US pushes aid plan to avert terror  By Tom Allard  January 4,
2005  Billions of dollars in aid could be poured into Asia in a
long-term plan to ensure under-development does not breed
Islamic radicalism and terrorism following the tsunami disaster.
The US and Australia have identified a prompt and successful
humanitarian aid effort in south Asia as a national security
priority.  US Secretary of State Colin Powell said a failed
reconstruction effort could result in victims turning to
extremism.  "If nations are poor, if they don't see hope, if
they're riddled by disease, if no one is helping them, then
radicalism takes over, they lose faith in democracy and they
start turning in other directions," Mr Powell told CNN. "This is
an investment not only in the welfare of these people, which in
and of itself is a good thing to do; it's an investment in our
own national security."  It was a sentiment Australian
Government sources endorsed.  While the most pressing task was
providing immediate humanitarian relief, th