2004 Indian Ocean earthquake

CRAWFORD, Texas, Dec. 31 - President Bush announced today a ninefold increase in emergency aid to stricken areas of Asia, bringing the federal government's commitment to $350 million, and he said the United States would probably add more resources as the scope of what he called an "epic disaster" became clearer.

"We hope Secretary of State Colin Powell was privately embarrassed when, two days into a catastrophic disaster that hit 12 of the world's poorer countries and will cost billions of dollars to meliorate, he held a press conference to say that America, the world's richest nation, would contribute $15 million. That's less than half of what Republicans plan to spend on the Bush inaugural festivities." New York Times Editorial, December 30

"This is an unprecedented, global catastrophe and it requires an unprecedented, global response. Over the past few days, it has registered deeply in the consciousness and conscience of the world, as we seek to grasp the speed, the force and magnitude with which it happened." Kofi Annan, December 30

"I just about went through the roof when I heard them bragging about $35 million," we spend $35 million before breakfast in Iraq." Senator Patrick Leahy, (D) Vermont


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