Quote:
Originally posted by Fishcop
Just going back to the initial discussion...
The tsunami was in a very third-world location, and no-body saw it coming. Living here in Australia made it quite a close thing, and I was amazed at just how deep Aussie's pockets were. America (if we are "timing" these things) was actually a little "late" in response and was unfairly critisized for it.
I have ABSOLUTELY no doubt that if you guys ask for it, your true allies (the same ones they've always been) will be there as fast as humanly possible. But I don't think you can compare the two events as being politically similar, and to consider that a third world nation could pay the US back in kind is pretty unrealistic.
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And in truth, the U.S. official response to the tsunami was not quick and initially embarrassingly small: $1.5 million, then $30 million. Ultimately, the U.S. was very generous -- both in terms of public and private response.
Regarding Katrina, other countries have pledged money and goods, but for whatever reason, the media reporting is minimal.