It has been reported many times in the news that Osama bin Laden is hiding in Pakistan and that the Pakistan government probably knows where he is. So is there any real wonder why there has been a huge lack of private donations for disaster relief from the countries that see Osama bin Laden at the very top of the most wanted list.
There is little doubt the flooding in Pakistan is on a biblical scale and even less doubt that global warming was involved. With an estimated 8 million people effected and the signs that many are the walking dead, it truly is a human tragedy that is unfolding.
When compared to the Haiti earthquake that claimed 222,000 lives and effected well over 1 million, America and other countries opened their wallets and money flew in. But Haiti is Haiti and Pakistan is Pakistan. Pakistan has had somewhat of a dicey reputation when it comes to terrorism, and that is clearly a big factor. When it comes to corruption Pakistan is ranked at 111 and Haiti at 138 with a higher number being worse. So thinking corruption has to do with it is quickly eliminated.
What the west seems to be saying is give us Osama bin Laden and we will consider giving you some aid money. There is little that suggests anything else is behind this lack of outpouring. When people hear the word Pakistan, certain images come to mind, and most are generally negative. They see a country that allows the Muslim religion to be a significant influence in decisions. Also with the deteriorating reputation the Muslim religion has with stoning and what was recently seen in Iran with the farce Presidential elections, you begin to connect the dots as to why wallets are staying closed. The violent behaviors endorsed by the Muslim religion are generally unacceptable in the rest of the world.
Another factor is the northwest region of Pakistan that is being hardest hit is the same region that the Taliban recently infested and is where Osama bin Laden likely is hiding. Another factor to consider has nothing at all to do with politics or religion, it simply has to do with the ever increasing numbers of man made natural disasters. The ones that are related to earthquakes are not man made, but when it comes to anything to do with the weather, we now see ourselves as the cause.
So in general what was seen as the exception is now being seen as the rule. Most people feel another major so called natural disaster will happen in the very near future, and once again they will be asked to open their wallets.
With the bad taste the banks left after the huge bailout in the US as they promptly bit and mauled the hand that bailed them out, generosity will be harder to find as very simply people will get tired of picking up the mess someone else made without any rewards.
