Howard promises $1 billion in aid

[rooboy]

The Prime Minister, John Howard, today pledged $1 billion over five years to the Indonesia's tsunami reconstruction, the largest donation made so far for the relief effort.

On the eve of today's international summit in Jakarta, Mr Howard announced a historic package which includes $500 million in direct aid and $500 million in concessional loans. He said the Indonesian President, Susilo Yudhoyono, had been "overwhelmed" by the offer and "would never forget it".

The pledge, considerably more than the $500 million that had been rumoured, is a diplomatic coup for Mr Howard and will increase his standing in the region.

It follows a request from Indonesia for Australians to come into the heart of its Government and help lead the reconstruction of its stricken regions.

The aid would be delivered through a newly formed joint commission, which would be overseen by Dr Yudhoyono, with the involvement of the foreign and economic ministers of both countries.

Mr Howard, who met with Dr Yudhoyono privately before the announcement, said this would place the relationship between the two countries on a new plain and an even firmer footing.

"This is a historic step in relations between Australia and Indonesia," he said in the early hours of this morning.

Mr Howard said this was Australia's largest single aid contribution. In total, Indonesia would receive $1.8 billion over the next five years, which includes existing aid from Australia.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/Asia-Tsunami/Howard-promises-1-billion-in-aid/2005/01/05/1104832180468.html

[Burma Jones]

1. Is that a Billion Aussie Dollars?

Not that US Dollars are such hot shit these days...........

[Strabo]

2. Either way...

...he just more than doubled the amount the US is contributing.

[Burma Jones]

5. Ah well, we paid/are paying to make the world safe from Saddam Hussein's

WMD's, right?????????? It's hard work killing little brown people, ask God, He knows, The Xtian Right tells me so.....

Anyway, sarcasm aside, our private giving is over $200 million now, so let's not forget that. Although, it is a cornerstone of Judeo-Christian ethics that the highest form of charity is anonymous...........

[0007]

8. ....and the population in Australia is about 25 mil

[rooboy]

10. It's about three quarters of a billion US dollars. n/t

[Just Me]

3. All these smaller countries are humiliating the US,...huh.

Not that Howard doesn't want to purchase some good-will or anything like that.

[velvet]

4. that works out to

roughly US$765,840,000. Indonesia is our most populous and powerful neighbour and relations have always been delicate, especially concerning East Timor.

[sushi]

6. It's good for both sides

Obviously for Indonesia, and for Australia it's cheaper to cultivate a good deep friendship than having to deal in the future with a hostile Indonesia!

[diamond14]

7. bush* to victims: GOT CHANGE???? (editorial cartoon)

[Salviati]

9. So that knocks us down to #3 then right?

Seriously, if we had a real president, we would have pledged $1 billion they day it happened, instead of being dragged kicking and screaming from 15 million to 350 millon...

[rooboy]

11. I think Bernie Ward asked it best...

when he said that if Israel was hit by a tsunami * would have pledged a LOT more.

[bin.dare]

12. this makes me worried ...

... "It follows a request from Indonesia for Australians to come into the heart of its Government". the heart?

is this a surrender ? a coup ?

[rooboy]

13. It's always so hard to tell.

The Americans and Australians have been interfering in that country for nearly 50 years, but on the other hand, the Indonesian govt is so rife with massive corruption that it is incapable of doing many things properly. The Indonesian military runs much of the black economy.

Knowing John Howard and how he operates, I wouldn't be comfortable if I was an Indonesian citizen.

[bin.dare]

14. Howard was looking for an "invitation" back in 1999

http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/stories/s34261.htm

JOHN HOWARD: Well, it's entirely premature for anybody to be talking about that. We have a combat readiness. I certainly hope that that won't be necessary. You must remember of course that troops can only enter a foreign country in two ways. They only enter by invitation or by invasion, and we certainly have no intention of invading any country, so I think we have to keep the whole thing in perspective.

REPORTER: Mr Downer seems to think it might be a good thing to do after - or during the transition I should say...

JOHN HOWARD: I've read what Mr Downer said, and I know exactly what he said, and the point I'm making is that Australian troops would only go somewhere as a result of an invitation.

REPORTER: But if they were invited into East Timor if it did vote for independence, would the Australian Government be happy to do that?

JOHN HOWARD: Well, that is something that we'll deal with if and when it arises. The important thing for a country like Australia to do is to be ready, which we are, to offer the help that we are through the civilian police; offer the aid which we are; and then deal with each development as and when it comes.

[paranoid floyd]

15. Compassion in Freeptard Land

I'm sorry I should know better but I wandered over to the Freeptards to see their take on their good buddy Howard and I'm amazed at the level of insanity over there. Please, if you will, a few comments.

This is really getting sickening to me. After 911, small ministries were ignored by many donors who had maxed out their ability to give. Now, the same thing is happening again. I see no reason we need to rebuild tourist resorts or towns where no people exist anymore. I see no reason to replace thatched huts with modern condos. We keep them from starving and let the oil rich area finance their own development.

The destruction goes generally a few hundred yards inland. Except for Indonesia, most of these countries can handle everything themselves.

What we should do is take all the refugees from the tsunami and put them in stinking refugee camps and call it Palestine II.

These are all from the same poster. I know they're fucked but this is unbelievable.

Bring a bucket and check out the rest of the 'Compassionate Conservatives'.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1314661/posts