Foreign Aid for the USA?

[ Offers of hurricane relief aid have been made to the people of the US by a number of foreign countries. Germany, England, Venezuela, Chile, Kuwait, and dozens of other nations have offered assistance. Even countries slammed by December’s tsunami such as Thailand, Sri Lanka and India have offered help. In addition, the United Nations, the Organization of American States, and the Arab League are contributing to the relief effort. The most interesting offer came from Bush’s nemesis, Cuban President, Fidel Castro. On September 2nd, 2005, Castro made the following remarks. ]

"Our country is ready to send, in the small hours of morning, 100 clinicians and specialists in Comprehensive General Medicine, who at dawn tomorrow, Saturday, could be in Houston International Airport, Texas, the closest to the region struck by the tragedy, in order to be transferred by air, sea or river to the isolated shelters, facilities and neighborhoods in the city of New Orleans, where the population and families are that require emergency medical care or first aid. These Cuban personnel would be carrying backpacks with 24 kilograms of medications, known to be essential in such situations to save lives, as well as basic diagnosis kits. They would be prepared to work alone or in groups of two or more, depending on the circumstances, for as long as necessary.

Likewise, Cuba is ready to send via Houston, or any other airport of your choosing, 500 additional specialists in Comprehensive General Medicine, with the same equipment, who could be at their destination point at noon or in the afternoon of tomorrow, Saturday, September 3. A third group of 500 specialists in Comprehensive General Medicine could be arriving in the morning of Sunday, September 4. Thus, the 1100 said medical doctors, with the resources described tantamount to 26.4 tons of medications and diagnosis kits, would be caring for the neediest persons in the aftermath of hurricane Katrina. These medical doctors have the necessary international experience and elementary knowledge of the English language that would allow them to communicate with the patients. We stand ready waiting for the US authorities' response."

[ On September 5th, 2005, CNN reported the Cuban leader made a second address directed to the American people in which the number of physicians offered was increased to 1,586. The doctors are trained in emergency relief aid, and had been sent to South Asia after the December tsunami. In his televised address Castro said political enmity should be put aside during such a crisis, and he read out news stories describing the lack of medical attention for the suffering people of Louisiana and Mississippi. Castro noted the US government has not responded to Cuba’s offer of doctors and tons of medicine as of Sept. 4th. "Forty-eight hours have passed and we still haven't received any response to our offer ... We will wait patiently as many days as are necessary," he said. ]