In my opinion, the United States has done remarkably well in its tsunami relief efforts, especially in Aceh.

In the immediate aftermath of the disaster when many people were still missing, the decisive and quick mobilisation of the US armed forces to locate them and to deliver food, water and other necessities of life was certainly the most practical thing to do to save real lives in the real world.

At that point of time, effective delivery of relief materials to people scattered all over the place was the one and only life-saving priority - not abstract debates on Middle East politics, Eurasian grand strategy or theologies.

As for some of the always expected anti-Americanists, I can only say their practical reasoning is generally faulty.

If the US has not done anything or is seen to be not doing enough, they would certainly criticise the US for being 'stingy' and 'heartless'. But when the efforts and resources committed by the US are factually indisputable, they would also assert that the US has all kind of other 'ulterior motives'.

So, heads they win, tails the US loses. On paper or in out-of-context debates, anti-Americanists always win. Anti-Americanists always seem to have a high-IQ when it come to fault-finding or scoring a smart point or two against George W Bush or the 'neo-cons'.

For them, nothing the US or Bush has done or said is ever right.

But for people with balanced minds who are more concerned with practicality in the real world, we must express our gratitude to the some 16,000 US navy and marine personnel who have been risking their safety and lives in an alien land where anti-American fanaticism has been stoked for years.

We must also thank Bush and the American government and people for their generosity. Friends in need are friends indeed.