Tsunami Aid Wars - US vs. Japan

[Men the Master]

First, Japan wanted war with us in World War 2. Then they wanted war with us in the "trade wars" which started in the 70s.

Now they want to start a Tsunami Aid war with us. When our government committed $35 Million in aid to the tsunami victims, Japan committed $40 Million. Then we kicked it up to $350 Million, and now Japan comes back at us with $500 Million. They really want to outdo us, huh?

[zaxx19]

With the rise of China the Japanese need to make friendly with other Asioan countrues deperately...

Japan's future politically, economically and demographically is probably the bleakest of all the great present powers. I believe they are now shrinking at a raye of .3% a yr population wise, this will only accelerate.

[whiskeytown]

actually, the US wasn't gonna do much....hell

we lost almost as many US citizens in that as we did on 9/11, and the president took his [censored] vacation for another 3 days before even commenting on it.

we got shamed into giving money...the prez. doesn't give a [censored] - esp. since a lot of them are Muslims...

RB

[TheMichiganMan]

I don't see why this is a problem. One-upping another is okay if it helps peole in need.

[natedogg]

It's called "potlatch".

natedogg

[ddollevoet]

I doubt that Japan is competing with us.

The fact is that tsunamis are a larger part of Japanese life than American life. Since Japan has real experience with damage that tsunamis can cause, they are a little more vested in this issue. That's all.

[Broken Glass Can]

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we lost almost as many US citizens in that as we did on 9/11,

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This comparison is stupid. You are comparing murder victims to natural disaster victims. Societies around the world devote more attention and concern to stopping murder and catching murderers, but are often helpless in stopping Acts of God.

[elwoodblues]

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we lost almost as many US citizens in that as we did on 9/11,


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This comparison is stupid.

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Agreed, almost as stupid as people who compare the number of dead soldiers in Iraq with people who die in traffic accidents.

[Broken Glass Can]

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we lost almost as many US citizens in that as we did on 9/11,





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This comparison is stupid.

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Agreed, almost as stupid as people who compare the number of dead soldiers in Iraq with people who die in traffic accidents.

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I agree in most circumstances.

On occasion however, someone will suggest that Iraq casualties are devastating our nation due to the numbers involved. When that happens, the true size of Iraq casualties needs to be pointed out.

Deaths from all causes in America amount to some 10,000 a day. None of the figures from specific causes even makes a dent in this number. Pointing this out can have relevance.

I think the soldiers' efforts to bring democracy to millions of people also must be accounted for in the comparison.

But to compare murder victims to natural disaster victims is still just plain stupid. I think whiskeytown was drinking the Kool-Aid once again.

[lastchance]

I'm guessing about 400,000 people are going to die because of this Tsunami.

1,000 victims of a natural causes would outweigh one murder victim, would it not?

Yeah, 9/11 was big, but hundreds of thousands of people are going to die because of this. Only 4,000 people died because of 9/11.

A little kid isn't going to care whether their mommy and daddy died because of terrorists or because of a tsunami.

What I'm trying to say is that we can and should do something about this. 4,000,000 people does cause a pretty big dent, y'know.

[wacki]

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What I'm trying to say is that we can and should do something about this.

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Like give geologists some oceanfloor seismometers and access to the emergency broadcast system and astronomers $10 million a year? [censored] that! *sarcasm*

Seriously, watch what happens and read Zeno's posts. We are in danger of this happening to us, but is anything going to change? Is anything going to change anywhere?