U.S. ups tsunami aid from $35 million to $350 million, but not sincere


By Sinclere Lee

Washington (BNW) The first impression is always the lasting impression, and that is the case with stupid Bush’s change of heart to give more money to the victims in the South Asian disaster. Bush’s heart is not in the right place because he only had a change of heart only when the world condemned him for being a cheapskate.

Now, the United States has increased its aid pledge from $35 million to $350 million to help victims of the tsunamis in South Asia, BNW has learned. However, giving more money now because of pressure from the world community has made stupid Bush and the American people look even worse than we did before the increase in money because no one in the world believes we are sincere.

The increase followed criticism that the initial amount was far from enough.

The director of the U.S. Agency for International Development told CNN on Friday that the $35 million pledge was only the first step in U.S. aid to the countries that were devastated by Sunday's earthquake and tsunamis.

"The money was committed on Sunday when the emergency took place," Andrew Natsios told CNN's "American Morning." "It's action on the ground that is needed. We will get more than enough money from the president and I'm sure Congress later on when we need it."

Sen. Patrick Leahy Thursday said the initial U.S. offer "gave the wrong impression to the rest of the world."

"That's about half of what the little country of Spain is spending," the Vermont Democrat said. "We have to spend a great deal more than that. We should have been eagerly telling that part of the word, especially the Muslim part of that world, that we here in America are generous, a good people, and we are strongly committed to help them."

More than 135,000 deaths had been reported Friday in several countries along the Indian Ocean and that number was expected to climb as reports come in from remote parts of the region.

Getting aid into Indonesia's Aceh province has been difficult because of an ongoing civil war. Natsios said the U.S. has been able to reallocate staff and supplies into areas of the province that were untouched for four days after the quake and subsequent tsunami struck.

United Nations officials said that the international community had pledged a combined half-a-billion dollars in support, and that figure jumped to more than $800 million Friday when the United States increased its pledge.

Japan raises aid to $500 million, decision follows U.S. pledge increase to $350 million.

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has announced his nation would offer $500 million in grant aid for the tsunami-stricken regions of southern Asia.

Saturday's announcement makes Japan the single largest contributor in the relief efforts.

Japan had previously pledged $30 million.

The decision to raise Japan's funding level comes one day after the United States increased its aid to the region from $35 million to $350 million, which at the time was the largest contribution by a nation.

The increase followed criticism that the initial amount was far from enough.
The international community has now pledged more than $1.5 billion.

Aid has begun to reach tsunami victims in remote areas of Indonesia as a United Nations official says the de

Stupid Bush: Lower flags for tsunami victims

Stupid Bush says carnage 'defies comprehension'. Right genius, we all know that, and what a brilliant deduction!

Stupid Bush, seeking to bolster America's humanitarian image after the Indian Ocean tsunamis, called Saturday for flags to be flown at half-staff next week to honor victims of the disaster. It’s all a fake on Bush’s part because he doesn’t mean it, and to be that cold blooded, he must be some kind of an Antichrist!

A day after he raised the U.S. aid contribution to $350 million from $35 million, Bush used his weekly radio address to emphasize the need for private relief donations for devastated areas where massive waves killed at least 124,000 people and left five million others homeless.

"The carnage is of a scale that defies comprehension," Bush said, noting that $15 million of the U.S. aid has been disbursed to relief organizations in the Indian Ocean region.

"I have signed a proclamation calling for our nation's flag to be flown at half-staff this coming week.

As the people of this devastated region struggle to recover, we offer our love and compassion, and our assurance that America will be there to help."

He acknowledged that countries face a daunting task dealing with the consequences of the tsunamis.

"Their relief resources are stretched nearly to the limit," said Bush, whose administration was criticized this week for the pace and scale of its response to the disaster.

The administration initially pledged $15 million for tsunami relief but upped that to $35 million under political pressure. On Friday it announced the amount would be raised to $350 million, but critics say it is still too little.

Bush is sending a delegation led by Secretary of State Colin Powell and including the president's no-good brother, Jeb Bush, to tour devastated areas in Southeast Asia and assess assistance needs.

Critics have noted that the government authorized $13.6 billion in aid for hurricane-battered U.S. states, mainly Florida, before last month's election.

Bush said Americans were making important private donations to the relief effort but urged contributions through the Web site of the federal government's volunteer program, USA Freedom Corps, at www.usafreedomcorps.gov.

"Donor and fund-raiser alike represent the best of our country and offer an example to the world," he said. "Let us be mindful that even in this modern age, our world still requires compassion, tolerance and generosity from each of us."