Posted on 01/27/2005 3:25:52 PM PST by NormsRevenge
DAVOS, Switzerland (AP) - Former President Bill Clinton on Thursday questioned the Bush administration's $80 billion request to finance the war in Iraq when "a pittance" of that amount would allow the United States to double its aid and help end massive poverty in Africa.
Others at the World Economic Forum including Microsoft chief Bill Gates and British Prime Minister Tony Blair joined Clinton in urging rich countries to reach deeper into their pockets.
"You want to go save 4 million lives?" Clinton asked. "Give them the medicine. It's not rocket science, and it's so cheap compared to everything else all these rich countries do."
"Anybody who says we shouldn't do this because there's corruption and incompetence should be put in a closet," he added. "I mean, this is ridiculous."
Meeting the U.N. goal of cutting global poverty in half by 2015 was a top issue, though Middle East peace, bioterrorism and oil prices shared the spotlight Thursday at the World Economic Forum's annual gathering of top business executives, politicians and social leaders.
Israeli Vice Premier Shimon Peres said the recent Palestinian effort to move toward peace "exceeds our expectations," and he expected Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to meet the new Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, in "days, not weeks."
"I think we can move faster than we thought earlier - faster and better if nothing wrong will occur," Peres said at this ski resort in the Swiss Alps.
But the panel attracting the biggest audience Thursday featured Clinton, Blair, Gates, the presidents of South Africa and Nigeria, and U2 rock star Bono discussing whether the seven wealthiest nations and Russia - the G8 - will take action to end poverty in Africa.
A report to the United Nations this month concluded poverty can be cut in half by 2015 and eliminated by 2025 if the world's richest countries, including the United States, Japan and Germany, more than double aid to the poorest countries.
At stake is life or death for tens of millions of people, it said.
"We need this critical mass of resources to make a change, to make a difference," Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo said.
Blair, who is making Africa a focus of his leadership of the G-8 this year, said the continent's plight is "a scar on the conscience of the world." He reiterated his call for an African Commission to analyze what's wrong and prescribe how "to put it right."
"The absolutely key thing is to agree that the end objective is a very substantial uplift in aid," he said.
Gates, who has amassed an estimated $48 billion as founder of Microsoft Corp., said millions of children in Africa could be saved if there were enough resources.
"The fact that we don't apply the resources to the known cures or to finding better cures is really ... the most scandalous issue of our time," he said.
Gates has been one of the largest contributors to alleviating global poverty and recently pledged $750 million to support immunization programs in developing countries.
Bono made his own pledge.
"People want to be a part of something bigger than themselves," the singer said. "What else are we going to be remembered for, our generation? ... We will be remembered for three things right now: the Internet, the war against terror, and what we did or didn't do about this glorious continent of Africa and its travails."
"I think we can be the generation that ends extreme poverty, I really do, and I think I will spend the rest of my life pledged to that commitment," Bono said.
Clinton said American voters would never punish a politician for embracing the fight against poverty and disease in Africa, and questioned the Bush administration's commitment to the issue.
"Let's get real," Clinton said. "The president just asked for $80 billion for the Iraq war for a year. For a pittance of that we could double America's international assistance in all these areas. This is cheap."
Fluctuating oil prices remained a prime topic at Thursday's panel discussions, with analysts warning China's voracious economic expansion was demanding more capacity. But questions about whether OPEC would tighten its oil supply remained ahead of a key meeting Sunday in Vienna, Austria. Sheik Ahmad Fahd al-Ahmad al-Sabah, the Kuwaiti oil minister and the cartel's president, said the group would consider returning some of the oil it removed from the market in December, if needed.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican, called bioterrorism "the greatest threat" facing the world, and warned the United States and other countries are unprepared for an attack he predicted would come in the next decade. Frist is a medical doctor whose Senate office received a letter containing the toxin ricin last year.
Bubba is just doing his thing "I feel your pain." It's rubbish total lip service. Its easy to make grandiose statements as long a you don't have to pay for it out of your own wallet.
Then their is the term of tax cuts for the rich. Another mis-nomer. High income (P&L) does not necessarily mean that the Balance Sheet is in the black. For example, a guy EARNING $150k a year is taxed down to about $90k, has a mortgage on a "modest" home, and has 4 kids in college.
So, who is "rich?"
(shaking head, rolling eyes)
Yup!
Phony-balony religions, tribal feuding, and woeful cyclical ignorance, generation to generation, to name a few of the problems.
They kick the producers out of Zimbabwe and then wonder incredulously why there is no production.
X42 is just profiling so as to present himself as an all-knowing, all-seeing, all-wise potential world leader! (Yuk!)
Your an average Joe. You make $50,000 a year. Through a series of mistakes and bad investments you find that you are $200,000 in debt. But you've stayed on top of debt payments (barely) so you still have some abiltiy to borrow.
1. Your long lost cousing Frank calls and asks for a $20,000 loan to help put his kid through college.
2. The doctor says you need a bypass or you might die, an you need to kick in $40,000 on you insurance.
We are Joe. It's obvious even though you don't want debt you borrow for 2. It's also obvious you politely tell Frank sorry.
We all do this every day. Why can't Democratic politicians.
PS: Our ratios on earning to debt are worse than Joes.
He had his 8 years, he was too busy with Monica. Now he wants to tell President Bush what to do.
Bill, go hole up in your liebrary...
Allow DDT.
Africa is a cesspool. So Africa is communistic, Zimbawe is a joke, the rest of Africa is mess. Save Africa by giving them money, the liberals still do not understand that the will not get to those who need it.
Yeah, we only need you guys to send money. And by the way, down with America!! ( Just don't forget to send the check).
Seems everything and everyone coming out of the WEF in Davos has their hand out.
Seems everything and everyone coming out of the WEF in Davos has their hand out.
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