This is an outrage: Apparently, the U.S. administration has stopped the delivery of 20.000 Emergency Food Rations by Germany into the crisis area for P.R. reasons only
According to the renowned and reliable magazine Der Spiegel (in German), the U.S. government forbid the sending because of concerns the military food packages were "BSE contaminated". This is stupid: the food packages are NATO approved and clean. Unless you believe NATO (incl. the U.S.) plans to distribute mad cow disease among its troops, you can be sure, these packs are clean: which is why they are good enough for U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan.
According to the SPIEGEL, U.S. military officials at Pensacola suggested the administration is afraid of images showing food aid coming from Europe.
At the same time, the new American ambassador to Berlin, former Ohio Bush fundraiser William R. Timken, already thanked the German people, because "victims of Katrina are already eating the sent food".
Next time you hear anyone complains about the lack of international aid and sympathy, tell them that at least we tried.