Haiti Relief Work & President Obama: Can U.S. Afford Aid?

Haiti relief work is well under way, with organizations from the Red Cross to Wyclef's Yele Haiti taking donations for the victims of the tragic earthquake. President Obama has valiantly stepped up to the plate with a rapid promise of unfailing support to Haitian earthquake victims, putting President Bush's response to Hurricane Katrina to shame. But can the U.S. actually afford to pledge abundant aid to Haiti at this time? And if not, how will this affect the relief work efforts in Haiti? These questions and more have been considered on Aol's Daily Finance blog. Consider these points:

President Barack Obama has pledged the "full support" of the U.S. government to Haiti after the island nation suffered an epic earthquake that may have left untold thousands dead and injured. What he did not mention is America's generosity may come with a hefty price tag as the federal deficit is mushrooming from spending on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The exact price tag for U.S. taxpayers in Haiti is unclear. The costs could be hundreds of millions or even billions, depending on the contributions from other sources. Obama likely will spend big to stabilize Haiti since it is so close to the U.S. He also wants to prevent a mass exodus of Haitians to the U.S...

Stewart Patrick, a senior fellow at the Council of Foreign Relations, tells DailyFinance that the U.S. may have to bear about one quarter of the cost to rebuild the Western Hemisphere's poorest country. His sentiment was echoed by the Heritage Foundation's Jim Roberts, who served in the Foreign Service in Haiti. "It's inevitable that the US taxpayer will pay for some of this bill," Patrick says. Although the tab will be considerable, it will pale in comparison to the the cost of the war in the Middle East.

Media reports indicate that more than 2,000 Marines will be heading to Haiti as part of a humanitarian effort, along with ships, helicopters and airplanes. These first-responders will have their work cut out for them. The quake was centered 10 miles outside of Haiti's capital Port-au-Prince, a city with a population of more than 2 million, by far the country's largest city. Media reports indicate the the government is in a shambles and the presidential palace lies in ruins. Everything from shanty homes to government buildings to hospitals lie in ruins.

Sadly, the disaster comes as businesses were starting to invest in the Caribbean nation, lured by a dirt cheap pool of labor, giving Haitians a rare bit of optimism.

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=811370&pid=811369&uts=1263600443

http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swf

New Obama Photos

WASHINGTON - JANUARY 14: President Barack Obama gives a thumbs up before delivering remarks to the House Democratic Caucus retreat at the U.S. Capitol Visitors Center January 14, 2010 in Washington, D.C. President Obama visited the Capitol to address the Democratic Caucus on health care legislation that is being debated in Congress. With President Obama are House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). (Photo by Ron Sachs-Pool/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Steny Hoyer;Barack Obama;Nancy Pelosi

Getty Images

Getty Images North America

BlackVoices.com

President Obama Photos

Volunteers call voters during a get out the vote and fundraising effort at the campaign headquarters for Republican U.S. Senate candidate Scott Brown in Needham, Mass., Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010. Brown's campaign pulled in $1.3 million in a 24-hour online blitz buoyed by national interest from Republicans looking for a decisive vote against President Obama's health care overhaul. Brown faces Democrat Martha Coakley in next week's election to fill the seat vacated by the death of U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass.(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

From foreground, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson, Attorney General Eric Holder, and others, walks down the stairs of Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010, after they and President Obama, arrived from Wilmington, Del. where they attended the funeral for Vice President Joe Biden's mother Jean Biden. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

Attorney General Eric Holder, left, follows Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano from Air Force One to a waiting vehicle, Tuesday Jan. 12, 2010, at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. Napolitano had arrived with President Obama after they attended the funeral for Vice President Joe Biden's mother Jean Biden, in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, right, followed by Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, walks from Air Force One to a waiting vehicle, Tuesday Jan. 12, 2010 at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. They had arrived with President Obama after attending the funeral for Vice President Joe Biden's mother Jean Biden, in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano walks from Air Force One to a waiting vehicle, Tuesday Jan. 12, 2010, at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. Napolitano had arrived with President Obama after they attended the funeral for Vice President Joe Biden's mother Jean Biden, in Wilmington, Del. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

WASHINGTON - JANUARY 12: U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama arrive at the White House January 12, 2010 in Washington, DC. President Obama and the first lady traveled to Delaware to attend a memorial service for Vice President Joe Biden's mother. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Getty Images

WASHINGTON - JANUARY 12: U.S. President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama arrive at the White House January 12, 2010 in Washington, DC. President Obama and the first traveled to Delaware to attend a memorial service for Vice President Joe Biden's mother. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Getty Images

WASHINGTON - JANUARY 12: U.S. President Barack Obama walks to the Cabinet Room at the White House January 12, 2010 in Washington, DC. President Obama and the first lady traveled to Delaware to attend a memorial service for Vice President Joe Biden's mother. (Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images)

Getty Images

President Obama exist Marine One at Andrews Air Force Base, in Maryland, Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010. The President is traveling to Delaware to attend the funeral for Vice President Joe Biden's mother, Jean Biden. (AP Photo/Cliff Owen)

It is wonderful that our president is moving without hesitation to help Haiti with earthquake aid. At the same time, the mounting bill from President Obama's various undertakings is starting to appear rather steep. From the bail out, to the war in Iraq, to ramping up in Afghanistan, the American people are already billions of dollars in the hole for years to come. U.S. aid to Haiti, while crucial to maintaining the stability of the region, is an expense that could throw our future generations into a precarious economic position.

That is, unless President Obama significantly pulls back on one of our war fronts. Daily Finance makes a great point -- aid to Haiti will cost much less than continuing our efforts in Iraq. That seems like more than a solution to our mounting national debt. It's almost a sign from higher powers that peace, brotherhood and the building up of nations is what the world needs now, not warfare, fighting and tearing countries down. Aid to Haiti is absolutely necessary. But is perhaps the moral and economic imperative in this situation one that will require ending warfare as a more than fare trade? President Obama has a lot to balance regarding giving Haiti aid. Let's hope his balance leans towards granting relief, at the expense of war.