Gulf States Viewpoints - Tsunami vs Hurricane

Isn’t it wonderful? To support the hurricane aid funds Qatar has donated to the USA a cool US$100 million.

While I am very happy that Qatar has given so generously to the victims of Hurricane Katrina, I couldn't help recalling the contrasting amount Qatar donated to the poor tsunami-stricken region of South Asia and SE Asia, a larger area with even more devastating damage, and hundreds of thousands of lives lost with several millions left homeless.

Qatar had then donated a mere US$25 million, just a quarter of what it has now provided to the richest nation in the world.

But then, I suppose the American needs are greater than poor Indons or Sri Lankans.

I also recall that some clerics in the Gulf States preached in their mosque that the tsunami was Allah's punishment for the sins and wicked ways (sound familiar, doesn't it) of the Indonesians and Sri Lankans, etc. What now?

I'll be watching Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to see what they will be donating to the USA.

The former gave US$1 million to the tsunami funds, yes, one solitary million dollars, initially. After their own Kuwaiti press savaged the authorities for their meanness it raised the donation to a mere US$10 million, to equal what racing driver Michael Schumacher gave from his personal pocket.

Saudi Arabia initially gave US$10 million and after severe criticism, again from the Kuwaiti press, raised that to 30 million and organised a telethon for more.