Atlantic Wire: Why Isn't the World Donating More to Pakistan?

[Turborama]

By MAX FISHER | August 18, 2010 9:11am

The United Nations has warned that the biggest challenge in the ongoing relief efforts for the millions displaced by flooding in Pakistan is the lack of money and supplies. Over a million Pakistanis lack even a tent to sleep in, and as many as 13.8 million have no access to clean drinking water, threatening outbreaks of serious diseases such as cholera, particularly among children. In the wake of the earthquake in Haiti, agencies and individuals around the world were far more generous, donating $1 billion USD within days. Why has the world been so much more sparing with Pakistan?

'Paltry and Pathetic Response' Former U.S. Ambassador to Morocco Marc Ginsberg writes, "UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, with the strong backing of the Obama Administration, plans to convene an emergency UN meeting to kick start international donations on August 19...with the U.S. already having directed $76 million in urgent emergency flood relief...evidenced by U.S. military helicopters running relief supplies ferried in from U.S. bases throughout the region. Unfortunately, of the $460 million deemed immediately needed by the UN for disaster relief barely 50% has actually been delivered, the lion's share from the U.S. and other western nations. Indeed, Deputy British Prime Minister Nick Clegg deemed the international response to be 'absolutely pitiful' with fully 25% of the assistance coming from the UK so far."

No Sudden, 'Telegenic' Loss of Life The New York Times' Neil MacFarquhar writes, "The international outpouring after recent disasters like Haiti or the Asian tsunami in 2004 was driven partly by the huge, sudden loss of life and the striking images of rescue efforts, he said. A slow-moving flood with a death toll of about 1,500 people fails to provoke a similar reaction." UN humanitarian coordinator John Holmes adds, "An earthquake is a much more dramatic, emotional, telegenic event because it happens so quickly."

Americans 'Wary' of Pakistani Government The Los Angeles Times notes, "Americans may be wary of sending more cash to a Pakistani government with limited capacity, one accused of being corrupt at home and a suspect ally in neighboring Afghanistan. Yet the U.S. government and others must step up the pace and scale of help to Pakistan. Individual donors too must open their wallets, as they did after Haiti's earthquake and the South Asian tsunami, if not directly to the Pakistani government, then to trusted private groups working there."

Full article with embedded links: http://www.theatlanticwire.com/opinions/view/opinion/Why-Isnt-the-World-Donating-More-to-Pakistan-4740

Related article well worth a read: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8968567">It's Time for Truce in the "War on Terror" so the Real War on Terror Can Begin Before It's Too Late

[KansasVoter]

1. The world is broke!!!

[izquierdista]

3. I believe tha Saudis have some dough

All these religions have some sacred verses about helping out the poor, but when the poor are visible, the faithful with money shut their eyes and beseech God/Allah/Yahweh/Zeus/FSM to help.

[Turborama]

6. This is from the 10th of August

From: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/aug/10/pakistan-flood-international-aid#

As you can see, at that point Kuwait gave more per head than any other country.

This is a more up to date interactive graphic (as of August 17) and as you can see the US has surpassed everyone else by a great margin: http://manyeyes.alphaworks.ibm.com/manyeyes/visualizations/pakistan-flood-aid-as-at-17-august

[sabrina 1]

9. The U.S. has some dough also. In fact we are spending

billions every month on the War in Afghanistan which apparently has sneaked across the border to Pakistan under the guise of supposedly fighting a war on terror where just this week we managed to kill several Pakistani civilians even as they are suffering under this horrific disaster.

If we used the funding for just one month, diverted the troops to Pakistan to save lives rather than destroy them, we would more than cover the needs of the country, and probably even the rebuilding of their infrastructure. And most of all do more for our own national security than the two brutal wars have or ever will do.

Since we have spent nine failed years trying to fight 'terror' and are nowhere near succeeding, I think our best strategy now would be to do just that. The result of such a project would be to garner good instead of bad will from a majority of the people there, and the minority of extremists would have a far more difficult time signing up recruits.

We owe it them as we have killed so many of their civilians with drones and bombs which has only served to strengthen the extremists cause.

It is the right thing to do. And I don't think we should make decisions on what is right by what other people do. We COULD set an example, take a leadership role and others would follow.

Do you really believe that anything other than the plight of 20 million people most innocent of anything, should be ignored for such petty reasons as 'well, let the Muslims help'? Didn't the world witness this kind of bigotry once before and stand by while millions died for similar reasons 'it's not our concern' or worse 'they're not worth saving'?

We have the money, we could be a shining example to the world instead we are spending billions on Bush's wars. Why should we stoop to the level of the lowest among us, rather than rise above the mob and lead the way to a better, more peaceful and safe world? We are probably the only country with the ability to do so.

[sabrina 1]

10. Not too broke to spend trillions on Wars. n/t

[Name removed]

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[mike r]

4. Poor ‘Marketing’ Blamed for Pakistan Aid Shortfall

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/08/17/pakistan-aid-shortfall-blamed-on-poor-marketing-of-crisis/

Poor ‘Marketing’ Blamed for Pakistan Aid Shortfall
By ROBERT MACKEY

As international aid trickled into Pakistan to help flood victims, Mark Malloch Brown, a former deputy secretary general of the United Nations, criticized the country’s leader for failing to make the scope of the destruction and the urgency of the need clear to international donors. In an interview on Tuesday, Mr. Brown told the BBC, “this is a very confusing crisis” and a visit by President Asif Ali Zardari to Europe – with a stop at his family’s chateau in France – while monsoon rains ravaged large portions of his country, had not been helpful...

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I suspect it's just very bad timing. We're in an economic crisis and people are broke, as pointed out above.

[Turborama]

5. Analysis: Why is the world not responding as Pakistan drowns?

Cross posting from Editorials: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x554488

[dipsydoodle]

7. Perceived risk of misuse of funds by their government .

The Pakistani Pashtun communities in the UK make their own arrangements to ensure funds and aid supplies definately reach those in need . We had a news feature on the subject earlier this evening.

Since the link mentions Haiti's aid of $1 billion USD within days......nothing like that has reached Haiti. A lot of such promises by the International community are either just puff an nonsense or maybe take the form of Monsanto seeds whatever. :sarcasm:

When Iran had a major earthquake some years ago the US promised a huge amount of aid. None of that ever reached Iran - just a publicity stunt I guess.

[OhioChick]

8. Why Western donors are snubbing Pakistan after giving to Haiti

"He believes the media is partly to blame for failing to adequately cover the impact of the floods. After the Haitian earthquake, correspondents from almost every news outlet were dispatched to the island, and Canadian broadcasters worked together to air a fundraising telecast.

And he wondered if the reaction to the floods has been impacted by the fact that Pakistan is a Muslim country."

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/why-western-donors-are-snubbing-pakistan-after-giving-to-haiti/article1675172/

[Name removed]

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