Most Katrina Aid From Overseas Went Unclaimed

gardener · May 3, 2007

I find this unbelievable.

...Allies offered $854 million in cash and in oil that was to be sold for cash. But only $40 million has been used so far for disaster victims or reconstruction, according to U.S. officials and contractors. Most of the aid went uncollected, including $400 million worth of oil. Some offers were withdrawn or redirected to private groups such as the Red Cross. The rest has been delayed by red tape and bureaucratic limits on how it can be spent....
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In one exchange, State Department officials anguished over whether to tell Italy that its shipments of medicine, gauze and other medical supplies spoiled in the elements for weeks after Katrina's landfall on Aug. 29, 2005, and were destroyed. "Tell them we blew it," one disgusted official wrote. But she hedged: "The flip side is just to dispose of it and not come clean. I could be persuaded.""
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In another instance, the Department of Homeland Security accepted an offer from Greece on Sept. 3, 2005, to dispatch two cruise ships that could be used free as hotels or hospitals for displaced residents. The deal was rescinded Sept. 15 after it became clear a ship would not arrive before Oct. 10. The U.S. eventually paid $249 million to use Carnival Cruise Lines vessels.
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Overall, the United States declined 54 of 77 recorded aid offers from three of its staunchest allies: Canada, Britain and Israel, according to a 40-page State Department table of the offers that had been received as of January 2006.
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source = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/28/AR2007042801113.html?nav=rss_email/components

gardener · May 3, 2007

This has got be the best part of the whole story:

Of $454 million in cash that was pledged by more than 150 countries and foreign organizations, only $126 million from 40 donors was actually received. The biggest gifts were from the United Arab Emirates, $100 million; China and Bahrain, $5 million each; South Korea, $3.8 million; and Taiwan, $2 million.
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Kuwait, which made the largest offer, pledged $100 million in cash and $400 million in oil. But the Kuwaitis eventually gave their money to two private groups: $25 million to the Bush-Clinton Katrina Fund, a project of the former presidents, and another $25 million to the American Red Cross in February 2006. They still plan to contribute another $50 million, said the Kuwaiti ambassador to the United States, Salem Abdullah al-Jaber al-Sabah.
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In the White House's February 2006 Katrina report, U.S. officials said Kuwait's $400 million oil donation was to be sold for cash. Sabah said it was an in-kind pledge made when it appeared that U.S. refining capacity was devastated and that the American public would need fuel.

"We have to see what we have to do with that. When you pledge something in-kind, your intention is to give it in-kind. I do not think now the American people are in need of $400 million of fuel and fuel products," he said.
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source = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...2007042801113_2.html?nav=rss_email/components

The American people weren't in need of it but we saw the price at the pump skyrocket right after Katrina.

wackyiraqi · May 3, 2007

The US government could fuck up potato salad.

gardener · May 7, 2007

This administration can anyway. Katrina was a big factor in the last election if people were aware that there was aid available but it was turned down it could be a factor as well in the next one. Why there hasn't been a congressional investigation is anyone's guess, perhaps democrats were complicit also.

The fact that we wanted to manipulate the in-kind donation of oil from Kuwait to me says something about the motives of the administration. Kuwait was one of our biggest reasons for going into Iraq, but their donation wasn't worthy of acceptance or acknowledgement?

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Most Katrina Aid From Overseas Went Unclaimed

gardener Realistic Humanist

gardener Realistic Humanist

wackyiraqi Senior Member

gardener Realistic Humanist

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Most Katrina Aid From Overseas Went Unclaimed

gardener Realistic Humanist

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wackyiraqi Senior Member

gardener Realistic Humanist

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