The earthquake in Kathmandu, Nepal, has devastated lives and communities that are reeling with the loss of loved ones and left a country in shambles. The US response? A meager $1 million in aid. Is that the value the US Government places on 4,000 lost lives in Nepal, and 100’s of millions in property damage?
Case in point, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan cost between $4 and $6 Trillion – most of it borne by the taxpayer. And those costs continue to mount. I recognize that Nepal does not have “strategic” relevance to US foreign policy nor is the poor country oil rich. However, our responsibility as global citizens goes beyond oil and strategy – a deeper calling is eliminating human suffering. Time for us to stop playing political games and time to open our hearts and our wallets.
While we bask in the comfort of our own homes, the suffering in Nepal has just begun.
The truth is that their lives are as valuable as ours.
About Hemant Rustogi