A lleader column in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung is harshly critical of the European response to the Tsunami disaster.

While U.S. service members were busy dropping supplies over Indonesia and Australian doctors were treating people immediately after the disaster, the Europeans were debating - or, even worse, looking for a date to debate on. The French health minister, Philippe Douste-Blazy, finally said Europe was acting badly.
That is a telling comment. One widely known fact of European life is that its well-intentioned fixation on concerted action - preferably in tandem with the United Nations - does not always produce quick and consensual results. But now Europe is revealing a weakness where it always considered itself to have a strength: in humanitarian aid.

It is striking that the US chose to team up with Australia, India and Japan rather than its erstwhile European partners in the immediate aftermath of this catastrophe. Many have pointed out the relative success in the world over the past 12 months of Europe's 'soft' approach, compared to the US's 'hard' strategy. However, there are times such as these where 'soft' doesn't cut it. An approach which relies upon consensus and prior discussion is appropriate in many situations, but not in cases such as this.
Europe owes it to the world and it's own citizens to be up at the front of any such humanitarian effort. Failure to accomplish this essential goal will speak volumes to others about the EU's relevance as a power in the world today.