Powell: Tsunami may be good for US image..

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http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/ns/news/story.jsp?floc=FF-APO-1104&idq=/ff/story/0001%2F20050104%2F1125399887.htm&sc=1104

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Secretary of State Colin Powell said Tuesday the outpouring of American aid and humanitarian help in the region devastated by the tsunami may also help Muslim nations see the United States in a better light.

``What it does in the Muslim world, the rest of the world is giving an opportunity to see American generosity, American values in action,'' Powell said after meeting with Hassan Wirayuda, his Indonesian counterpart.``America is not an anti-Islamic, anti-Muslim nation. America is a diverse society. We respect all religions,'' he said

Powell said he hopes Muslim countries see the wide range of U.S. aid and involvement around the world, of which the disaster relief is only the latest example. U.S. involvement and cooperation ``is in the best interest of those countries and it's in our best interest,'' he said. ``It dries up those pools of dissatisfaction that give rise to terrorist activities,'' Powell added.

Meanwhile, in an interview with Thailand's Independent Television, Powell again rejected criticism of the U.S. response as being slow.
``Who criticized us? It wasn't the countries in the region,'' he said. And, Powell said, he called the foreign ministers of the devastated countries right away and President Bush spoke to heads of government and state within 48 hours.......