The criticism of the lack of initial administration response wasn't wrong. We lost a chance to demonstrate leadership in a part of the world where many Muslims lost their lives. If that doesn't seem important to you, where have you been since 9/10/01?

We are now contributing at a reasonable level--heck, I even gave credit to Bush for raising our contribution and bringing Poppy and the Clenis on board.

Will it make a difference to the people dying there whether this aid came immediately? Probably not. My complaint is that we squandered an opportunity for positive publicity in the Muslim world. But what's done is done. At least we're doing the right thing now.

I'm sure the president leaped out of his chair and immediately got Air Force One airborne until he was sure the tsunamerrorists weren't going to hit Crawford. That is, as soon as he stopped reading "My Pet Goat".

What a putz.

Just checking guys, are you also aware that Kofi Anan was skiing and did not cut his vacation short to hold a press conference? Did it matter? No. Do you hear global outrage or have editorials written on it either? No.

Proof is in the pudding, we are making a difference and doing what is right. Like a Nick Coleman article, a press conference may make the crazies feel better about themselves but accomplishes nothing constructive in the end. The Muslims you wish to win over could care less. Bosnia, Kuwait, Somalia, no matter. Afghanistan in the 80's or now it matters not. The people that hate will hate us, take our good will and stab us in the back. A great time for another press conference you'll say...

You know, Jeff, I was on vacation when all this tsunami thing happened, so I wasn't exposed to all the breaking news I normally am. Anyway, the way I saw it unfold was thusly: an earthquake hit, a big one, followed by a large wave. Reports after that were conflicting and hazy, to say the least, with most early estimates putting the dead at 30,000, on the HIGH end. Given those early figures, I didn't think the U.S.'s initial relief funds were all that small. In light of more than 140,000 dead, yeah, it seems paltry, but hindight can be a 20/20 bitch like that. Besides all that, my understanding is that those initial funds ($30 million?) basically drained the U.S.'s available emergency relief funds, and the U.S. couldn't simply conjure more without first jumping through bureaucratic hoops which, as well all know, can take time. I know the standard reaction for many is to throw as much money as fast as they can at a problem, fully believing that will make every problem in the world disappear, but I think history has shown that's not the case.