Powell: "Because that's what Americans do"

[melv]

Powell said on Tuesday in Thailand that the United States had thrown its financial and military weight into southern Asia relief efforts, not to gain favor in the Islamic world, but because it's what Americans do.

"We are doing it regardless of religion," he said, "but I think it does give the Muslim world -- and the rest of the world -- an opportunity to see American generosity, American values in action, where we care about the dignity of every individual and the worth of every individual.


www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/01/05/asia.tsunami/index.html

Comment: I am getting sick of the politicizing! It's what PEOPLE do, not just AMERICANS.

[indepat]

1. What we Americans do is out there everyday for the world to see in Iraq

[ET Awful]

2. Ummm, if "Americans" as he puts it "care about the dignity of each

individual," how does he explain the feces smeared prisoners at Abu Ghraib?

If he cares about the "worth of every individual" why doesn't the military keep track of the number of civilian deaths caused by their actions?

[elehhhhna]

3. if it's regardless of religion, why mention religion in the first place?

[Poiuyt]

4. That's what I was wondering, too

"Look at us! See how wonderful we are!"

[bryant69]

8. Well in all fairness

We do have an image problem in the Muslim World (and with good reason). I think underlining that we aren't always bad guys is probably smart policy.

Of course given Iraq, it may not help much.

Bryant
Check it out --> http://politicalcomment.blogspot.com

[whosinpower]

5. Here is a newsflash -

The TSUNAMI IS NOT ABOUT AMERICA. I will repeat - THE TSUNAMI IS NOT ABOUT AMERICA. It is about Southeast Asia, Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka and a host of other nations affected.

And we all see American values in action every time we hear news from Iraq...Abu Ghraib, and other torture centers. Sorry for being blunt - but it is the truth - and a little humanitarian work will not clean the stain of torture.

[beam me up scottie]

6. American values in action, where we care about the dignity of every

individual and the worth of every individual."
Really?
Should we tell that to all the detainees in that Amerikan Gulag at Guantanamo Bay? You know, the ones we will be holding indefinitely without charging them with any crimes just because they MIGHT do something illegal if we let them go.

[LynnTheDem]

7. Invade? Occupy? Kill lotsa people? Torture?

Oh...put on a photo op slideshow of US generosity. Yeah under the bush regime we do that well.

[robbedvoter]

9. "The oldest democracy in the world" - he called us to UN.

No, dear. Greece is the oldest. We're the deadest. And you don't get to take credit for our actions, you lying POS!

[noonwitch]

10. I think Powell is right, that this is what americans do to help

He's not there speaking for the whole world, he's there representing this country and looking for ways to better help the victims. Of course there are some politics and diplomacy involved, we live in that kind of world. We as americans are always generous in times like this, both as a nation and as individuals, conservatives and liberals. I gave some money to the Red Cross and will give more to a local fundraiser being organized by the local NBC affiliate, Home Depot, a few other businesses and the Salvation Army.

Not that I'm converting to conservatism or that I am blind to all of Bush's blunders in the last five years, but I do think that they are handling this situation pretty well. I'm glad of it, too, for the people in the areas affected. I don't have a problem with the american people getting a little credit for their generosity in the wake of tragedy, either.

[melv]

11. but the point remains

we should NOT be touting our own GLORY in a time like this. It sucks the compassion right out of the efforts.

[CWebster]

13. Fundamentally a myth

The US compared to other countries are less generous in proportion to their wealth.

[noonwitch]

14. I'd like to see you show some statistics to back that claim up

The american people are always generous in the wake of natural disasters. Our government has always helped where it can since becoming a world power. Name one other country that is contributing as much as this one to the relief efforts-not just in money, but in the military resources in organizing the relief efforts and delivering the goods to the people who need them. I don't know if that kind of aid is being figured into the estimates or not.

On top of that, individual american/western organizations will be kicking in with the money donated to them-the Red Cross, the Salvation Army, pretty much every religious denomination of all faiths, etc. We are good people, for the most part, who care about others in need.

I think that the administration's actions in Iraq are wrong. I also think that we should give credit when they get something right, which they are doing here. We can't get so caught up in politics that we can't get together to help out people in need.

[CWebster]

17. Well, actually, I've read and heard it in a number of places -

The first time that I can recall really being aware of it was in Afghanistan. Most recently it has been discussed in the mainstream news relating to Tsunami relief and I heard the white house spokesman claim the measure of the nation's wealth in proportion to it's generousity was an inaccurate mode of measurement. This is in addition to the US being shamed by the world to demonstrate more generosity--and then to wear it as a matter of pride "Look how good we are".

This is just another one of those myths that Americans are taught to entertain about themselves--like we saved the world in WW2 without considering the Allies, including Russia that lost an entire generation of men, or that we are "making the world safe for Democracy" as cover for imperialist plunder. It is all part and parcel of elevating nationalism to the point of arrogance--with American flags and yellow ribbons plastered everywhere blaring God Bless America in mindless lock-step obedient belief that we are all that is good and righteous and generous beyond compare.

Which is not to question that you, personally aren't a generous soul. ;)

[noonwitch]

18. Well, we did save the world in WWII

Russia may have saved herself at a huge price, but the rest of Europe would have sunk into generations of facism, even more jews, gypsies and others would have been killed in the camps and so on. Do you think that Britain and Russia alone would have beat the nazis? I don't.

[CWebster]

19. Much like the world shaming us to be more generous

Roosevelt had to sneak us into the war - which we now boast about being the sole saviors.

The US could care less about the Camps--they knew about them--there was a little article about in the back pages of the Grey Lady, and hell, we turned Jews, looking for a safe port, away from our shores.

For that matter, US corps were supplying Nazis with hardware and vehicles. See Ford, see Bush's grand daddy, Prescott.

[CWebster]

12. PR stunt is what it smacks of

Rather then out of a spirit of true compassion and generosity, the Bush administration, already criticized for stinginess, is so callus to mass suffering that it unabashedly talks about damage control of the US reputation as the motive.

But after all, what do they care about all the human suffering in Iraq? Tsunamis, wars--the results are the same.

[grumpy old fart]

15. For Bush Cabal, it's all about the PR....

This bunch has shown time and again it's all about "us". Look at the actions of Powell the other day when he walked into the headquarters for relief workers from many countries around the world....

<snip>
The US secretary of state, Colin Powell, came close to damaging his reputation as the Bush administration's leading diplomat when he walked into the room, strolled to the US desk, shook the hands of the people working there and then walked straight back out again. It was only when he was downstairs that an aide suggested he "might like" to meet the volunteers from some of the other countries, too. Reminded that he is part of an international relief mission, Mr Powell promptly turned on his heels once again and marched back up the stairs to belatedly press some non-American flesh. <snip>

http://www.guardian
.co.uk/tsunami/story/0,15671,1383549,00.html

The American people, by and large, are good and generous. Our Government on the other hand.....

[smbolisnch]

16. Like giving to charity, just so you can say you give to charity.

:eyes: