It is all too obvious that the US's relative disinterest in the disaster has to do with its cause: a random act of nature. Absent a human actor who can easily be held up to blame, an act of natural terror is not interesting for the powers that be, because it does not allow a reaction of the order of regime change or 'shock and awe' bombardment. Really, who wants to feed the people who are starving for food, when it's so much more satisfying to feed those who seem to be starving for democracy? When there's no one to punish, no perceived political wrong to right, the US tends to ignore the crisis. Or, as with the devastating Bam earthquake in Iran, which killed over 20,000 and occurred exactly one year to the day before the tsunami, the government grudgingly pledged to help out with some relief - and then immediately started baying for Iranian blood once again. However, as the Times pointed out, the aid for Iran 'still has not been delivered.' We shouldn't hold our breath.

Christopher Deliso: War and the Tsunami