Katrina Prompts Global Support

GULFCOAST, U.S. -- Hurricane Katrina has sparked a worldwide outpouring of sympathy and emotion including the following...

The Pope said a prayer.

The Chinese sent a telegram.

Islamic terrorists cheered, saying that Katrina was part of the Islamic jihad.

Venezuela offered $1 million in humanitarian aid and fuel, while at the same time blaming Bush for not being prepared for the tragedy.

French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder sent messages of sympathy.

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II sent a message to Bush.

The U.S. Embassy in Bern, Switzerland -- a capital at the foot of the Alps hit by flooding last week -- said calls were rushing in from Swiss individuals and institutions looking for a way to donate to relief efforts. (Thank You Switzerland).

The Internet-edition Vienna Daily Der Standard recorded 820 postings commenting on a front-page story about the hurricane. One of the postings sparked a debate about whether a rich country like the United States needed aid.

Experts in the Netherlands expressed surprise that New Orleans’ flood systems failed to restrain the raging waters.

German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer offered assistance to the U.S. government in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, without elaborating on the offer.

Joern Ehlers, a spokesman for the World Wildlife Fund in Germany, said global warming had increased the intensity of hurricanes, and “The Americans have a big impact on the greenhouse effect,” Ehlers said.... (ie, Katrina was caused by Americans).

German Green Party Environment Minister Juergen Trittin, argued in an article in the Frankfurter Rundschau newspaper that disasters such as Katrina showed that Bush was ignoring the necessity for a worldwide reduction of greenhouse gases. "The American president closes his eyes in the face of the economic and human damage inflicted on his country and the global economy by natural disasters such as Katrina, caused by neglecting environmental protection," Trittin said.... (ie, "disasters such as Katrina... are caused by the American president... who is neglecting environmental protection.")

Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz called President Bush to offer assistance. The minister of petroleum and mineral resources said Monday that Saudi Arabia is "ready" to immediately increase its crude oil production to replace any market shortages and help stabilize world crude prices. He did not indicate how soon they would be "ready" to actually start increasing production.

A spokeswoman for the Canadian Red Cross said "lists of volunteers" experienced in large-scale disasters "were being assembled". Way to go Canada... assemble those lists!