Germany’s Spiegel explains Why Europe Hasn’t Jumped to Help Katrina’s Victims

In short:

1) Chapters of the International Red Cross come to a country’s aid, when that country’s Red Cross asks for assistance. The American Red Cross hasn’t asked yet.

2) America is so well organized when it comes to disaster relief, disaster agencies in other countries feel they’d likely just get in the way.

3) The relief agencies do collect money and pass it on to their US counterparts. Not much has come in yet, but initial reports suggested everything was under control. The news has changed, and they expect more people to be donating.