Norwegian Jan Egeland, the United Nation's undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief, yesterday used the Sumatra earthquake tragedy as an opportunity to obliquely blast U.S. foreign aid efforts as "stingy."

The United States has made an initial commitment of $15 million to aid the victims of the Sumatra earthquake and the ensuing catastrophes. That's about ten times more than Germany, fifteen times more than Canada, and fifty times more than South Africa. The European Union, which consists of twenty-five member states, pledged just $4 million. That's $160,000 per member state, if you're counting.

If UN officials really were concerned with stinginess among its members, there are 184 other member nations it might want to examine before singling out the United States--its largest benefactor. But, of course, Mr. Egeland's rant had nothing to do with helping victims of a natural disaster and everything to do with bashing America.

Germany et al always compute using percentage of GDP. Botswana could give 10% of it's GDP, but it still wouldn't help even 1 guy buy a cup of coffee.

Foreign scumbags. They need us. We certainly don't need them.

I share Jan's concern regarding U.S. foreign aid spending. The first thing we should do is take the millions of dollars we spend annually in propping up the hopelessley corrupt and inept U.N., and allocate it directly to the people in need. Oops! that means Jan and the other over-paid and self-important U.N. beaureaucrats will be out of a job. An additional benefit.

Obi Juan, your right they compute using percentage of GDP, but then the U.S. is still well ahead of the ridiculously whiney E.U. countries. Is the EU's GDP really less than 1/3 of ours? People like Jan here just hate America. They want us to backroll the UN, and then let them control the allocation of the money and all its policies.

This is amazing. The UN takes us to task for not helping ENOUGH. Why don't they criticize these governments that are so corrupt and inept that they are completely incapable of responding when there is a crisis. Take Somalia for instance... their government isn't even in the country! They're hiding in Kenya because it's too dangerous for them to go back to Mogadishu. In an instance like this, can someone tell me where we should send the money?

It would end up in better hands if I gave to those Nigerian guys offering me 10% of the 100 Million Dollars they have in foreign bank accounts(they tell me that all I need to do is act as the middle man and I get to keep a cool 10 million).

Hey I received an email from some lawyer in Nigeria asking me to be a middle man in some scheme. What the hell is that all about anyway?