Letter to Mr Bush

Mr. Bush,

I was focused on the news where you appeared today. First, in reaction to Osama Bin Laden's latest video message; secondly, for the APEC meeting where 'Asia-Pacific leaders agreed an "aspirational" goal to restrain the rise of greenhouse gas emissions'.

Commenting on the video, President Bush expressed that 'the world is a dangerous place' and mentioned 'extremists who kill civilians'.

Warning to the US and the Western world in general near the sixth anniversary of 9/11 or fake video? This analysis does not intend to answer the question, nor does it mean to give a definitive opinion on who/what is right or wrong.

Rather I raise another question: Mr. Bush, do you really believe that the greatest threat emanates from Bin Laden, a mortal man? Don't you see there is a bigger challenge that you seem to prefer ignoring for now?

As a matter of example, floods have this season affected over 130,000 people in 9 West African countries.

'In what the International Federation of the Red Cross (IFRC) called “unprecedented” flooding in West Africa, tens of thousands of people in Mali, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Niger, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, The Gambia, Liberia and Nigeria have lost their homes or their livelihoods, and dozens have died. Rains have also destroyed critical water and transportation infrastructure.' ('Floods prompt greater focus on risk reduction', IRIN)

Only in Ghana torrential rains in the north east and a dam break in Burkina Faso has caused tremendous damage ('Floods force some 10,000 from their homes'). The Daily Graphic announced that a famine stares the three northern regions.

In Burkina, according to experts, flooding is the worst in 54 years. 'So far, more than 35,000 people have been affected across the country, and 80 percent of them are homeless, according to the national council for emergency aid (CONASUR). The death toll has reached 33, with another 73 injured. Of the country’s 13 regions, 11 have been affected.' '(...) more than a month after flooding began, the government says it is not receiving the aid it needs. ' ('Lots of rain, little aid')

It Happened in... New Orleans

Remember Hurricane Katrina was one of the biggest natural catastrophes of our modern times?

If Bin Laden is missing you are at the centre of attention. The world is watching you. Your rhetoric sounds targeted at an electoral deadline but do you forget it is soon getting to the end of your last mandate? Is it not time to stop business as usual?

Other links:
'Bin Laden threatens Iraq escalation', Al Jazeera
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change available to download