Aid goes both ways!

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I was just surfing and came upon a screen shot of an exchange about why we should help Haiti when the international community didn't help us after Katrina. This response to the rant caught my eye:



I was skeptical when I read this. So...off to the Wiki. It amazed me. According to the article $854 MILLION dollars in aid was pledged. I never think of other countries offering aid to the US. We're big guys with all the money- Who knew?

This from a CNN article:

Among those offering assistance are India, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Indonesia, the four countries hardest-hit by the December 26 tsunami.

The wiki is interesting. Our state department turned down aid from lots of the "bad" countries. And it's not clear how much pledged money/aid was actually sent. But regardless, my own closed mindedness was exposed when I read about this largess.

Here are a just a few highlights:

Bangladesh

Donated humanitarian aid worth $1 million and said it would send 160 disaster management experts, including doctors, nurses, engineers and others.

People's Republic of China

On September 2, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that it will offer $5 million along with emergency supplies, including 1,000 tents, 600 generators, bed sheets, immediately for disaster relief. China also offered to send medical care and rescue workers if they were needed. This aid package consisting of 104 tons of supplies later arrived in Little Rock, Arkansas. A chartered plane carrying the supplies arrived on September 7.

Cuba

One of the first countries to offer aid, Cuba offered to send 1,586 doctors and 26 tons of medicine. This aid was rejected by the State Department.

India

India offered to contribute $5 million to the United States Red Cross for relief and rehabilitation of the victims. They also offered to donate medicines and large water purification systems for use in households and small communities in the stricken areas, where potable water was a key concern. India sent tarps, blankets and hygiene kits. An Indian Air Force IL-76 aircraft delivered 25 tonnes of relief supplies for the Hurricane Katrina victims at the Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas on September 13, 2005.

Iran

Offered to send humanitarian aid and 20 million barrels (3,200,000 m³) of crude oil.

Iraq

Pledged $1 million to the Red Cross via the Red Crescent.

Luxembourg

Team of five persons, 1000 camp beds and 2000 blankets.

Mexico

Kelly Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas received almost 196 Mexican troops, 14 truckloads of water, a mobile surgical unit, 45 military vehicles, 3 tons of purified water, and more than 250 tons of food, bottled water, canned food, disposable diapers and medical supplies. The Mexican Government sent $1 million through the Mexican Red Cross which collected an additional million, as well as 200 tons of food delivered in five airplanes from the Mexican Air Force by another Mexican Government body. The Mexican Navy sent two ships, 385 troopers, eight all-terrain vehicles, seven amphibious vehicles, two tankers, two helicopters, radio communication equipment, medical personnel and 296 tons of food as well.

So...belatedly...thanks World.
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