Reuter Rooter

Oh look, Reuters has an item:

Secretary of State Colin Powell on Friday rejected suggestions that Washington was trying to edge out the United Nations as leader of the international relief effort for the Indian Ocean tsunami.

The press asked Powell if Washington was trying to edge out the United Nations as leader of the international relief effort for the Indian Ocean tsunami. Nobody in the press thought that the answer would be yes, we are trying to edge out the United Nations as leader of the international relief effort for the Indian Ocean tsunami. But they asked anyway because Powell's rejection would make more "news".

Powell, during a visit to U.N. headquarters for talks with Secretary-General Kofi Annan, also denied that President Bush had just increased U.S. disaster aid to $350 million from $35 million because he had been stung by criticism that wealthy nations were stingy.

The press also asked Powell if President Bush had just increased U.S. disaster aid to $350 million from $35 million because he had been stung by criticism that wealthy nations were stingy. Nobody in the press thought that the answer would be yes, President Bush had just increased U.S. disaster aid to $350 million from $35 million because he had been stung by criticism that wealthy nations were stingy. But they asked anyway because Powell's denial would make more "news".

"This ten-fold increase is indicative of American generosity but it also is indicative of the need," Powell told reporters when asked if the increase announced by Bush on Friday had been the result of a "bidding war."

The press also asked Powell if the increase announced by Bush on Friday had been the result of a "bidding war." Nobody in the press thought that the answer would be yes, the increase announced by Bush on Friday had been the result of a "bidding war." But they asked anyway because Powell's rejection would make more "news".

And Reuters chose to lead their article with those three paragraphs. Gee, do you think Reuters has an agenda here? The Secretary of State held a press conference to discuss the US role in the tsunami disaster relief, but Reuters would rather repeat anti-American propaganda. And Mr. Powell, when did the US stop beating its wife?

The United States initially had committed $15 million, then raised its contribution to $35 million after U.N. Emergency Relief Coordinator Jan Egeland criticized rich nations such as the United States as "stingy" for cutting back on general aid funding even as the world economy was growing.

Heh. See about subordinate clauses here.

Happy New Year! If it's not yet 2005 where you are, here's a blog post from the future.

Update: Here's an earlier Reuters piece that's almost better, but it's got a stupendous opening graf:

President Bush, under pressure over the pace and scale of American aid to Asian tsunami victims, abruptly raised the U.S. contribution to $350 million on Friday, 10 times the amount pledged just two days ago.

Not only does it feature the required insubordinate clause, Reuters also characterizes the increase as abrupt. So how would one gracefully raise funds? Maybe by announcing smaller amounts earlier? Hmm? Anyone?