Just As I Thought

Maybe they should sell commemorative license plates

Rather than rant about President Bush’s lackluster response to the tragedy in Asia (wouldn’t want to interrupt that all-important brush clearing), I’d like to just point out two interesting statistics.

  • Total potential cost of the disaster: $13 billion
  • Cost of one month of U.S. operations in Iraq: $5 billion

  • Relief funds earmarked for Southeast Asia: $35 million
  • Cost of the upcoming inaugural: $40 million (not including taxpayer-funded security costs)
  • Cost of one day’s U.S. operations in Iraq: $167 million

In the midst of this, I should also point out:

[$35 million] is more than Britain, Germany and France combined. Japan is the second highest international donor, giving $US30million.

France has so far pledged just $170,000 [about $135,000 US], plus a plane with 100 medical personnel and relief workers on board.

So when will these European holier-than-thous pony up the bucks?

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