Apparently, this is really what he meant by, "with us, or against us"
Thanks to Catallarchy for the link
...in Moscow, a Russian official said the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency had rejected a Russian offer to dispatch rescue teams and other aid...
"You know," [W said], "as well, and there's no doubt in my mind we'll succeed. And there's no doubt in my mind, as I sit here talking to you, that New Orleans is going to rise up again as a great city."
What type of master-race religious-right self-determinant mumbo-jumbo is this? Seriously, W. I'm against charity as an Obligation, but I'm not against charity.
Accept the aid, and admit that the US is not the be-all end-all of nations. God smites us as frequently as he smites the nations of musulmans and mud-peoples. And for all of the wacko ultra-theocratic beliefs held by our commander in chief, you'd think he'd recall "Blessed be the humble, for they shall inherit the earth." If I'm not mistaken, that's one of the 8 beatitudes they drilled into us in catechism. Come on now, if a cynical 25 year old agnostic an-cap libertarian remembers this shit, how has it escaped you, the paragon of ultra-christian values?
Especially considering the strained relationship that we've been maintaining with the rest of the civilized world in the last few years. Admitting that mother-nature can pimp-slap us, just as easily as she can deliver scorching heat-waves to France, or earthquakes to Iran, is not a display of weakness. It's not anything like that. This is without a doubt, one of the most stubborn, nonsensical strategies I've ever heard.
Because, you know, sometimes you can't do everything.
But what the fuck do I know?