Just wondered what the US members views on this article are:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4215336.stm

I'd largely tend to agree with it. I don't think we need money particularly, but aid. The massive number of people left homeless is the issue at this point and money isn't really going to be a short-term help. Then again, the Red Cross is a private organization and doesn't have the deep pockets that the US government has.

Some of the best international pledges I've heard are from Greece, who pledged several cruise ships for displaced people to live on, and from Cuba, who pledged hundreds of doctors and other medical aid. Of course, we won't take Cuba up on that (despite Ms. Rice's statement that "no offers of assistance will be refused") because they're lousy Communists (or something -- I imagine we'll be accepting China's help).

Then there are the pledges from the likes of Sri Lanka, who, despite having just been devastated by the Christmastime Tsunami, have pledged $25,000. A wonderful gesture, but that amount is probably pointless to the US, and probably much better used by Sri Lanka itself.

I agree. It's not that we don't have the money, or troops, or food. We just don't have it HERE. When it takes 7 days to get someone drinking water, odds are not good that they are still alive. Food, on the other hand, you can last a few weeks, without food. Drinkable water was a hot commodity last week. Not to mention, with it being so hot, I was going through 4-5 Gatorade's and 8-10 water bottles a day. Then again, I was also working my ass off unlading trucks and distributing food/water. Funny thing is I was kept here for computer support, and all my systems were back up 4 hours after the storm passed. Since then I just do whatever's needed.

Then again, there are thousands of people who didn't have any insurance to rebuild or replace belongings or anything. How much is the government really going to give to those people. And if I was a victim who ended up getting very little and heard that the US refused donations, I would be most upset.

[censored]? Was Castro's gesture just a cheap stunt? I can't imagine any US administration taking any kind of aid from Fidel, especially not this one.

Is this whole event and the government response to it part and parcel of a capitalist system? To some extent it does seem that way.

Hmm. A large chunk of my previous post has disappeared, replaced by [censored], I can't remember any obscenities, can't remember what I wrote either

I think the medical help from Cuba should not have been refused. Many people died because medical help was not quick enough or there were not enough medical staff to help the numbers that needed it. Politics be damned in this kind of event, take what help is offered, we certainly aid enough countries.

Oops. Good thing they're giving us shots tomorrow then. I haven't had one in 14 years.

I'm allergic to tetanus booster jabs. Having one is more likely to kill me than not having one.

Oh, and Bangladesh has donated $1m to the US to help with NO.

That is just wrong.

Last time I went in for one, they checked my history and found I'd had four in total, and said that the current recommedations are that once you've had three booster shots you're immune for life.

pca