US Aid to Haiti

[sergio]

From what I have read the US is leading the Hatian relief efforts not only with massive amounts of money but with a literal army of personnel. Churches are taking up special collections and raising money in other ways to come to the aid of the Hatian people. Supermarkets ask customers at check out if they want to donate money. There is tremendous consciousness of the tragedy among Americans and concrete steps are being taken to bring relief. By contrast other major nations are doing far less. China has apparently contributed just $1 million. Have I missed something or are there other readers of this website who have written to praise the US government, military and people for their spirited efforts to help a nation in distress?

 

[sergio]

I can't believe that there hasn't been a single response to this post. I just came back from several months in the US and I was amazed at the outpouring of generosity from Americans. Not only is the US government pouring vast amounts of money into the relief effort and LEADING this effort through the humanitarian use of its military, the private sector has jumped into action. Go to the supermarket and the checker asks if you want to contribute to the Hatian relief fund, the same with credit cards. There are lots of fundraisers. The Catholic Church in the US has been taking up a special collection for Haiti. I could go on and on.....China gives a miserable million dollars but look what the US is doing. It deserves some recognition. I don't think Argentines have the slightest idea just how generous Americans are and how much they rise to the occasion whenever there is some need in the world. Yes, I know that US foreign policy is misguided but that does not discredit the GOOD that the US does and the public spiritedness of its people. These are the good things about the US and it wouldn't hurt to tell Argentines about them. They get more than enough news about the bad things.

 

[SaraSara]

From what I read in the papers the US, far from being appreciated for its generosity, is being criticized for its "imperialistic invasion" of Haiti. That means, for sending in the army's field kitchens and field hospitals, and for taking back Haitians to the US for treatment.

I'm Argentine, and I'm ashamed of the way the US is abused here. In my view, it is nothing but envy.

 

[sesamosinsal]

Haiti earthquake relief efforts are still falling short

Pressure will grow on a fledgling food distribution network backed by U.S. soldiers that so far has largely managed to deliver only rice. From surgery to shelter to sanitation to schooling, the needs are vast and the international commitment unproven

"The need is so overwhelming. You can't have an initial push, and then it stops. That just won't be enough," Lane Hartill, an Africa-based Catholic Relief Services staff member, said as he walked toward a sweltering encampment of 30,000 people who have spent every hour outdoors since the Jan. 12 earthquake. In the distance, the dun-colored shapes of the makeshift shelters might have been an impressionist painter's rendering of despair.

~ Source

Yes, the U.S. is doing a stellar job. Way to go, Brownie.

 

[nikad]

I don´t know what you expect to hear about American generosity on an expat forum Sergio, I think if you really want to let others know or get some thoughts you would have been better off posting this on one of the main local newspapers comments.

On the other hand I do not think this kind of help or aid should be used to propel any kind of " look how good we are " propaganda. When you see somebody in need, you just help, do your thing and do not show off or compete to prove anything to anybody, at least that is what I was taught, charity should anonymous.

Now if we are going to talk about who helped Haiti, there is a very long list of countries, including most Middle Eastern countries and even African countries which were never mentioned on any US media. Actually I posted it to the CNN website and it was censored and never published. Media is power, and each country manipulates it for its own purposes, in this country you now have the Ks in the government who are explicitly anti US, so were you expecting to hear praises?

Just like I know that Americans are indeed generous, you should know by now that Argentine are not anti US, you just cannot base your perceptions on what the media says

 

[French jurist]

China's Red Cross contributed 1 million $ while China contributed 4.4 millions.
Nevertheless it's no surprise they contribute so little since Haiti is one of the 23 countries that recognize Taiwan as a State.

It might be tricky to quantify what is donated (aid, money, debt erasure, ...), through which structures (governments, UN, IMF, ...) but it is true that in absolute value the US are the main contributors with a little more than 500 millions.
Surprisingly, the major contributor in Africa is Morocco with 33 millions (probably more than the US in relative value), while South Africa (except for private entities) gave 135.000 $ !

In Europe, France turns around 100 millions (might cancel the debt as well).

Best thing about the US is all the logistics they sent (impressive), that's the main point to be able to deliver the aid quickly and rationnally.

Apart of the purely generous aspect, let's not forget politics : Haiti is/was very close to Taiwan and Venezuela, Haiti is close to the US, many Haitians expatriated in the US too, will from the US government to show another face when it comes to international interventions (or even to show that it can be done better than what happened in NO), and so on ...

Once the buzz will have come down, once the cameras won't be pointed at Haiti, the major aspect will be how to reconstruct Haiti, how to avoid corruption, ...

It's really sad to see Haitians who had nothing (poorest country of the western hemisphere) getting hit by this drama.

 

[Moonwitch]

~ Source

Yes, the U.S. is doing a stellar job. Way to go, Brownie.

jajaja yes.

I seriously doubt how well the little money is being spent. I also doubt what these charities are actually doing in the country, I mean I hardly think stealing babies and stirring up trouble on the streets are the most helpful things they should be doing. The USA and the companies that have raped Haiti should be giving far more money.

 

[sergio]

Nikad, most of the aid is coming from the US. Someone else posted that the relief effort is not adequate. The crisis is profound. My impression is that everyone helping out, not just the Americans, are doing the best that they can. I have listened a lot to NPR (a distinctly liberal news network, not prone to outbursts of nationalism) and the impression I get is that the effort is far from flawless but doing all it can. My point, Nikad, is that expats on this forum are quick to criticize the US, seldom ever saying anything positive about the US. That troubles me. Are Argentines anti-US? I have to disagree with you, there is a good deal of anti-Americanism here and it is based on envy. Pro-American Argentine friends tell me that they fight with their families and friends about this.

 

[nikad]

Nikad, most of the aid is coming from the US. Someone else posted that the relief effort is not adequate. The crisis is profound. My impression is that everyone helping out, not just the Americans, are doing the best that they can. I have listened a lot to NPR (a distinctly liberal news network, not prone to outbursts of nationalism) and the impression I get is that the effort is far from flawless but doing all it can. My point, Nikad, is that expats on this forum are quick to criticize the US, seldom ever saying anything positive about the US. That troubles me. Are Argentines anti-US? I have to disagree with you, there is a good deal of anti-Americanism here and it is based on envy. Pro-American Argentine friends tell me that they fight with their families and friends about this.

A big portion of the people behave like sheep and believe everything they are told or what they see on TV, they do not bother reading an getting their facts from history books, etc. The biggest thing that makes Argentine dislike the US is the fact that during the Malvinas war, the US supported the English against us. The pro Che propaganda does not help much either, but overall I would not say this is an anti US country, maybe certainly not blind lovers of the US culture and foreign policy, definitely a bit jealous, but not anti American. On the other hand, the ones the criticize the Us on this forum must be Americans ( I recall a poll posted a while back, and the results were that the majority of posters here are American )

 

[sergio]

Yes, I think most of the critics are Americans.
My experience, though, has been that there is a lot of prejudice among Argentines and an unwillingness to keep an open mind. Because I don't conform to the negative Argentine image of an American, people here often feel uncomfortable when they want to criticize the US and they discover that I have informed views that contradict their own. It's not easy to assimilate here because of all these prejudices.