1) we are helping. we don't HAVE to, but we are, and more than most other countries. we ARE giving a LOT of money. just because spain is giving more doesn't mean we need to give more just because we have more.
2) not every american family is rich. not all of us do have a lot of money. there are poor people here just as there are poor people in other countries. there are also rich people here, just as there are rich people in other countries. american families only take home more money than some other families in other countries because of the customs exchange. an american dollar is worth more than a lot of other types of money. however, that does NOT mean we have more money. we have to buy food and clothes and other things and they cost more than they do in other countries.
3) we are in a war. we're not going to be sending even half of our military equipment over to southeast asia. we need our military for US. our military will serve US before ANYONE ELSE. that's why it's OUR military. yes, humanitarianism is good, but OUR military will serve US first and i'm sure any other country would do the same. therefore, no, we should NOT use our military to help other countries until we finish what we need first.

and the original increase from 15 million to 35 million had NOTHING to do with any criticism.

hmmm... good point. they could have been hiding in south asia. but this topic is very sad

I hate to be cynical but Asia wouldn't get the support they are getting right now if the number of tourists that died was lower. Money is only pouring in because a large number of tourists from rich countries died.

You might try and argue against that but it's true.

Look at Africa. It's been ravaged by famine and war for several decades but we still don't help them (not as much as needed). But one incident over there, caused numerous countries to help.

Actually thats where you are wrong, America does have to help in this situation. America has made itself the country everybody falls back on when something bad happens. That is the result of using our military to threaten any leader to get whatever we want. For the things we get we promise to help the rest of the world. Had America not contributed to this incident than the countries approval rating would plummet faster than the national debt. The fact that a country which has about 40 times less money than we do gives so much shows a lot about what kind of condition our country is in. I wouldnt be surprised if those Arab Emirate countries started dishing out some serious money just to show us up



The two things cant realy be compared, while Africa has been warring for a long time so has the Middle East, war is on those things that you cant really aid without joing the fight yourself. Africa has never had a massive loss of life like this, were talking about over 150,000 people. This could turn out to be the biggest natural disaster ever when all of these costal countries finally manage to get to every single island that has been populated. Those islands are gone with everyone on them. These islands could easily have anywhere from 5,000 - 100,000 people on each one. Countries usually always help out in times of natural disaster but it goes unnoticed because the damage was never nearly close enough to this and the donations are never $35 million.

well, i know that htey are going to be rebuilding homes/hotels/motels/misc. buildings on pilings [stilts] so that if god forbid another tsunami hits, then the buildings will not be damaged. Also, they are going to install tsunami/tidal wave sensors so that they will be prepared next time.

did you guys know ... they havent found any cats or dogs dead in the tsunami. they all sensed the tsunami was coming. i thought that was an interesting thought to add. lol

hmm...greedy? perhaps so. And you say "We should not use our military to help other countries until we finish what we need first." Ok, yeah, that makes total sense? What DO we need? Do we need to wait until every single person in Iraq is dead? OR do we have to be reassured by all might Bush that the war is over? [which sounds familar, if you've seen Fareignheit 9/11] Look what big of a deal we made when, what, 1,000 [im guessing] people died in 9/11? Try multiplying that by 150 times...what would we have done then? The fact of the matter is, that when the world is in need of help, America should step up [as the richest country in the world] WITHOUT being nudged to donate money...and contribute as much as all the other countries have.

Yeaa.... I heard that from the news somewhere, so that's true.

they say the animals can sense the earthquake from the vibrations.

anyways:

yes the US has to give more. it's either that or stop messing in everyone else's country and go back to thier own country.

and do you want to know something?
everyday we spend 161 MILLION DOLLARS in IRAQ.

in 3 days we've spent more in Iraq than we've given to all the countries hit by the tsunami.


in one month we will have spent 5 BILLION dollars in iraq.

in one month from the tsunami disaster (january 26) we will have given 350 MILLION for the tsunami relief.

although it is good that we are using our ships and helicopters to move supplies. that is an invauable aid.

anyways: the 350 million isa PLEDGE. we haven't given it yet. not yet. only a few million so far have been spent in the tsunami relief because all thos pledges are just PLEDGES.