Japan backs Bush's four-nation tsunami aid initiative
TOKYO — Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura on Thursday supported U.S. President George W Bush's initiative involving Japan, Australia and India aimed at helping victims of the massive earthquake and tsunamis in Asia.
(snip)
Machimura told reporters he expected the four countries to start the envisaged joint military operation to gather information about damage from the disaster and what the affected people need.
(snip)
Marc Grossman, undersecretary of state, will lead a U.S. task force to coordinate the American response and urge other nations to assist in relief efforts. He participated in a 40-minute conference call Wednesday night with senior Japanese, Australian and Indian officials. State Department spokesman Noel Clay said they agreed to try to avoid duplicating efforts, by each other and the United Nations, to help the victims.
(snip)
Australian Prime Minister John Howard said: "The whole idea is to bring this together. Obviously our contacts with the Indonesian government is more extensive than perhaps the U.S. government has with Indonesia. In turn, Japan's contact with other countries might be more extensive than ours."
(snip) read in entirety at link above
No doubt, neither logic nor the unmitigated support of the aid coalition members will quell the verbal onslaught by the domestic and international leftists. To them, only the UN has the "moral authority" to be in charge of coordinating aid efforts.
But WAIT... there's MORE to this article. Congressional members are already beginning to panic, looking for places to cut the budget. Far be it they offer to give up their sundry welfaresque programs. But nooooooo.
In the U.S., Members of Congress already began sizing up where the next disaster funds will come from in a budget already stretched by the war on terror and Iraq. "I would recommend rescinding some of the many billions of dollars for Iraq, which remain unspent, in order to help finance the relief operations in South Asia," offered Sen Patrick Leahy, D-Vt, a frequent Bush critic.
Now if that don't beat all to hell... Mr. Leahy, well known for his anti-Bush/anti-Iraq views, along with some of his "human shield" anti-war constituents, is quick to take credit for inserting the below language into the infamous $80 mil "I voted for it before I voted against it" appropriations bill.
"Funds made available for rehabilitation and reconstruction in Iraq should include assistance to families of innocent Iraqi civilians who suffer losses as a result of the military operations. . . . USAID (the U.S. Agency for International Development) and the Department of State, in coordination with the Department of Defense and nongovernmental organizations, will seek to identify families of noncombatant Iraqis who were killed or injured or whose homes were damaged during recent military operations, and to provide appropriate assistance."
It looks like Leahy is not only quick as a bunny to take back that which he "giveth", but sees this as a perfect way to thwart the Iraqi freedom efforts.
Leahy helped insert the same language into a bill for the Afghani's one year earlier. Yet, as of Apr 2003, none of that money had found it's way into the citizens' pockets. While the delay is blamed on bureaucratic paperwork, I'm truly surprised Leahy isn't volunteering that funding as well.
Needless to say, the tsunami victims cannot wait long enough for Leahy to rob Peter (and Paul?) to take care of Mary. Not to mention such a move is guaranteed to be anti-American propaganda fodder for Muslim terrorists as they proclaim "See? American promises mean nothing".
I think this Aid Coalition is a stellar idea. Two thumbs up there. But who the heck keeps electing these yahoos to Congress??
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