Somewhat belatedly perhaps and maybe grudgingly, but Kuwait has finally agreed to donating $10 million towards the tsunami relief effort.
I am speechless.
Am I missing something?
Considering there are many Indonesians and Southeast Asians working in Kuwait and Saudi it is a bit disheartening to hear that each managed to pledge only $10 mil.
It seems that the private citizens do want to help but the govts in the region have been slow to respond. What with the recent increase in oil prices…
I think the “speechless” part comes from the “reminding” people to “allow” their housekeepers to check and see if their family members are alive or dead.
Hopefully, they won’t dock the long distance phone call from their pay.
Good for Kuwait. Now maybe they can stop executing people for adultery.
I think I’m most outraged because of Kuwait’s position in the ME as one of the more rich countries. They have more money and the wealth is more equally distributed than most countries(incluiding the US) in the world. THey were shown much kindness and charity when Gulf War I rolled around as well.
They should be ponying up, big-time.
Sam
Ah ok, thanks.
Yeah, that’s only two thirds as much as the initial US pledge, from a country with less than a tenth of our population.
Initial pledge, you angry dork. And since that number has obviously changed, what possessed your monkey-like intellect to want to draw a comparison to it?
True 
Seriously, I can’t fathom why SA and Kuwait wouldn’t take advantage of this and show the world that their charities are not terrorist-related (as probably believed to be in some parts of the world).
BTW, I heard that German has pledge 500 mil. euros and even Jamaica (yes Jamaica) has pledge $15 mil!!
So cliche, but care to back that one up? Kuwait has one of the more distinguished records for human rights and I’ve never heard of an execution for adultery there.
Sam
Just delivering kudos where kudos are due Brutus. If ya’ll want to wail on Kuwait for being cheap bastards, it’s appropriate to remember that we too are cheap bastards, until wailed upon.
-yours in dorkiness
Squink
As a bit of perspective, the 2000 per capita GDP average for the US was a little over $36,000 while for the average Kuwaiti it was around 15,700. The US’s gross was 313.5 times that of Kuwait. Those numbers have probably closed a bit, given recent oil prices.
“it’s appropriate to remember that we too are cheap bastards, until wailed upon.”
I’d like to think our numbers have increased proportionately as the degree of damage and death has become evident.
I don’t know of any executions for sexual indiscretions, either, but “distinguised record for human rights” is a bit much referrent to Kuwait, particularly with regard to women. I seem to recall widespread outrage at systemic sexual abuse of foreign domestic workers, not too long ago – migrant domestic workers are literally without legal protection, prompting some nations to stop allowing their citizens to work there, as it’s too dangerous.
You are correct, and I didn’t imply that the per capita income levels were anything close to the US. What I did say was that the distribution of wealth was greater in Kuwait than it is in the US, by far. They have social programs educating and taking care of other needs such as healthcare.
It’s probably nothing like Disney’s wonderland, but their wealth(not per capita, overall), and social systems are so much better than any other country in the region.
Same goes for you Larry Mudd-Compared with their neighbors throughout the region, Kuwait does have a rather distinguished Human Rights record. THey tend to lag behind in the area of women’s rights, but when you compare them to Saudi Arabia and Iraq, they look like angels.
Sam
Keep on thinking.
But, but…if you do that, why, you give up a bitchin opportunity for an unfounded cheap shot! Why bring reality into it?
Exactly, a sunny disposition towards the contributions of Kuwait would totally spoil this thread. Shame on you, lieu. 
The head of USAID gave an interview on CNN about a week ago. Following the disaster, USAID pledged $15 million, all its remaining budget. The pledge is now up to $350 million, but only because that is all of the State Department’s remaining budget (again CNN from this morning).
Sure, USAID could have said they were pledging $15 billion, but so can I. Doesn’t mean I have it to spend. Anything exceeding their budget, or even the State Department’s budget, has to be approved from somewhere. Difficult to do on short notice, considering Congress returned to session only today. And no, I don’t think Congress should have been called to session sooner just to approve more disaster relief. Funds were immediately available, manpower was made immediately available (which doesn’t figure into the dollar amounts). As devastating as the tsunami was, they didn’t need $15 million on day 1, and they don’t need $350 million today. (BTW, Norway increased its pledge from $11 million to $180 million; countries need time to find room in their budgets before pledging money).
You can spin this any way you want, but as money and assistance are needed, the US is there, doing everything it can.
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2001rank.html
According to that Kuwait has a 42 billion GDP. As a percentage of GDP they are giving more than the European countries, Japan or the US.