U.S. Papers Blast Bush's Response to Tsunami
Update: The New York Times also blasts Bush, noting he has "finally roused himself from his vacation" to call the leaders of the affected countries. The Times criticizes Bush for trying to distance himself from the measly $15 million offer, says U.N. relief aid chief Jan Egeland was right on target in calling the U.S. stingy and that Colin Powell should be embarassed:
Mr. Egeland was right on target. We hope Secretary of State Colin Powell was privately embarrassed when, two days into a catastrophic disaster that hit 12 of the world's poorer countries and will cost billions of dollars to meliorate, he held a press conference to say that America, the world's richest nation, would contribute $15 million. That's less than half of what Republicans plan to spend on the Bush inaugural festivities.
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Original Post:
From an editorial in the Minneapolis Star Tribune:
The stingy U.S./An appalling performance
As the Bush administration is wont to say, actions speak louder than words, and America's actions in recent days have painted the United States as a rich, self-absorbed and uncaring nation that had to be shamed into anything approaching appropriate concern about this catastrophe. The Bush administration's handling of this crisis has been inept beyond belief.
Bush emerged from his holiday activities of bike riding and clearing brush today to announce more aid for the Tsunami victims. Reuters provides this account.
The death toll is now at 80,000 and expected to top 100,000. Millions of people in the Indian Ocean area are scavenging for food.
Foreigners rescued in the Tsunami are filled with praise for the Thai people. This is consistent with a half dozen first hand survivor stories we've seen on tv.
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan cut short his vacation to return to New York to aid in the relief efforts.
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