Will the U.N or any other countries help the U.S. because of Katrina?

No it would not be cool. The US just lost a major city. Do you have any idea of how much that will hurt us?

Also why didn't the people down there evacuate like all the people that did?

It's not really that easy to evacuate a whole city in a short amonet of time. Then you have the fact that even right know just to evacuate they have no idea where to go. You have a million plus people and it's not going to be easy to get them all out.

 

I wouldn't bet on it. The world loves to take money from the USA when they are in trouble but they rarely give any back when we need it. I'd love to see someone prove me wrong. I really would.

 

Cynicism works best with a thorough grounding in reality, Vez. I'd say given that a large portion of the affected have no equity or assets, that a relief programme will be coming at some point. You seem to forget, naturally and of course, the amount of goodwill 9/11 brought on America before the neocons pissed it away with Iraq. But if you remembered it you couldn't play the "woe art we" card.


E_S

 

I think we all remember how much sympathy we got after 9-11. But it pales in comparison to all the aid we have dished out to nations that needed it in a jam. Now that we have our own disaster, where is the UN? Where are our supposed allies?

 

Actually, US foreign aid in most cases is quite stingy if you examine the figures.

I must admit, in the rush to suggest money should be given without thinking anything through thoroughly, my interest has been piqued into what exactly we should pour capital? We've heard no quoted figure at the amount of damages required; and at this stage the relief effort seems to be coping without the traditional request for aid going out.

E_S

 

good points.

 

Teh great E_S has spoken.

Do you seriously think that the USA is stingy in our contributions to the world when compared to other first world countries? I'd like to see you show some evidence to back up this claim because it is ludicrous in my estimation.

As far a 9/11 is concerned, I never denied that the world helped us then. But isn't it interesting that thousands have to die in a huge terrorist attack on New York City (arguably the economic hub of the western world) before the rest of the world even bothers to lift a finger? Not that you would care about such things, apparantly.

As far as the cost of damages due to Katrina, current estimates are around $50 Billion. The next thing you are probably going to tell me is that's just chump change. Well, whatever.

 

I don't know how great E_S is, but he does make some kind of effort to know what the hell he is talking about.

Here is evidence from yesterday's LA Times. Now, I'm sure they're part of the Evil Liberal Media Cabal, but it was the first thing I saw, sohere you go.

As for your second paragraph, what are you talking about? It took thousands of people to die before the world cared about the US? How so? They should have lifted a finger before 9/11? I don't get it.

You don't appear to know ---- about your own country's generosity with regard to foreign aid, dare I guess you don't know much about other parts of the world? Even suffering parts of the world.

fixed scrolling mark-up

 

In general, I don't understand all this "where are our friends now talk." You don't just get help automatically because there is a natural disaster, or because something bad happens, or because you might have something hurt your economy. That kind of stuff happens all the time to everyone. You get help when things are so serious it doens't seem like it can be handled on your own. Thus the getting help part. Until someone shows that US will be seriously incapacitated by Katrina in the same way Asian countries where incapacitated by the tsunami in December, I don't see why people are expecting the same type of aid to be flowing in.

As to the discussion at hand Vezner, I'm afraid Ender does have a point regarding US foreign aid. As can be seen from this website, a compilation of several databases (UN, CIA World Factbook, etc):

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/eco_eco_aid_don_cap

As you can see from the chart, the US is number 20 of the 21 countries whose foreign aid per capita is listed. The other 19 ahead of it can be qualified as first world, industrialized countries.

 

Insurance will cover most of the commercial damage and a big chunk of the residential damage. However, there may be some disputes over Hurricane damage vs. flood damage. A suprisingly small percentage of affected individuals in Louisiana and Mississippi carried flood insurance.

There's also federal flood relief as well as the FEMA expenditures and any additional resources that may be allocated by Congress in coming weeks.

It's an interesting time for people who've been morbidly curious about what happens when a major U.S. city goes under water.

In short, I agree with Jabba-wocky - way too early to be talking about pleas for foreign assistance. The U.S. economy can cope with the disaster. It's not like last December's tidal wave rolling over destitute, third world countries.

 

Firstly while I do not wish to understate the scale of the devastation or the suffering of those who have lost so much it is pretty clear to anyone of average inteligence or above that the US can cope with the situation. Estimates of $25 billion worth of damage might sound scary but given the size of the US economy it is a tiny sum.

That being said, if the US needs, or even wants, international assistance then it only has to ask. Inspite of recent difficulties in interntional relations the US still has many friends around the world who will be perfectly willing to help.

 

That being said, if the US needs, or even wants, international assistance then it only has to ask. Inspite of recent difficulties in interntional relations the US still has many friends around the world who will be perfectly willing to help.

This is absolutely my feelings on the situation. Leave it to Karde to sum it up so perfectly.

 

ok, I'll admit it when I'm wrong about something. My apologies (though I still think E_S is an egomaniac) .

 

Admitting you're wrong about something is totally not what the internet is about, dude.

 

That being said, if the US needs, or even wants, international assistance then it only has to ask. Inspite of recent difficulties in interntional relations the US still has many friends around the world who will be perfectly willing to help.



I just wish in time the U.S. can get many more friends back instead of losing them

 

Don't worry - you will always have Australia as your lapdogs.

 

Hey, guess what? Some screwball Christians are saying this was the work of God, as punishment for gays!

I've actually heard of this group.... I thought they were just crazy like regular Christians, but maybe they're a bit worse.

EDIT: I gotta sort out this link thing.

SECOND EDIT: Enter their site as a Christian to see the Stupid.

 

If that were the case, wouldn't Katrina have hit San Francisco instead?

 

So are the Fundies getting crazier, then, or what? It's 2005, folks, and we're supposed to be smarter than this.

 

That website scared the **** outta me.

 

Honestly, those people are crazy. What did they say when that church collapsed a few years ago? God was punishing them for not being Christian enough?

 

I'm starting to wonder if New Orleans as we know it will cease to exist in the future and some of the city will remain permanently underwater.

 

That's a scary thought. Nawlins and it's culture are too big a symbol of the American south to cease to exist. I know it's a lot to clean up, but having an event like Mardi Gras down there every year, I bet they have a pretty damn experienced cleaning crew. But seriously, if they have all they have all the neccessary resources at their disposal, than I believe, in time, it's possible we may be throwing beads again for split-second satisfaction via eye candy before we know it.

 

I, too, have been wondering about this. We don't even need money but any type of reaction or offer would be nice. I've only seen things from Germany and Russia.

 

I'll bet you ANYTHING that was made by the Phelps clan. They're insane.