European smugness in Katrina's wake

In the aftermath of Katrina, many nations have offered the US aid. Here is a good piece on the smugness that has accompanied many of the offers from Europe. Americans do not smugly give aid. We are too good for that. We do so with an open heart.

The author calls it schizophrenia, but I believe it is more accurate to say Europeans have an inferiority complex when it comes to America (obviously, otherwise they wouldn't constantly prattle on about our shortcomings).

I would like to note, in an example of how not to be Eurotrashy, Iraqi soldiers have donated to victims of Katrina.

Iraqi Col. Abbas Fadhil, Iraqi base commander, presented the money to U.S. Col. Paul D. Linkenhoker, Taji Coalition base commander, at a Sept. 5 staff meeting.

“We are all brothers,” said Abbas. “When one suffers tragedy, we all suffer their pain.”

The amount of money is small in American dollars - roughly $680 - but it represents a huge act of compassion from Iraqi soldiers to their American counterparts, said U.S. Army Maj. Michael Goyne.

This is the spirit in which America gives aid. With our shared history, it should be the same from Europe. For shame.