Gee, and here I thought the U.N. was running the show

As Powerline notes, the AP is reporting that the U.S. is now spearheading the relief effort in areas affected by the tsunami. You'll excuse me if I take a brief moment to say...

"YEAH, BABY!!!"

See, this is why the world needs the United States. We're the only ones with the money, the know-how and the cajones to get things rolling instead of holding countless meetings and hemming and hawing about the lodging of those we send to help (like the U.N. is doing). We also send more than bureaucrats:

Aussies and Yanks continue to carry the overwhelming bulk of the burden, but some other fine folks also have jumped in: e.g., the New Zealanders have provided C-130 lift and an excellent and much-needed potable water distribution system; the Singaporeans have provided great helo support; the Indians have a hospital ship taking position off Sumatra. Spain and Netherlands have sent aircraft with supplies.

The UN continues to send its best product, bureaucrats. Just today the city's Embassies got a letter from the local UN representative requesting a meeting for "Ms. Margareeta Wahlstrom, United Nations Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator and the Secretary-General's Special Coordinator for Humanitarian Assistance in Tsunami-afected countries." Wow! Put that on a business card! And she must be really, really special because she has the word "coordinator" twice in her title!

The many U.N. coordinators aren't doing a very good job of coordinating. Thank God (and I never say that lightly) we have President Bush leading the way in this.