U.S. Pledges $100 Million in Haiti Quake Aid

President Barack Obama, declaring that “[t]his is one of those moments that cries out for American leadership,” announced a $100 million aid package for quake-ravaged Haiti. Other nations, meantime, were also jumping on the humanitarian bandwagon. —JCL

The Guardian:

Barack Obama today announced a large US relief effort for Haiti, where between 45,000 and 50,000 people are feared dead after a devastating earthquake.

The US president said America would give $100m to the aid effort for the stricken Caribbean country and pledged that the people of Haiti “will not be forgotten”.

Obama said he had told US agency and department heads to put Haiti at the top of their agenda. “This is one of those moments that cries out for American leadership,” Obama, flanked by his most senior officials, told reporters.

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AP / Charles Dharapak

President Barack Obama announces U.S. aid for Haiti on Thursday. With him, from left, are Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Mike Mullen, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano and U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice.