When we were faced with the first horrifying visions of the tsunami, our family, like millions of others , rushed to send help to the survivers. We truely wanted to do what we could to relieve the dreadful distress that was so evident. We did not care about nationality, that was irrelevent, just help as soon as possible.
Then came Bali 2,innocent Australian holiday makers cut down because they were there, because they were 'infidels'. Slain in a cold blooded attack without mercy, given no chance to defend themselves against a murderous killing religion, by the very people we tried to help.
Our monetry assistance now goes to needy people who will not turn their guns or their bombs on us. We make sure of that.

Natascha, you say that you were a little disappointed about donor countries and their willingness to donate. Why didn't you ask the president of Pakistan to divert funds from that country's nuclear weapons program? Millions of Pakistan rupees have gone into building stocks of nuclear weapons. We aren't blind to such waste Natascha.

The future looks bleak for eleemosynary countries like Pakistan and I have real fears for them. As the price of oil continues to climb, countries that generate wealth through a diversity of industries will be hit hard. Industries like transportation, tourism and others will contract sharply and so too will the budgets of those countries. The tax that these industries usually pay means that once-wealthy countries will have a decreased capacity to be generous. Most of their money will have to go on the locals.

Maybe in as little as 10 years, disasters like the one in Pakistan will be met with the only response affordable from once-wealthy countries; heaps of get well cards and little else.

And everytime I see a report from Pakistan about a disturbance I see the acidulent faces of Pakistanis calling out 'death to the West' and 'we hate the West' together with the obligatory burning of our flag or an effigy. Am I supposed to fund my enemy?