Don't get me wrong

Myanmar death toll could top 10,000, foreign minister says - Yahoo! News: "The death toll from a devastating cyclone in Myanmar could reach more than 10,000 in the low-lying area where the storm wreaked the most havoc, the country's foreign minister warned Monday"
I feel for these people. I really do. If they need help we should offer it.

HOWEVER, that being said ... I have to wonder how reliable these numbers are. After all, if you think about it ... the bigger the need for aid appears to be the more money other countries will send.
This opens up a wide gap for misuse of funds and abuse of the generosity of others.
There is already evidence (according to the First Lady) that national treasures/assets have been sold or offered up for sale not to help the poor &/or needy in the country but to 'support' the upper echelon of the military government there.
There are also reports that there were no warnings put out to the people about the incoming cyclone/typhoon/what-ever you want to call it.

So we know we have a government that is looking for money, money, money and isn't above selling their honor nor their integrity to get it. So why would we just hand over money to them without making sure where it is going? Where it is most needed? and not into the pockets of the military?

I can see another Somalia type situation going on here ... where we send the goods hoping that they will get to the people but instead it ends up on the black market or used for military bribes.

Its horrid to think that way ... but its a real concern. You don't think there was a bit of this during Katrina's aftermath or 9/11? It kind of goes hand-in-hand with disaster ... but not to the extent that it seems to in the 3rd world countries -- of course that's a bit unfair because I can't see it happening in countries such as India, Israel, or Pakistan ... and I'm pretty sure they are still considered 3rd world.