EU will provide €30mil ($40mil); US $15mil. As potentials, but not confirmed, in fact the US according to that has barely sent $.5mil so far. You do the maths, who is more generous the EU or the US?
Heck Australia has pledged USD$ 7.6mil, which is half the US aid... and Australia's population and wealth is tiny compared with the US's.

Why pretend the US is generous? Really why pretend anyone is. The world has afforded about $200billion for a war in Iraq (which has killed over 100,000) and less than 0.05 per cent of that for a humanitarian effort (which has a death toll of 60,000 and rising).

And don't get me started on the Israeli issue. I am sure Sri Lanka has nothing against Jews. If you read the report with no bias of anto-semitism then you would understand that there's no point having 150 rescue workers if they have nothing to rescue anyone with.

Yeah but then you don't get to whinge about the horrible EU, UN and complain that everyone is anti-semitic do you.

Might want to up your US aid contribution a bit. Also bear in mind those numbers don't include charitable contributions.

Amazon.com alone has collected $1 million

Did you read the article that you cite to? The undersecretary guy complained that the U.S. and other western countries were stingy: ""There are several donors who are less generous than before in a growing world economy," he said, adding that politicians in the United States and Europe "believe that they are really burdening the taxpayers too much, and the taxpayers want to give less. It's not true. They want to give more."

As much as I hate France looks like they were on the receiving end of this criticism too.

Actually Sri Lanka seems to be accepting an Israeli team.

http://www.indiadaily.com/breaking_news/18695.asp

The daily reported earlier that Sri Lanka had refused to accept an Israeli rescue team which was to leave for the island nation to assist operations, as it would accept only supplies because the tsunami-hit areas "are swamped with rescue teams." Quoting Israel Defence Forces (IDF) officials, the daily said that a 150-member aid delegation cancelled its mission to Sri Lanka after Colombo refused to accept the Israeli team. Reacting to that report, Sri Lankan Ambassador Tissa Wijeratne had said that Lankan missions had been instructed to "accept only supplies as we have been swamped with rescue teams from all over the world".

Oh c'mon now. We should ALL know by now that ALL the world's troubles, should be solved monetarily by the US. Conversly, all the troubles of the world are CAUSED by the US. Even natural dissasters. My fav headline thus far, something to the point of: the US knew a Tsunami was coming to Asia, but didn't know how to warn anyone.

Monjo, where do you get the figure of 40 mil? Because the article Karol links to sites US$4.06 million, not 40 million as you claim. Also criticizing the US for sending only .5 mil so far is unecessary, since what you are implying is that the US will not sending the rest of the money or is somehow slow?

The US just increased its aid by $20M, making a total of $35M right now. And the EU is something like 15 countries combined, so it's not surprising they would collectively contribute more than the single nation of America. But this shouldn't be a pissing contest of who gives more than the next person.

Here, here.

The US government has only been able to free up some $40 million in CASH. It has sent several naval battle groups to the area, as well as several pieces of key equipment, including cargo planes. Without planes, all the aid rots on a loading dock someplace.

I love you that some of you excoriate those who ousted Saddam Hussein, yet fail to note those nations have also been the most generous in dealing with this crisis.

why not a pissing contest will result in more money for the needy.

Tim Blair has details on the pissing contest. Australia is spending a lot. France: $177,000.
And, according to NYT, Bush said the disaster had "brought loss and grief to the world that is beyond our comprehension" and he pledged a multifaceted response from the United States that goes far beyond the $35 million initially pledged. (via RedState: http://www.redstate.org/story/2004/12/29/125831/10)
Glenn Reynolds points out, "face it, there's no pleasing people whose chief desire in life is to bitch."

Add to that what Reason Express says: When you're the world's only superpower, you get the credit and the blame for everything. Since it's awkward to make a natural phenomenon the bad guy, guess who gets the nod?

I know individuals who make more than $177,000 in a year. Fox news is reporting $135,000 by France.

Don't we have a couple of countries in that area that we would wish get swallow by the ocean anyway?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4133309.stm

Britain Pledging $29 million
Spain Pledging $68 Million
Germany unbspecified amount of millions plus a debt repayment moratorium for Somalia and Indonesia.

According to those figures Spain is offering more than America.

Yes EU consists of numerous countries where the US is one. To be fair the EU combined is of a similar economic power.

Havent seen a figure yet for France. Fox is not reliable.

Dawn, you wrote that France was on the receiving end of the criticsm too. Well, so what? They deserved to be. We did not.

I have a fair bit to write, so this is going to be a little long.. apologies:

The article said:
"EUROPEAN UNION: The European Commission pledged 3 million euros (US$4.06 million) and said it could mobilize up to 30 million euros (US$4.06 million) for rapid distribution to aid groups."
- I see here 30mil euros (40mil US$, the second 4.06 is clearly a typo)

Anyway since then things have changed:
UK so far is at £15mil Govt; £15mil private. With £10mil of that raised overnight from phone-ins. The UK Govt aid is seperate from the EU-aid.

Oh and the combined EU is poorer than the US, probably at about 60-70% of the wealth.

Yes Funnya, I do claim the US (and others) are being slow. The US can send $100bln - but if it takes 6 months for it to be sent its too late, as by then the people are dead. We have less than a week to save people from the diseases, this means they need clean water and medicine by this Sunday.

Just so you know diarrhoea is the world's biggest killer in history. If all you drink is dirty water then you can drink all day long and you will still die of the dehydration from diarrhoea - well actually you die from a lack of salts in the body and your cells stop functioning.

Plus, no-one claims the US can wave a chequebook and solve the world's problems. But US is the world's only superpower and the leader of the free world and democracy.. or so you guys claim.. so we all look to you for our inspirational leadership :P

Finally, did you know?
There is a chance one day a huge tidal wave will smash into western Europe and the East coast of the US (not that we should worry *too* much as it is fearmongering to a large degree).
This wave will hit Boston and New York at 500mph and be 500feet high. Those cities will be flattened. It could happen tomorrow, could happen in thousands of years... the scientists could be wrong and it may never happen.
But if it does I bet you will be annoyed if it took a week for clean water and medicine to be flown in?

France is now at $20.4mil
The EU is at $44mil (not including the $130mil + from individual members)
Canada is at $33mil
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4135099.stm

also Mozambique has pledged $100,000 :)

Peter the EU is 25 countries.