US Stingy? I don't think so. UN useless? Yup.

As an American, and as a human being, I am outraged at the audacity of the UN secretary who labelled the US "stingy" in terms of aid to the tsunami relief efforts.

Reading news sites, UN press releases, and blogs such as the excellent: http://belmontclub.blogspot.com/, the picture is clear: The US is very generous, effective, and immediate in rendering aid - anywhere in the world. The UN is burocratic, ineffective, and useless when it comes to providing aid - emergency or otherwise.

Simple facts / ideas that summarize my opinion:
1. The UN has failed, now a week after the tsunami, to provide aid in serious quantity beyond the scope of it's already existing 'developmental' projects in the region.
2. The UN has attempted to stop aid from flowing freely from the US, India, Japan, and Australia - with the purpose of making itself look useful as a 'coordinator'.
3. The United States of America has sent a carrier battle group, along with other ship groups to provide upwards of 65,000 gallons of fresh water daily, along with supplies, medics, hospital-ships, engineers, and US enlisted men ready to volunteer for the task of providing aid to the tsunami victims.
4. Private US individuals and corporations are making generous donations. The company I work for has already pleged $1,000,000 of money for relief. I have donated $100 of my own money - a per-capita rate 50 times the US-Government's monetary aid to date. Amazon.com - an online store based in the US has collected $13,574,660.56 in just a few short days - and I would be most of that money is from US contributors. I would bet that in the end, contributions from US citizens and corporations will top 1 Billion USD.

Ok, I think it's clear that the US is providing aid more effectively, rapidly, and clearly than any other body. It's also clear that the UN is attempting a power-grab - flailing about, even at the risk of delaying aid in order to look useful. Read about it, think about it, and if you can spare a few bucks - donate to a charity. It's not hard to find one either.

And about charity & giving:
Nearly every major website I've seen, along with the two different chains of grocery stores I've visited in the last week, each have ways to donate right at the front-page, or checkout-line. That's the American way - and I think it's the way of humanity. Most likely, the same thing is going on throughout the much of rest of the world.