If you've been following the events of the past week, and if you followed the dialogue on Pris Campbell's site on international help, you will remember that Bush had either refused the help offered by other countries or simply didn't request help. (This following quote is from the AFP article yesterday:)
The AFP today reports that Bush has done a 180 degree and asked the European Union and others for help and assistance. Read the article "World Offers Cash, Aid to Stricken Southern U.S." in its entirety.
At a quick glance, this is the outpouring of help offered by other countries, as reported by the above article:
France is sending its entire stock of emergency supplies, including tents, blankets, cooking equipment and camp-beds... one shipment leaves from Fort-de-France within 24 hours and another within 48 hours.
Britain is sending 500,000 military ration packs to the devastated regions...
Germany shipped 25 tons of food aid...
Italy has flown in first aid kits for 15,000 people, as well as infant food, blankets, pumps, water-purifying devices and inflatable rafts.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, the World Food Program, the World Health Organization, UNICEF and the High Commissioner for Refugees are ready to provide emergency staff and a wide variety of relief supplies as and when necessary...
Kuwait is offering 500 million dollars (400 million euros) in oil products...
Qatar had pledged 100 million dollars on Sunday.
Canada is sending thousands of camp-beds, blankets and medical supplies...Thirty-five Canadian military divers have begun to arrive in the region to help with repair efforts.
Afghanistan has offered 100,000 dollars in disaster relief aid...
The Indonesian government, still coping with the aftermath of the December 26 tsunami, has offered to send 40 medical doctors...
South Korea is donating 30 million dollars in cash as part of its planned humanitarian aid....
Norway offered $1.6 million dollars...
Sri Lanka -- also still recovering from the December 26 tsunami which devastated the island's coastlines and killed 31,000 people -- is donating $25,000 dollars....
China is offering five million dollars...
Japan is sending an emergency rescue team....
India is providing five million dollars and essential medicines, and has offered water purification systems for use in households and small communities in the stricken areas, where potable water is a key concern.
The Philippines is dispatching a 25-member team of aid workers with the first 10 members of the team, consisting of doctors, nurses and sanitary engineers, scheduled to leave this week.
And though the report doesn't say what the U.S. is accepting from these two countries, the article acknowledges that "Cuba and Venezuela, two Latin American countries often singled out for criticism by administration of US President George W. Bush, were among the first to offer humanitarian assistance."
