Tsunami : A major reconstruction plan needed for South Asia

If a tsunami were to strike Northern Europe, killing
more than 100,000 people from Ireland to Sweden, does
anybody think it would take President Bush 72 hours to
speak up about the tragedy and call leaders of the
devastated countries?

In fairness to the vacationing president, the full
magnitude of the natural disaster in the Indian Ocean
wasn't apparent immediately after the undersea
earthquake and the ensuing tsunami struck a week ago
today. Still, there is no disputing that the first
response of the American president and government, seen
as omnipotent in much of the world, was lackadaisical
and stingy. When Bush finally spoke Wednesday, Spain's
pledge of relief funds was nearly double that of the
U.S., and even that U.S. contribution ($35 million) came
only after heavy criticism of Washington...

...
If conservatives in the president's own party balk at a
multibillion-dollar Marshall Plan for South Asia, Bush
shouldn't hesitate to employ his favorite marketing
ploy: Peg the effort to the war on terror by pointing
out the strategic importance of the region. Indonesia,
the most severely affected nation, also happens to be
the world's largest Muslim country, where most practice
a moderate form of the religion but the government
battles extremists...

entire editorial on :
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