Global Response to Hurrican Katrina

The unparalleled human suffering that occurred during last year's tsunami has presented most countries of the world with a challenge that they must rise to meet, and they did. Again another catastrophe has stricken the globe but this time it hit closer to home, New Orleans to be precise. The world has once again shown its colors in response to the Katrina catastrophe. Flooding that occurred in New Orleans triggered a series of events that led up to the current situation. But as along with the aid that the world has sent the United States, which has been no small amount, has been an attitude of "I told you so." While several countries have adopted this attitude of unvarying defiance to anything the United States does Germany stands out in particular. Directly after the hurricane, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder offered his condolences to the United States and to President Bush. "I greatly sympathize for the fate of those people affected by the hurricane." Sure this was a nice gesture but it was followed by no action whatsoever.

Now I understand that some of you may be thinking to you're self that the United States doesn't need aid but the fact of the matter is that whether a crisis of this magnitude happens in a third world country or whether it happens to a first world country aid is needed or at least the good intentions that come with an offering or a pledge of aid. Now the United states could choose to reject the aid that's sent to it but the thought would still have mattered but the German Chancellor responded with a sever callousness, even after two days after extending his condolences extended a hesitant offer for aid. But lets be honest with ourselves, this time the crisis that is on the news on a nightly basis is not in some distant third world country but in our own backyards. Nevertheless the German government sent aid to American aid agencies but despite this the German population which is normally busy pointing their accusing fingers at the United States for our capitalist monster attitude and our ghettos is now, when the United States is in the most need of aid, is oddly quiet.

But the attitude doesn't stop there "The American President has closed his eyes to the economic and human damage that natural catastrophes such as Katrina - in other words, disasters caused by lack of climate protection measures - can visit [President Bush's] country" quoted Germany's