Flood Relief

[The Wild Rover]

I remember when the Tsunami hit the south eastern Asian coasts, and the countries in the region were quick to criticize the USA on our lack of contributions. Our countries leadership's response was that we wanted to find out all possible information about the situation and consider what type of disaster relief would be most required, and in what amounts, and where. As far as relief, the USA gave the most, and continues to give, in all sorts of disasters world wide.
As I sit here in Minsk watching the horrible results of hurricane Katrina on the southern coast of the USA, mainly New Orleans, I have to wonder...

Is Saudi Arabia going to send aid? Is the holy sultantate of Bahrain going to send relief? Is the Red Crescent sending water, and food, and tents?

Watch and see. I may be wrong, and I hope I am, but I doubt it. WHY!!!???

Because WE are the Land of the Brave, and the Home of the Free.
WE are the melting pot. Every culture, every religion, every nationality...make US the USA. We ARE what the world should be. The people that left their shittholes and wonderful Taliban led societies came here for a reason. Our grandparents came here for the same reason.
And it is a simple reason.
To be free.


This is why America will ALWAYS BE #1!!!:2cents
Maybe as caring individuals we can EACH come up with a way to contribute in some small way. Give at your churches, and the Red Cross all that you can. Lets' take care of our own for once. Go to:
www.redcross.org
And give what you can.

[HeadRat]

Good points Rover, all of them. Just added a Red Cross banner to the main page.

[The Wild Rover]

I just read this on CNN this morning. I am happy to see that I was wrong, and the rest of the world is not against us in our time of need.
The oil-rich nation of Qatar has offered the United States $100 million to assist in the humanitarian crisis triggered by Hurricane Katrina.

CNN
"The state-run Qatar News Agency said Saturday that Qatar's emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, decided to contribute that amount for relief "and humanitarian supplies for the victims of this disaster."

The U.S. government has received offers of support from dozens of nations across the globe.

As of Friday, the White House had not accepted any offers, but Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the State Department was "working very closely with the Department of Homeland Security to match up what is available with what is needed."

There was no immediate word whether the United States would take Qatar up on its offer.

Other offers of aid and assistance have come in from countries around the world -- including from India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia, the four countries hardest-hit by the December 26 Asian tsunami.

The State Department said offers of help had been received from more than 50 countries, including:

Australia, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Belgium, Canada, China, Columbia, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Germany, Guatemala, Greece, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal, South Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela."

Give to the Red Cross

[The Wild Rover]

Just what are the pro's and con's of accepting aid from another country??
Are we too strong of an Empire to accept humanitarian aid from another. Will this admit we are weak? With all the jobs going to India, it's gonna be harder for the people of the USA to give
Or
Are we #1 for a reason. Grab your bootstraps, pull yourself up, and fix it ourselves? Quit policing and giving to others, and fix our own backyard first?

[Bontom]

I just read this on CNN this morning. I am happy to see that I was wrong, and the rest of the world is not against us in our time of need.
The oil-rich nation of Qatar has offered the United States $100 million to assist in the humanitarian crisis triggered by Hurricane Katrina.

CNN
"The state-run Qatar News Agency said Saturday that Qatar's emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, decided to contribute that amount for relief "and humanitarian supplies for the victims of this disaster."

The U.S. government has received offers of support from dozens of nations across the globe.

As of Friday, the White House had not accepted any offers, but Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said the State Department was "working very closely with the Department of Homeland Security to match up what is available with what is needed."

There was no immediate word whether the United States would take Qatar up on its offer.

Other offers of aid and assistance have come in from countries around the world -- including from India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia, the four countries hardest-hit by the December 26 Asian tsunami.

The State Department said offers of help had been received from more than 50 countries, including:

Australia, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Belgium, Canada, China, Columbia, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, France, Germany, Guatemala, Greece, Guyana, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Paraguay, Philippines, Portugal, South Korea, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela."

Give to the Red Cross

Can you believe the USA actullay had to stop and consider what kind of need there was? Hard to see from those ivory towers I guess.
Please give to the RED CROSS.

[Bontom]

I remember when the Tsunami hit the south eastern Asian coasts, and the countries in the region were quick to criticize the USA on our lack of contributions. Our countries leadership's response was that we wanted to find out all possible information about the situation and consider what type of disaster relief would be most required, and in what amounts, and where. As far as relief, the USA gave the most, and continues to give, in all sorts of disasters world wide.
As I sit here in Minsk watching the horrible results of hurricane Katrina on the southern coast of the USA, mainly New Orleans, I have to wonder...

Is Saudi Arabia going to send aid? Is the holy sultantate of Bahrain going to send relief? Is the Red Crescent sending water, and food, and tents?

Watch and see. I may be wrong, and I hope I am, but I doubt it. WHY!!!???

Because WE are the Land of the Brave, and the Home of the Free.
WE are the melting pot. Every culture, every religion, every nationality...make US the USA. We ARE what the world should be. The people that left their shittholes and wonderful Taliban led societies came here for a reason. Our grandparents came here for the same reason.
And it is a simple reason.
To be free.


This is why America will ALWAYS BE #1!!!:2cents
Maybe as caring individuals we can EACH come up with a way to contribute in some small way. Give at your churches, and the Red Cross all that you can. Lets' take care of our own for once. Go to:
www.redcross.org
And give what you can.

HEY DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN THE TALIBAN USED TO BE OUR FRIENDS? IT'S TRUE. :2cents

[HeadRat]

FoxNews - Kuwait is offering $500 million in relief. $400 million in oil products and $100 in other stuff. Uh, YEAH, we kinda got your country back for ya, about damn time you repaid us.

Pro's and Con's - I'm sure that if there is anything coming from Germany or France it goes something like this "vee vood like to send joo aid, and ve vill, but uh, hows about you drop dat oil for food scandal investigation vhere vee (France and Germany) vere getting paid under da table from Saddam before the vor?"

[drifter]

Now, that's funny right there, Headrat! I don't care who you are !! Funny, but oh so true.

[drifter]

WOULDN'T IT BE GREAT TO TURN ON THE TV AND HEAR ANY U.S. PRESIDENT, DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN GIVE THE FOLLOWING SPEECH?

My Fellow Americans: As you all know, the defeat of Iraq regime has been completed.

Since congress does not want to spend any more money on this war, our mission in Iraq is complete.

This morning I gave the order for a complete removal of all American forces from Iraq. This action will be complete within 30 days. It is now time to begin the reckoning.

Before me, I have two lists. One list contains the names of countries which have stood by our side during the Iraq conflict. This list is short. The United Kingdom, Spain, Bulgaria, Australia, and Poland are some of the countries listed there.

The other list contains everyone not on the first list. Most of the world's nations are on that list. My press secretary will be distributing copies of both lists later this evening.

Let me start by saying that effective immediately, foreign aid to those nations on List 2 ceases immediately and indefinitely. The money saved during the first year alone will pretty much pay for the costs of the Iraqi war.

The American people are no longer going to pour money into third world Hell-holes and watch those government leaders grow fat on corruption.

Need help with a famine? Wrestling with an epidemic? Call France. :lol:

In the future, together with Congress, I will work to redirect this money toward solving the vexing social problems we still have at home. On that note, a word to terrorist organizations. Screw with us and we will hunt you down and eliminate you and all your friends from the face of the earth.

Thirsting for a gutsy country to terrorize? Try France, or maybe China.

I am ordering the immediate severing of diplomatic relations with France, Germany, and Russia. Thanks for all your help, comrades. We are retiring from NATO as well. Bon chance, mes amis.

I have instructed the Mayor of New York City to begin towing the many UN diplomatic vehicles located in Manhattan with more than two unpaid parking tickets to sites where those vehicles will be stripped, shredded and crushed. I don't care about whatever treaty pertains to this. You creeps have tens of thousands of unpaid tickets. Pay those tickets tomorrow or watch your precious Benzes, Beamers and limos be turned over to some of the finest chop shops in the world. I love New York . :kib:

A special note to our neighbors. Canada is on List 2. Since we are likely to be seeing a lot more of each other, you folks might want to try not pissing us off for a change.

Mexico is also on List 2. President Fox and his entire corrupt government really need an attitude adjustment. I will have a couple extra tank and infantry divisions sitting around. Guess where I am going to put em? Yep, border security. So start doing something with your oil.

Oh, by the way, the United States is abrogating the NAFTA
treaty - starting now.


We are tired of the one-way highway. Immediately, we'll be drilling for oil in Alaska - which will take care of this country's oil needs for decades to come. If you're an environmentalist who opposes this decision, I refer you to List 2 above: pick a country and move there. They care.

It is time for America to focus on its own welfare and its own citizens. Some will accuse us of isolationism. I answer them by saying, "darn tootin."


Nearly a century of trying to help folks live a decent life around the world has only earned us the undying enmity of just about everyone on the planet. It is time to eliminate hunger in America. It is time to eliminate homelessness in America. It is time to eliminate World Cup Soccer from America. To the nations on List 1, a final thought. Thanks guys. We owe you and we won't forget.

To the nations on List 2, a final thought: You might want to learn to speak Arabic.

God bless America. Thank you and good night.

If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you are reading it in English, thank a soldier.

:cheers

[The Wild Rover]

I am speachless

[Justus]

Amen!

[Bontom]

I'M DUMBFOUNDED,
Can't we just try and get along? We are all in the same boat call earth. You would be pissed off too if you had your contract ripped out from underneath you. There is more to this than just being blindly patriotic.
Like you, just my opinon.

[Bontom]

FoxNews - Kuwait is offering $500 million in relief. $400 million in oil products and $100 in other stuff. Uh, YEAH, we kinda got your country back for ya, about damn time you repaid us.

Pro's and Con's - I'm sure that if there is anything coming from Germany or France it goes something like this "vee vood like to send joo aid, and ve vill, but uh, hows about you drop dat oil for food scandal investigation vhere vee (France and Germany) vere getting paid under da table from Saddam before the vor?"

Is Fox News the only news you can get over seas?

[HeadRat]

Actually No, World CNN is the most common news around the world. Fox is just more honest and fair.

[Bontom]

REALLY?

[Bontom]

REALLY?
MAYBE WE SHOULD JUST GET THE NEWS FROM RUSH OR HANITY. THEY SEEM TO HAVE A REAL HANDLE ON WHAT IS GOING ON. AT LEAST IN THEIR OWN SMALL MINDED WAY.
Guess I won't make any friends with this group!

[TheJester]

No, I agree with the Green Party idea. Here is what we should do, because I'm getting pretty sick of helping everyone too and then people hating us.

We should pull all the troops home from around the world, the entire world. Then to keep them employed, we should stage them along the Canadian border and Mexican border. That will take care of the illegal alien problem.

We keep everything like that for ONE YEAR. Along with that, you don't like us, hey, that's cool. You want to cheer when we get attacked and celebrate, hey, your people have the right to do that and to hold that opinion, but if you don't like us, that is fine, BUT, you no longer get our MONEY in support. A good example of this is how we get bitch at by Isreal and Palestine for not helping in peace negotiations. Hell, I didn't really like the guy, but Clinton and Isreal came to the table with a 95% deal to Arofat. HE WALKED AWAY FROM IT. At that point, we should have washed out hands of it and said, "well, you know what, we tried, not our problem, never been our problem, you guys just keep killing each other then".

Fast forward a year, after the world has plummetted into complete chaos. That's when you, as a country, can now RENT our military service. No longer are we the grunts for the USELESS AND CORRUPT UN. Oh, and believe me, you are going to PAY for our services. Our boys put their lives on the line, they have families to feed, and stealth bombers aint fucking cheap.

Just an idea, one that I agree with and my :2cents