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January 7, 2005
Tsunamis and Terrorism
Topics: Middle East News and PerspectivesHere is a short course on the world view of Arab Muslims. One's priorities speak volumes of their world view.
I saw this post today on Elder of Ziyon:
Saudi Arabia's pledge to help tsunami victims: $30 million
Saudi Arabia's money sent to Palestinian suicide bombers: $109 million
That says a lot about the Arab Muslim's priorities.
Posted by Hyscience at January 7, 2005 7:16 PM
It's not quite the way you state it. The principal problem is one of vocabulary. When Palestinians say "martyr", they mean a suidice-bomber. When the Saudis use "martyr", they mean anyone who was killed by Israelis, including people killed by accident. The Saudi government stated--and the US gov't accepted--that distinction. The USG also had no criticism of how that money was distributed. Certain sectors of the media and blogworld don't.
I was in the US Embassy in Riyadh when this happened and am very aware of this being a media flap, not a real issue.
On Saudi donations toward tsunami relief, while the government's direct contribution so far is $30, a Saudi telethon raised some $80+ million. The Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank--of which Saudi Arabia is a major contributor--pledged $500 million.
Posted by: John at January 8, 2005 10:03 AM
Ok, but John, don't you see the double standard here? Arab journalists are quick to pounce on the U.S. for giving what they term as a small amount of aid while the Saudi government has given so little. The amounts recounted by several Arab newspapers do not count individual donations from the U.S., therefore we will throw out the $80+ and $500 million the Saudi government did not directly pledge. We're left with $30 million.
You can't honestly tell me that is a high figure considering what the Saudi desert site atop of. I'm not for government donations, however Arab journalists repeatedly say things like the U.S. should donate more money around the world. Why can't some of the richest governments in the world donate as well? Oil is gold today and Saudi Arabia sits on the largest oil reserve in the world.
The bashing of Saudi Arabia while they bash us is in good cause. We should also question China who has pledged only $50 million.
Posted by: Chad Evans at January 9, 2005 2:24 AM
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