As I contemplate how the US will `help' South Asia cope with the disaster, I smell Halliburton contracts, faith-base initiatives, and big pharma rip-offs arriving just in time for the monsoon. Let's see now, let me count the ways.
1.) We can sell India and Indonesia a non-competitive contract to Halliburton to build a tsunami early warning system for the Indian Ocean.
2.) We can sell the region's governments the Christian Education package (Bibles and Jesus for young readers) for the displaced children, as part of a faith-base relief loan program.
3.) We can sell one of those extra special low priced vaccine contracts for Chiron to cover the disease epidemics about six months too late.
4.) Big numero quatro. Start a war with the weakest country in the basin to make it safe for democracy.
Figuring out to kill people and save them at the same time, while making a buck at it---that's a tough job. It takes planning, risk assessments, and a long considered look at the Big Picture. In brief, it takes America's willingness to help.
CG