Has any country/relief org pledged support for our hurricane relief?

[Squatch]

After this disaster, which the mayor of Biloxi, Mississippi called "our tsunami", I was wondering if any country in the international community has pledged any form of disaster support. Have any international relief organizations other than Red Cross/Crescent mobilized to help?

I know my home paper in Germany has a story of the disaster, but no mention of any sort of international response to disaster relief.

[wli]

1. Hugo Chavez n/t

[Squatch]

3. He's offered to help poor communities.

Has the US accepted?

[wli]

8. No, it's been ignored by Bushler et al. n/t

[acmejack]

6. I am thinking I need to take a trip to Venezuela

I would like to see and hear for myself what is happening there. Chavez seems to be leading that Country in a exciting direction.

[rodeodance]

2. Chevez from South America.

[Squatch]

4. Other than Venezuela?

[rodeodance]

7. Venezuela offers fuel, food to hurricane-hit US

posted on Du earlier.


Mon Aug-29-05 08:38 PM
Original message
Venezuela offers fuel, food to hurricane-hit US

CARACAS (AFP) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez offered to send food and fuel to the United States after the powerful Hurricane Katrina pummeled the US south, ravaging US crude production.

The leftist leader, a frequent critic of the United States and a target himself of US disapproval, said Venezuela could send aid workers with drinking water, food and fuel to US communities hit by the hurricane.

"We place at the disposition of the people of the United States in the event of shortages -- we have drinking water, food, we can provide fuel," Chavez told reporters.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050829/wl_afp/usweatherve...

[elehhhhna]

5. Chavez is offering cheap heating oil to America's poor this winter.

At least somebody's President cares about our poor & elderly.

[Squatch]

9. That's a very generous gesture...

has the US accepted that you know of?

[elperromagico]

11. No no, the US is planning to take Chavez out,

per Pat Robertson's instructions.

[jonnyblitz]

17. oh course not , Chavez is an evil dictator communist...

anybody that shows a concern for disaster victims or the poor IS one of those you know, a godless "red". Murka can't do business with the likes of him. praise jesus. :sarcasm:

[Rabrrrrrr]

10. That's a good question

I'm curious to see if anyone other than Chavez speaks out and offers some financial support/assistance to our disaster area.

[shadowknows69]

12. Why should they?

When the thailand disaster hit Shrub was AWOL for like 3 days then offered some paltry sum like a million dollars until he was shamed into offering some real aid (which i have my doubts ever even reached the people who needed it most) the rest of the world doesn't owe us shit except a swift kick in the ass for our leader's embarassments.

[Mairead]

14. Not to mention that our "tsunami" doesn't begin to have been like

the real one.

The mayor of Biloxi gave us an example of how privileged people tend to behave 'Oh, I stubbed my toe -- call out the National Guard and get the Mayo Clinic ready!'

[shadowknows69]

13. Why should they?

When the thailand disaster hit Shrub was AWOL for like 3 days then offered some paltry sum like a million dollars until he was shamed into offering some real aid (which i have my doubts ever even reached the people who needed it most) the rest of the world doesn't owe us shit except a swift kick in the ass for our leader's embarassments.

[Tinoire]

15. No need for them to

We have so much money we squander billions to slaughter people halfway around the world. Why should any country offer a dime to such a wasteful, destructive country? Yet some will and those good people should be thanked but there's no need imo. None at all.

[ohio_liberal]

16. The US never accepts aid from foreign countries

I think most of them have given up and stopped offering. The municipalities need to do an end run around the feds and get all the help they can.

[NYCGirl]

18. We're the richest country in the world. What do other countries have that

we need?

[shadowknows69]

22. We're flat fukin broke and worse

the only way we keep our "richest country" status is because we have more nuclear weapons.

[bribri16]

19. Cuba and Venezuela. Medical help and cheap oil.

[SoCalDem]

20. Donor countries traditionally do not accept or receive many offers for

aid..

If a millionaire in your town had his house burn down, would the poor & middle class people in town be expected to donate?

Same principle. We are the 'richest' country on earth..and especially now that we are in plain view of all ///dumping boatloads of cash into a worthless war that no one supports..

It would be difficult to convince people that we "needed" the help

[JHB]

21. Unless there's 200K dead in Biloxi, the mayor is whistling Dixie

Not to downplay the hit Biloxi has taken, but he's downplaying the tsunami by equating the two. The tsunami hit much broader areas of coastline with no warning (and thus no evacuations), in areas with far fewer resources to devote to rescue, relief, and recovery.

The only comparison an American should make between the two disasters is to thank out lucky stars we live in such a rich country, one that has warning systems like NOAA and the pacific tsunami alert network.