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Depleted Disaster Aid: Rejecting International Donations and the Using Resources in Iraq
While international donations have been pouring in for victims of hurricane Katrina, the Bush administration has been somewhat reluctant to accept offers from countries like Cuba and Venezuela. We speak with Phyllis Bennis of the Institute for Policy Studies about international donations and how essential resources have been stretched thin by the war in Iraq. International donations have been pouring in for victims of hurricane Katrina. Countries across the political and economic spectrum have responded. Germany and Italy have sent food, Canada and Singapore have provided planes and helicopters, and Greece is sending two cruise ships to house evacuees.
Afghanistan and Armenia both offered $100,000. Sri Lanka, a recipient of U.S. aid, is offering $25,000 cash. And on Sunday, the United Nations announced the US had accepted the UN's offer of assistance. But the United States has not warmly responded to all donations. The US was slow in accepting offers from Venezuela. Yesterday, Venzuela's ambassador to Washington said boatloads of gasoline are being shipped to the US. It will be sold on the market rather than donated.
Last Tuesday Cuba offered to send 1,100 doctors to assist in the crisis. Cuba said the doctors could have been on the ground by last Wednesday. But the Cuban government announced the U.S. State Department rebuffed its offer of aid. And the US rejected an offer by Iran yesterday to ship up to 20 million barrels of oil. The offer was made on the condition that the US waive trade sanctions with Iran. According to the State Department's Executive Secretary, Harry Thomas, the US has accepted offers of nearly $1 billion in assistance from some 95 countries.
* Phyllis Bennis, fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies and author of several books, including "Before and After: US Foreign Policy and the September 11th Crisis."
LISTEN ONLINE
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/08/142233
Last Tuesday Cuba offered to send 1,100 doctors to assist in the crisis. Cuba said the doctors could have been on the ground by last Wednesday. But the Cuban government announced the U.S. State Department rebuffed its offer of aid. And the US rejected an offer by Iran yesterday to ship up to 20 million barrels of oil. The offer was made on the condition that the US waive trade sanctions with Iran. According to the State Department's Executive Secretary, Harry Thomas, the US has accepted offers of nearly $1 billion in assistance from some 95 countries.
* Phyllis Bennis, fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies and author of several books, including "Before and After: US Foreign Policy and the September 11th Crisis."
LISTEN ONLINE
http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/09/08/142233
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