Edwards blasts Bush administration for refusing foreign aid (Hurricane Katrina)

[JohnLocke]

Edwards blasts Bush administration for refusing foreign aid
Associated Press
Thursday, May 4, 2007
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NEW ORLEANS--Presidential contender John Edwards lambasted the administration of President George W, Bush for reportedly "squandering" millions of dollars in aid offered by allies after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the Gulf Coast.
The Washington Post reported Sunday that $854 million (€629.75 million) in cash and oil was offered by U.S. allies, ranging from Kuwait to Canada, but so far only $40 million (€29.5 million) has been spent on disaster victims and reconstruction.
"Turning away, and as a result squandering, $800 million (€589.93 million) that could have helped the people of New Orleans is another example in a long series of examples of the failures of the Bush administration here in New Orleans," Edwards said Friday.
In December, Edwards announced his bid for the presidency while working to rebuild a home, making New Orleans and its associated social ills a centerpiece to his campaign.
Bush's administration has said it had trouble accepting the foreign aid because Katrina was unprecedented and the United States was unfamiliar with offers of foreign aid.
The Post said its report was based on cables, telegraphs and e-mails from U.S. diplomats obtained by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a public interest group which got the documents via a Freedom of Information Act request.
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Read the rest here.

[Catchawave]

1. Looks like we're (DU) all in agreement with this statement :)

:toast:

[jsamuel]

2. Thanks JohnLocke

[JohnLocke]

3. Kick (nt).