KELLY DAVIES
Staff Writer
The deadly earthquake on Oct. 8 in Kashmir, the border that divides India and Pakistan, has stirred the world into action. The death toll is reported at more than 80,000. A second earthquake on Oct. 23 in Kabul, Pakistan, killed five people. The United Nations arrived to offer aid after the natural disaster, at the same time President Bush said he would send eight helicopters carrying money and other goods to the broken country.
Those eight helicopters are only the beginning of U.S. aid to Pakistan. The United States will likely send millions of dollars within the next few weeks. That causes me to wonder, why do so many in the world still view us as the “ugly Americans?”
For the better part of a decade, America has been first in total disbursements of foreign aid, competing only with Japan for the top spot. Last year, America gave more than $3.2 billion to Africa — more than triple the amount in 2000. That’s to say we have not only focus on ourselves after Sept. 11, 2001.
Granted, American foreign policy has changed since that day. We now contribute more money to foreign countries under the condition that they fight terrorism. But that’s part of the deal. When you’re the big kids on the block, you help those who help you, and you work together. Makes for a mighty friendly neighborhood if you’re willing to join the block party. Those who refuse to join suffer from envy, yet they still want — and think they deserve — a piece of the pie. They ask not “what have you done for me,” but “what have you done for me lately?” And the answer is — a lot.
More than $1.4 billion in private donations in humanitarian assistance has been given to Africa this year. Bush last year attempted to give $15 billion for the Global AIDS Initiative, although his pledge was not successful. However, his thoughts were in the right place and steps were being taken to help others.
The victims of December’s catastrophic tsunami in Southeast Asia received more than $1 billion in private donations. These funds were coupled with $950 million that Bush requested from Congress. The victims of our nation’s catastrophe caused by Hurricane Katrina received nearly $2 billion. This is just a handful of the regions that have received U.S. aid across the world, in medicine, food and gifts. The list goes on and on.
Critics of the United States will continue to call us “ugly,” “occupiers” and “selfish.” I do not see the selfishness in our donations. Those who do not agree with foreign policy may call us ugly, but I think given half a chance to come here, they would. And if we had occupied Japan after World War II, I might call us occupiers, but history proves otherwise. Those who say we are occupying Iraq just have a different idea of the purpose of the mission. If we so loathe Muslims, why do we bleed and die for them?
Foreign aid only accounts for 1percent of the annual U.S. budget. Relatively, we aren’t quite paying our dues. But we are trying. No one can say that we aren’t trying. The amount of money we have donated adds up, and the standard we have set will encourage future generations to continue to give. This country deserves just a little more credit. Critics may refuse to be part of the neighborhood, but I think if they took another look at the numbers, they might be more willing to join the block party.
10-27-2005