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Stingy Americans?: U.N. Official's Comment Hits Nerve of American Charity
TBO.COM ^

Posted on 12/28/2004, 10:51:27 PM by Sub-Driver

Stingy Americans?: U.N. Official's Comment Hits Nerve of American Charity By John Heilprin Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) - A suggestion by a U.N. official that the world's richest nations were "stingy" irritated the Bush administration, especially when U.S. aid for Asia's earthquake is expected to eventually rise from the millions to more than $1 billion.

The comment reopened the question of how to measure American generosity. The answer ultimately depends on the measuring stick.

The U.S. government is always near the top in total humanitarian aid dollars - even before private donations are counted - but it finishes near the bottom of the list of rich countries when that money is compared to gross national product.

The chief of U.S. Agency for International Development, which distributes foreign aid, was quick to point out Tuesday that foreign assistance for development and emergency relief rose from $10 billion in President Clinton's last year to $24 billion under President Bush in 2003. Secretary of State Colin Powell said assistance for this week's earthquake and tsunamis alone will eventually exceed $1 billion.

"The notion that the United States is not generous is simply not true, factually," USAID chief Andrew Natsios told The Associated Press in an interview. "We've had one of the largest increases of any country in the world."

(Excerpt) Read more at ap.tbo.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: andrewnatsios; foreignaid; humanitarianrelief; janegeland; niggardly; stingy; sumatraquake; un; usaid
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1 posted on 12/28/2004, 10:51:27 PM by Sub-Driver
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To: Sub-Driver

Maybe this UN a-hole should drag his butt out of his office and go help with the relief himself instead of criticizing us.

Maybe he'd like to donate 25% (or more) of his salary to those victims of the tsunami.

I doubt he will though. It's easier and more fun to criticize the US.


2 posted on 12/28/2004, 10:54:15 PM by MplsSteve
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To: Sub-Driver
Better to be still and thought a fool, then to open one's mouth and remove all doubt..

Globally speaking, of course..

3 posted on 12/28/2004, 10:56:01 PM by onehipdad (MY next bumper sticker: JUST GET OVER IT!)
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To: Sub-Driver
The UN that's a Laugh they should kick back some of the stolen Food for Oil money.
4 posted on 12/28/2004, 10:57:48 PM by Fast1
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To: Sub-Driver

Send the UN to Europe and take what we normally would give those UN thieves and use it in SE Asia to help the victims of this disaster.


5 posted on 12/28/2004, 10:58:55 PM by TomGuy (America: Best friend or worst enemy. Choose wisely.)
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To: Sub-Driver
Americans distribute huge amounts through private charities, because most Americans prefer to direct their own giving rather than have the government make those decisions. This concept is completely alien to European socialists and UN weenies.

What has the UN done for the victims other than hold press conferences?

6 posted on 12/28/2004, 11:00:41 PM by colorado tanker (The People Have Spoken)
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To: MplsSteve

Gawd- what a friggin' 'tard. Not that I hope my actions will contribute a snowflake to the avalanche that will prove this guy is stupid, but I have donated $300 to Mercy Corps for tsunami relief.

I suggest others to do similar. It's one thing to have the $$$ extracted from your hide at the point of a gun-- it's quite another to voluntarily write the check or click it on the website.


7 posted on 12/28/2004, 11:01:33 PM by agooga
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To: Sub-Driver

Consider that they are referring to "coercive philanthropy" only, i.e. tax money being used for charity. They don't recognize true philanthropy, i.e. the kind that doesn't require a gun to the head of the "giver".


8 posted on 12/28/2004, 11:01:56 PM by TheDon (The Democratic Party is the party of TREASON)
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To: colorado tanker
Americans distribute huge amounts through private charities, because most Americans prefer to direct their own giving rather than have the government make those decisions. This concept is completely alien to European socialists and UN weenies.

Agreed.

9 posted on 12/28/2004, 11:02:30 PM by TheDon (The Democratic Party is the party of TREASON)
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To: Sub-Driver

$24 BILLION!

That's no chump change.

Red6


10 posted on 12/28/2004, 11:04:20 PM by Red6
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To: Sub-Driver
Okay, I propose a one-year moratorium on US aid to foreign countries. That includes food.

If no one is grateful for what we do, let's just stop it.

A year from now we can re-open the discussion.

11 posted on 12/28/2004, 11:04:47 PM by Dog Gone
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To: Sub-Driver
but it finishes near the bottom of the list of rich countries when that money is compared to gross national product.

Some of these people live in mud huts! How in the world can you compare our charity as a percent of GDP when their standard of living is so low???

This money just feeds terrorists--it does NOT get to the people. We should not give one dime. I am ashamed of my country that we are giving anything to these governments who hate us.

The people from Florida have to repay 30 year "low interest loans" after four disasterous hurricanes, and these nations run by thug dictators are getting free cash money! Please, Bush and Powell, explain that!

I am ashamed of America.

Stingy? More like stupid! We are insane for sending $$$ to nations who harbor terrorists and are run by corrupt charity skimming officials.

12 posted on 12/28/2004, 11:04:47 PM by Dont_Tread_On_Me_888 (John Kerry--three fake Purple Hearts. George Bush--one real heart of gold.)
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To: Sub-Driver

He's a blockhead UN-Norwegian in a real bad suit-&-tie.

Pic here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1309734/posts

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13 posted on 12/28/2004, 11:05:43 PM by 7.62 x 51mm (• veni • vidi • vino • visa • "I came, I saw, I drank wine, I shopped")
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To: Sub-Driver

The world would be a richer, safer place if we were to take every dollar we currently give to the UN and instead give it to the US Marine Corps.

Move the UN to Somalia.


14 posted on 12/28/2004, 11:05:48 PM by glock rocks (Play an accordion, go to jail. It's the law.)
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To: Sub-Driver
U.N. Official's Comment Hits Nerve of American Charity

Ya Think???

I suggest stopping funds to the UN and the rest of the world to show these ungrateful JERKS just how stingy we really can be

15 posted on 12/28/2004, 11:06:09 PM by Mo1 (Should be called Oil for Fraud and not Oil for Food)
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To: Sub-Driver



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16 posted on 12/28/2004, 11:06:38 PM by Cheetah1
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To: Dog Gone
If no one is grateful for what we do, let's just stop it.
A year from now we can re-open the discussion.

I'll second that!

17 posted on 12/28/2004, 11:08:10 PM by Mo1 (Should be called Oil for Fraud and not Oil for Food)
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To: Sub-Driver
I think The guy from the UN is being misquoted. He did not say that the US was being stingy.

He said that people need help from the west, and that now was not the time to be stingy, it being Christmas time.

18 posted on 12/28/2004, 11:12:43 PM by conserv13
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To: Sub-Driver
".....has never accepted these standards that it should be based on the gross national product. We base it on the actual dollars that we spent."

Ya think?

19 posted on 12/28/2004, 11:13:26 PM by 506trooper (No such thing as too much inane, ammo or fuel on board...unless you're on fire)
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To: Dog Gone

i am on board with that. let them learn to be grateful for that which is given or not receive squat.


20 posted on 12/28/2004, 11:17:43 PM by xsmommy
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