As a student I have learned of the inverse proportion rule, but never expected it to be applied to the devastating wakes of the Boxing Day tsunami and Hurricane Katrina.

The former, the Boxing Day tsunami, happened unexpectedly, a once-in-a-100 years occurrence, to a number of third world nations. The catastrophe killed hundreds of thousands without warning while many millions more were left homeless. Even if the various nations affected by the tsunami had the means to evacuate their citizens from the coastline, they didn't know of the warnings, or their system didn't permit the top leaders to know in time to take decisive actions to mitigate against a tsunami strike. They were caught with their pants down. The consequences was calamitous.

The latter, Hurricane Katrina, is but one of numerous hurricanes occurring on a regular basis in the Gulf of Mexico, hitting the south-eastern corner of the United States frequently over the past centuries, except that Katrina was stronger than the rest. The inhabitants, of the richest nation on earth, had plenty of warnings and advice to evacuate from the best weather forecasting and warning systems in the world. While many didn't because they were too old to do so by themselves, too poor to afford any move or just plain ignorant of the magnitude and dangers of Katrina, their government was certainly in a position to effect the evacuation. They chose to be caught with their pants down.

Anyhow, there is an estimated 10,000 that might have perished from the force of Hurricane Katrina. It is a cruel figure but nevertheless only a fraction of what the tsunami death toll was.

So, whatever the disaster might have been, relief aid was and still is in order.

Let us examine the donation provided by the wealthy oil rich nations of the Gulf region, ignoring in this letter how their mullahs had disparaged the poor victims of the tsunami as wicked and sinful and deserving of Allah's divine punishment.

Croesus-rich Kuwait gave to the tsunami relief fund an initial US$1 million. It subsequently raised this to US$10 million after its own press savaged it for its stinginess. US$10 million was equal to what racing driver Michael Schumacher gave to the tsunami relief fund out of his own pocket. There was mention that Kuwait subsequently donated more, but for all intents and purposes, its initial handout was a paltry one million dollars. That's how we have to judge it as that was its 'unforced' and 'true' donation.

Qatar did better, giving US$25 million. I am going to ignore Saudi Arabia because like Kuwait, it had to be stung by the Kuwaiti press in coughing up more. Needless to say, its initial offer was pathetic for such a wealthy nation. Organising a telethon later to make up for their meanness in assisting their Muslim brethren in Indonesia isn't worth mentioning anymore.

Now, compare those donations to what these Gulf nations are giving to a very wealthy US, with comparatively far less damage. Qatar has straightaway donated US$100 million, four times more than what it had provided to the tsunami affected countries. Kuwait's news agency Kuna has just announced that Kuwait is donating a humongous US$500 million worth of oil products and other humanitarian aid to its ally - yes sir, that's half a billion US dollars. I wonder and tremble with anticipation at the magnitude of the donation the richer Saudi government will be working out for its western friend.

The rule of inverse proportion lives on, QED, but regretfully in an unjust and disgusting fashion, Muslim brotherhood gone with the wind of Hurricane Katrina.