www.cnn.com...

That was not the case with the U.S. government, Wachs told her mother. It took the couple three hours, she said, to find the officials from the American consulate, who were in the VIP lounge. Because they had lost all their possessions, including their documentation, they had to have new passports issued. But the U.S. officials demanded payment to take the passport pictures, Helen Wachs said.

The Indonesian province of Achche is nearly completely under water. The death toll there, according to officials, maybe 80,000-100,000 by itself!

According to United Nations coordinator Elmquist who have visited Sumatra, the death toll in Indonesia is expected to be 50,000-80,000. Elmquist based his estimation on experiences done with other disasters. The city Meulaboh alone may have 40,000 deaths.

Blobber

[edit on 29-12-2004 by Blobber]

The aid by the rich countries is in one word pathetic! The highest by US is $35 million, which would be thrown away in 35 shows of "who wants to be a millionaire" Just to make you realize how pathetic that is. No wonder India has rejected it.

Please remind me...how much money did India donate when the US was hit by numerous hurricanes?

*listens to the crickets churping*

Technology aids stranded tourists' rescue

Tracking mobile phones using technology reserved for eavesdropping and spying, has come in handy to locate stranded tourists and rescue them after the tsunami havoc in Sri Lanka.

The Tidal Wave Rescue Centre said it was flooded with calls and text messages after sending out alerts to those using international roaming phones in the island to register their presence, spokesman Chris Dharmakirti said.

The Hong Kong-based risk consultancy firm, Hill and Associates, said they made use of the rescue centre facilities and were able to locate at least 30 foreigners from the devastated areas of Sri Lanka.

"We extracted at least 30 foreigners from two of our corporate clients," Hill and Associate spokesman Charles Champagne told AFP.

Mr Dharmakirti said a group of foreigners rescued using their "cell triangulation" system had been employees of an international investment bank. He had earlier incorrectly identified them as employees of Morgan Stanley.

More than 600 people had been tracked with the use of mobile phones along the devastated areas.

Link

Says something positive for mobile phones.

Originally posted by Indigo_Child
The aid by the rich countries is in one word pathetic! The highest by US is $35 million, which would be thrown away in 35 shows of "who wants to be a millionaire" Just to make you realize how pathetic that is. No wonder India has rejected it.


The peanuts dished out by the rich countries won't even help Maldives. If US, an economy of $10.9 trillion can throw away $3 billion a year in military aid to Israel, that does not even need it. Why can't it give $3 billion to these countries who do need it? It really goes to show you how self-serving and greedy America is. So much for that high moral ground.

[edit on 29-12-2004 by Indigo_Child]

This pizzes me off.

I am a US taxpayer, and you have just called me, and all US taxpayers greedy.

You can pound sand!

I had hoped this crap would have been absent from this thread, but I was delusional.

Next thing you know, I will be reading "It's Bush's fault"

Ya know, I am wondering what the bank would tell me if I walked in and asked them to loan me a fewthousand dollars to give to my neighbor down the street who's been laid off for months and really needs the money. Think they'd lend it to me if I told them I was just gonna turn around and give it to them.

Isn't this what the government is doing, borrowing how many billions to give away every year? I don't feel like debating how much money our government wastes, misappropriates, or places in their favorite businesses pocket here. but well, we've been told that there's no money for schools, housing, road systems, ect. ect. This is why our state and local taxes go up every year. It kind of irks me when the rest of the world gripes because we haven't opened our pockets far enough. We don't have this money, It will be showing up in our bookkeeping under "deficit". Which is what is weakening the dollar, and well, hurting Europe.

We are one of the biggest contributors, or our government is, and well, the citizens will also be opening up their pockets and adding to it. Personally, I would rather see us cut back on all those aid programs that are just keeping starving people starving for another day, or at least use it to enable them to provide for themselves. Then when something like this does happen, well, maybe we'd be better prepared for it.
As it is, if we opened our pockets even wider everytime the UN or Europe balks that we just aren't giving enough (they bulked about the aids funding also, didn't they?), well, we'd probably collaspe the world economy.

As far as I am concerned, our government is broke, this is the message that I get from my local and state governments, and they are making it because of the cuts the federal made....since they are broke also...thus the massive deficit! The US giving money away is about as logical as me asking the bank for that loan to give my downtrodden neighbor.

I would rather see us have the money for situations like this than to give it to Isreal, or use it to "build democracy in Iraq", or send a couple men to mars though......I'll admit that.

THE first shocking images of Sumatra's devastated west coast emerged yesterday, leading authorities to dramatically increase the estimated toll from Sunday's disaster.

Link

Gives one an idea of how high some of the waves were.

Originally posted by smokenmirrors
This pizzes me off.

I am a US taxpayer, and you have just called me, and all US taxpayers greedy.

You can pound sand!

I had hoped this crap would have been absent from this thread, but I was delusional.

Next thing you know, I will be reading "It's Bush's fault"

As an American taxpayer, you SHOULD be pissed off. Your taxes support one of the richest nations in the world. Here you have one of the richest nations in the world essentially refusing to help (a 35 million dollar slap in the face to india is all that that is) a country in desparate need. Don't just voice your anger here. Call your congressman, other politicians; tell them your anger! Tell them how mad you are that the richest nation in the world can only afford a slap in the face for this global disaster, and nothing more... If we don't speak up the politicians, they will think everything is allright, and will instead continue on with their personal agenda's...

Btw, it's not Bush's fault at all. It is the American peoples' fault (that is including you) for allowing him to weasel into office again to continue his dictatorship-greedy ways...
Not that I am a Kerry supporter (he was the lesser of two evils though), but I'd bet he would've thought alot more about the humanity in the SouthEast... Our prez is probably just wondering how to get his hands on the oil investments & securities from the dead corporate executives over there to help him fund the upcoming serbian/iranian war...

Please remind me...how much money did India donate when the US was hit by numerous hurricanes?

*listens to the crickets churping*

Why should India, or any country, donate to US? US is the richest economy in the world, it's economy is bigger than the next 25 countries combined. US has more than enough to help itself. It spends about $1 trillion a year on weapons and black projects. Trillions just disappear without no apparent cause.

Come on, have more sense than that. This is much bigger than hurricanes in US, this is a multi-nation disaster, most of them are impoverished third world nations. They need all the help they can get. And US can help them, but it would rather give that help in military aid to Israel, because Israel needs it right?

[edit on 29-12-2004 by Indigo_Child]

SHAME ON YOU IRONDOGG!!!

The US contributes more actual money to international relief than ANY NATION ON THE PLANET!! Period. Its when you factor a precentage donated vs gross national does it look light. CNN.com reports that the US spends more on this aid than all other coutries combined.

SHAME ON ANYBODY WHO SAYS THE US IS STINGY!!!!

"We outmatch the contributions of other nations combined; we'll continue to do so," Bush spokesman Trent Duffy told reporters..."


"As of early Tuesday, dozens of countries and relief groups had pledged $81 million in help for South and East Asia, said the Geneva-based U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs."

The US's INITIAL help of $35million is nearly half what the entire world has offered so far. AND THATS JUST A START!!!!

SHAME SHAME SHAME. All you anti Americans can kiss my red white and blue a$$!!!!!!!

www.cnn.com...

This pizzes me off.

I am a US taxpayer, and you have just called me, and all US taxpayers greedy.

No, I called the US government greedy.

Well, gee, if $35 million is chicken feed to India and they don't want it, I'll take it....I know of a few shelters, food pantries, and other charity organizations around here that are really hurting pretty bad, I'll just send what's left over down to the city......they can use it for their schools....


Really though, I am wondering just what the real story about this is. I kind of think that it wasn't the UN saying hey, you're cheap, give up more, but rather, $35 million just ain't gonna do much considering the destruction. It's just that some of the powers that be really want a divide to form between the US and the rest of the world.

I stand by my statement.
According to my elected officials, the money isn't there for the schools, the food pantries, the shelters, and a whole lot more, including snow removal in the wintertime. So, they need more of our money. Well, so they don't have the funds necessary at the moment to do the basic duties assigned to them....like road repair and maintenance, school repair, ect. ect. ect......
So, obviouly, they don't have money to give away now, do they?

Indigo, you are flat out wrong.

The US government is many things, but one thing its NOT is stingy or cheap.

The US gives out more money than any other country in the world. Nearly double the second place country (Japan).

"By that measure, the United States spent almost $15.8 billion for "official development assistance" to developing countries in 2003. Next closest was Japan, at $8.9 billion."

www.cnn.com...


You people sicken me, using a tragedy like this to propagate your anti American agendas. Pathetic




[edit on 29-12-2004 by skippytjc]

[edit on 29-12-2004 by skippytjc]

Originally posted by IronDogg

Originally posted by smokenmirrors
This pizzes me off.

I am a US taxpayer, and you have just called me, and all US taxpayers greedy.

You can pound sand!

I had hoped this crap would have been absent from this thread, but I was delusional.

Next thing you know, I will be reading "It's Bush's fault"

As an American taxpayer, you SHOULD be pissed off. Your taxes support one of the richest nations in the world. Here you have one of the richest nations in the world essentially refusing to help (a 35 million dollar slap in the face to india is all that that is) a country in desparate need. Don't just voice your anger here. Call your congressman, other politicians; tell them your anger! Tell them how mad you are that the richest nation in the world can only afford a slap in the face for this global disaster, and nothing more... If we don't speak up the politicians, they will think everything is allright, and will instead continue on with their personal agenda's...

Well, in this case, the smaller the token offering, the bigger the slap in the face...so France's slap across India's face is 23,300% more egregious than ours.

Indonesia deaths could reach 80,000: UN official

The death toll in Indonesia's Aceh province from a quake and tsunami that struck on Sunday might reach between 50,000 and 80,000, a UN official says.

"I would say we are probably talking about somewhere in the order of 80,000 people, 50 to 80,000 people, that would be my educated guess," Michael Elmquist, head of the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) for Indonesia, told reporters on Wednesday.

"It's a guess based on the relation between the numbers we have so far and our experience from other earthquake disasters."

Mr Elmquist said the coastal town of Meulaboh alone may have had 40,000 deaths.

"The news I got from a Government official on arrival today was that their estimate was that a third of the population (of Meulaboh) had been wiped out, which would equal 40,000 people."

Link

It is amazing that some of the wealthiest countries in the world cant even come up with a million dollers.

Why should India, or any country, donate to US? US is the richest economy in the world, it's economy is bigger than the next 25 countries combined. US has more than enough to help itself. It spends about $1 trillion a year on weapons and black projects. Trillions just disappear without no apparent cause.

Come on, have more sense than that. This is much bigger than hurricanes in US, this is a multi-nation disaster, most of them are impoverished third world nations. They need all the help they can get. And US can help them, but it would rather give that help in military aid to Israel, because Israel needs it right?

We're not required to donate one red cent. Regardless, we donate more to international relief than many other nations combined.

Our economy is what it is due to the efforts of our countrymen. We won't apologize for it.

Your anger is a bit like complaining about Bill Gates giving more to a charity other than your own.

As for black projects, those black projects are partly responsible for our financial, and military status in the world. These investments are getting us a return, they aren't charity.

Same with Isreal. For that money going to Isreal, we have a foothold in the region, and a staunch ally in the region. Granted, I'll agree that we give far too much to them, but to use this as an argument?

Who else is giving India 35 million?

*Listens to those same crickets...*

Personally, if I pissed someone off (i.e. developing a nuclear weapons program in spite of objections) and they were willing to offer me 35 million to aid after I suffered a disaster...I'd be damned thankful for it. To not accept it, would be India's shame for not doing what it could for it's people.

Not to mention, all the assessments aren't in yet, and you can be sure that more will be offered...and this isn't EVEN considering private contributions, or the military contributions (such as the use of cargo and search planes, relief supplies, tents, MRE's, etc.)

I wasn't aware we were expected to foot the bill for everyone else's natural disasters when:

1. they never help us, and rarely even offer condolences
2. they constantly bash and resent us

When all is fine and dandy, it's like "American scum"...but when something like this happens, it's always "please sir, can I have some more?"

Bah!