The United Nations is to last month's deadly tsunami as King Canute's ministers were to a normal wave. There's a difference, though: While those ministers of old needed instruction in their inability to command the sea, the UN needs instruction in its inability to command charity for the victims of the sea.

I'm referring to one Jan Egeland -- the UN's "emergency relief coordinator" -- and his opinion that the wealthier nations are "stingy" with disaster relief.

The United States bears the cost of about 25 percent of the UN's budget (and, by extension, Mr. Egeland's no-doubt comfortable salary). And what does it get in return? The opportunity to be snubbed and sniffed at by megalo-dilettantes. The Jan Egelands at the UN don't want to run the world. They just make an expensive hobby of pretending they already do.

In the meantime, the U.S. has, in all likelihood, already provided more aid to the tsunami's victims than all the other nations on earth combined ever will. Not just government aid, but individual, voluntary donations of a dollar or ten or, as film star Sandra Bullock gave, a million. Wow, now that's Miss Congeniality for you.

Truth be told, Mr. Egeland's real complaint isn't about the amount of aid. It's about who controls that aid.

Money given to voluntary charities ends up buying silly, non-essential things like food, water and medical care for displaced millions, instead of a new suit for Koffi Annan or a new BMW for Jan Egeland to attach diplomatic plates to.
:devilish:

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Irish---Better to be dead & cool,then alive & uncool!
(Harley Davidson & the Marlboro Man)

I'm sure that others feel differently,but after the "Oil for Food" or "Food for
Oil"(whatever)This is EXACTLY how I feel! Irish

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Irish---Better to be dead & cool,then alive & uncool!
(Harley Davidson & the Marlboro Man)

Irish.

Here is a partial list of world tsunami aid donors. It is a bit dated (08-JAN-05) but it shows that many nations other than the U.S. are in the thick of it.

Germany — $1.1bn
IMF — $1bn
Australia — $903m
European Union — $628m
U.S. — $550m
Japan — $500m
Britain — $285m
World Bank — $250m
Norway — $212m
Asian Development Bank — $175m
Sweden — $140m
Italy — $115m
France — $115m
Canada — $95m
Denmark — $75m
Netherlands — $69m
Spain — $68m
China — $65.1m
South Korea — $63m
Qatar — $25m
Russia — $2m

Here’s a link to some of the aid organizations helping out

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/4131881.stm

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Eudaimonia

Is that right!

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That was an e-mail sent to me.I'm not saying that other nations aren't
contributing,but I'm saying that they don't need the UN to do it & yes Sharni,
I know that Austrailia,has made a HUGE contribution. Irish
P.S. I am wondering who one person in the UN is to call someone cheap,
especially after bilking the POOR Iraqi people of billions of dollars,that should
have gone for their necessities!Pardon me but those are my feelings!

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Irish---Better to be dead & cool,then alive & uncool!
(Harley Davidson & the Marlboro Man)

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Sharni, you cynic!!

America has given their friends in the regions hit by the wave military assistance by the

billions since WW2.

This has given successive regimes the ability to stamp their good wishes on their people.

Seriously, many US charity co-ordinators are doing wonderful things to help the victims,

and the helos from the Carrier task force off Aceh are doing things which will secure life

for tens of thousands who may otherwise have succumbed to disease.

For our American fellow Pixies, Oz personal as opposed to governmental aid to victims of

the Great Tsunami is at present about $US16 per head. This translates to very roughly

$US4bn if we are matched buck for buck.

All this is on top of pre-tsunami commitments.

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Calm, quiet, smooth, devastating

I must admit,that I didn't read the WHOLE e-mail,before I copied it & pasted
it.All that I saw,was something about the UN & it set off one of my many pet
peeves.Sorry if I offended anyone!
Also,one of the reasons that I & wife are registered independants,has reared
it's ugly head.Already the opponents of Bush,have said that he spent to much money & didn't act soon enough?It was still one day before the UN
leader returned from his ski vacation.You can make all of the people happy,
some of the time.Etc.
It doesn't matter,how much aid,if you can't get it to the needy.The US,has
90+ helicopters,earth movers,troops etc.I worked at Sikorski Aircraft,for six
years & those helicopters use ALOT of fuel.Again sorry if I offended anyone.
That wasn't my intention! Irish :devilish:

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Irish---Better to be dead & cool,then alive & uncool!
(Harley Davidson & the Marlboro Man)

And your point is??????

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I think he wants you to post more pictures.

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Though I am different from you,
We were born involved in one another.

For it was not into my ear you whispered, but into my heart. It was not my lips you kissed, but my soul.

Complete surrender should not just come at moments in which one faces overwhelming odds, but in the calm when it seems one is personally in complete control of one's life.

I can neither confirm nor deny.

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Calm, quiet, smooth, devastating