Following a hectic schedule throughout the summer and fall--campaigning while leading our nation, President Bush decided to take some actual vacation days between Christmas and New Years. I think he deserves a little down time even though he is never totally free of his presidential duties. Unfortunately, a great disaster occurred with the tsunami. President Bush called leaders of the countries involved, he set the wheels in motion for our country to respond to the disaster with the typical sympathetic, economic and physical aid. Yesterday the MSM criticized him for not reacting publicly soon enough, not organizing a coalition of nations to provide coordinated disaster relief. Although the United Nations is supposedly the world body charged with humanitarian efforts, the most I have heard is the complaint of the US being stingy. As assessment of the broad extent of this disaster continued to reveal more areas of concern along with mounting death tolls, the US government increased it's promised relief funding. The average American began donating additional funds through the agency of their choice.
This morning the MSM reports that Kofi Annon will be returning from his vacation due to this disaster. This leads me to question, just how dedicated is Kofi to the well being of the world's citizens? Why was he not widely quoted by the MSM regarding how the UN would respond to the disaster? Why is it that the often despised United States and our President are held responsible for providing the bulk of the economic, physical and emotional response to this disaster. Why does it fall to the US to organize and lead the rescue and humanitarian efforts?
Don't misunderstand, I would far prefer that US funding be dispersed directly to those countries in need of help. I would not like to see more of the US monies going through the corrupt UN. I just feel this is one more example of the total failure of the UN to accomplish anything that needs to be done while dreaming up schemes in how that body can dictate to the US.
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Pat, although it may not seem like Kofi Annan is personally coordinating relief, he has someone who does it full time, Jan Egeland, the under-secretary general for Humanitarian Affairs. You see, the UN just doesn't respond to disasters, it's expressly part of the UN's reason for existing. Instead of talking about what they could do, they just did their job: http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=12928&Cr=tsunami&Cr1=
ReplyDeleteVarious agencies within the UN are already acting. UNICEF, the World Food Program, the WHO, UNHCR (refugees), the UNDP (Development) have already begun the relief effort airlifting and distributing food and providing emergency supplies.
The UN is doing what it's best at doing. Bush says he pledges at least 35 million. I'm not sure when it'll actually be available for the relief effort, but we know he's got 40 million on the table for his Inauguration. Spain, on the other hand, has already pledged 68 million.
I'm not saying we're not doing enough. God knows we pay most of the UN's bills. I'm just saying, it's rather absurd to say the UN isn't suited to handle the relief effort, because this is part of the reason we have the UN, and they've been doing their job throughout the years. And despite our criticisms of how some people messed up the Oil for Food program, they're still the best at handling relief.
Pat, I agree with you about the UN. They have destroyed their own credibility throughout most of the United States. Because there are no effective checks and balances the opportunities for corruption are manifold.
ReplyDeleteThe U.S. has promised 35M, besides the food, personel, water, medical help etc. we have already sent, and are there now. We have also promised more help, up to 1 billion dollars. I think we were called stingy because we did not channel this money through the UN so the dirty crooks there could get their filthy hands on it!