Amid all the horror and suffering that is Haiti at the moment, one thing remains constant: the US will be in the forefront of international humanitarian aid. And the US military is the first of the "first responders," mainly because they CAN. From AFA's Daily Report:
Airmen at Spearhead of Haiti Relief: Elements of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Fla., were scheduled to deploy Wednesday afternoon to the international airport at Port au Prince, Haiti, to provide air traffic control capability and support airfield operations there. They were part of the initial wave of US military assistance ordered by President Obama after a powerful earthquake struck the impoverished island nation on Tuesday. Additionally, two C-130 transports from the Puerto Rico Air National Guard were scheduled to bring in a team of 30 US military specialists to assess the situation there firsthand and coordinate the follow-on support with other US agencies and international organizations. Also on Wednesday, a Navy P-3 aircraft operating from El Salvador conducted aerial reconnaissance over the affected areas, and the USS Carl Vinson was steaming towards Haiti with additional ships under way. (SOUTHCOM release) (AFPS report by Donna Miles)
I won't be redundant by quoting from the above links, but there is a considerable amount of Good Things therein. And the US military is the "first-est with the most-est" nearly every single time a disaster is visited upon humankind. Which also brings to mind one of the VERY best pieces I've ever read on the subject, which was penned by Varifrank back in 2005. Here's a short excerpt:
Today, during an afternoon conference that wrapped up my project of the last 18 months, one of my Euro collegues tossed this little turd out to no one in particular:
" See, this is why George Bush is so dumb, theres a disaster in the world and he sends an Aircraft Carrier..."
After which he and many of my Euro collegues laughed out loud.
and then they looked at me. I wasn't laughing, and neither was my Hindi friend sitting next to me, who has lost family in the disaster.
I'm afraid I was "unprofessional", I let it loose -
Now go read.
I remember reading about that story regarding Bush sending an Aircraft Carrier.
ReplyDeleteWhile Bush was not my favorite President, especially during the second term, he had a lot more sense than he was ever given credit for.
That story is well worth the read.
What's happening in Haiti breaks my heart. :(
ReplyDeleteIt's very sad. And yes it's usually the US followed by the UK ...followed by some token from Europe usually under the guise of the EU ...which means it's the UK as we pay the largest funds into that pot...!. You never see aid coming out of powerhouse China eh?
ReplyDeleteI do love that story.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid Haiti is more done-for than it was before the earthquake. I have a retired Coast Guard buddy who spent his last assignment in the Embassy there -- some of his stories are so sad.
Of course the US will be in the forefront of disaster relief -- also the middle-front and the rear-front; we're the world's salvation when there's need -- its spitcan when there's not. What ticks me off royally is to receive an email today from Organizing For America, Obama's fundraising/lobbying group (yes, I admit it -- I'm a mole!) asking for money and suggesting ways we can help! Are you kidding me?!?! Give money to that group?!?! Why don't I just cut a check to ACORN or the SEIU?
Vermin.
I'm just going to go through a local group in New Orleans -- we know what it means to need help.
As I said at Lex's site this morning - I am proudest of my country at times like these. I see those 6 ships steaming towards Haiti with thousands of American troops on them, unified in purpose. To render aid to people whose reality is the stuff of our worst nightmares.
ReplyDeleteDang Buck...that work by Vaifrank is truly one for the ages.
ReplyDeleteAt the risk of jumping aboard the Bozo Express..."YES WE CAN!", and "YES WE DO!"
It's the same old song...2010th verse...(I will not repeat the mantra..."they hate us until they need us").
Ooooops....
Varifrank's post brought to mind a Hindi friend that I haven't contacted in way too long. I believe that I shall work on that this evening.
It reads like something made up, but I've been in rooms like that with people like that, and I know just what he means.
ReplyDeleteThanks, all y'all for the comments. You're the best commentariat in the blogosphere!
ReplyDelete