Bush's Pleas fall on Deaf Ears

Americans appear to be more interested in rebuilding New Orleans than in rebuilding Iraq. British newspaper, The Observer says public response to the Bush administration's request to donate to Iraqi reconstruction has netted a whopping $600. That's $600.00 -- not $600,000, not $600 million. Just six Benjamins.

Washington predicted early in the war it'd cost US taxpayers only about $1.7 billion to rebuild Iraq. The US has spent $30 billion so far.

In the past 12 months, between tsunami relief and hurricane relief efforts, Americans have contributed around $240 billion to charity. (The Observer)