If we'll have a look at the US history of its Caribbean backyard, we easily can discover that the US government and its international and regional allies are used to view real autonomy and independence for Caribbean nations and for Central and South American countries as a threat. Now, President Obama's administration has exploited the catastrophe in Haiti to militarise that country under the pretext of providing security for humanitarian relief operations. Governments in the region see straight through that pretext to the menace behind it. Within Haiti, the US military occupation enables the US government to suppress any resurgence of the virtually banned, but widely popular, Fanmi Lavalas political movement, Haiti's largest. It also makes less likely a return from his involuntary sojourn in South Africa by Fanmi Lavalas leader, the exiled ex-President Jean Bertrand Aristide.
As the White House published, US troops have been sent to occupy and control the civil airport of Port Au Prince.
And what was their job? Anyway, following the White House, 12,000 US troops, 19 US Navy ships plus a dozen coastguard air planes and additional helicopters could achieve sustained success, the White House announced on January 18, 2010, a couple of days after the earthquake killed more than a quarter of a million people: their main purpose was to rescue and provide with food, water and medical care — US citizens first, of course, and what next?
But as Cuban and Venezuelan support for vital medical, education and other development cooperation programmes in Haiti puts US government aid to shame, the US occupation is likely to hinder Cuban and Venezuelan development cooperation to Haiti. It also gives the US government another base from which to menace Cuba and Venezuela while warning off other countries in the region anxious to benefit from extremely successful Venezuelan-led development cooperation programmes like Petrocaribe or ALBA (the Bolivarian Alliance of the Americas).
HEALTH:
265 HHS medical personnel are on the ground in Haiti:
— Doctors, nurses, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and other medical personnel who are a part of the National Disaster Medical System and the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. HHS activated the National Disaster Medical System and the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps to assist in relief efforts in Haiti.
HHS medical teams have begun seeing patients.
— More than 300 patients were seen yesterday at a Haitian orphanage, most with acute medical problems.
— A pediatric surgeon from the HHS International Medical Surgical Response Team performed surgery on a child yesterday aboard USNS Carl Vinson.
— A Disaster Medical Assistance Team and the International Medical Surgical Response Team today will see patients at a GHESKIO clinic in Port-au-Prince.
— Members from a Disaster Medical Assistance Team will also see patients today at the Haitian Coast Guard base in Killick, Haiti.
The USNS Comfort is currently underway and expected to arrive on 1/20 with 600 medical personal on board.
EVACUATION & RESCUES
A total of 2,971 Americans have been evacuated.
FEMA is coordinating and supporting the deployment of state and local Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Teams from across the country to Haiti.
— Currently, 6 USAR teams (511 total personnel) are on the ground in Haiti. These teams are made up of specially-trained state and local first responders and come from across the country.
— U.S. USAR teams have rescued 37 individuals, and 69 rescues have been successfully conducted by the 27 international USAR teams.
— Each USAR team includes approximately 70 team members.
FOOD & WATER
More than 89,800 lbs of cargo has been delivered.
A total of 20 pallets containing 27,000 Humanitarian Daily Rations have been delivered to Port au Prince, as well as three pallets of medicine and hygiene pallets.
The Department of Defense provided three water purifications treatment units and delivered twelve 3,000 gallon water bladders and 18 pallets of bottled water.
Military helicopters airlifted 26,000 Humanitarian Daily Rations from Guantanamo Bay to Port au Prince.
So let's sum up: 12,000 US troops, 19 US Navy ships plus a dozen coastguard air planes and additional helicopters plus 265 HHS medical personnel
delivered 90,000 lbs food and water,
delivered a total of 20 pallets Humanitarian Daily Rations to the city of Port Au Prince, as well as 3 pallets of medicine and hygiene products,
delivered twelve 3,000 gallon water bladders and 18 pallets of bottled water,
evacuated a total of 2,971 US Americans,
rescued 37 individuals
US HHS medical teams have begun seeing patients, more than 300 patients on a day, most with acute medical problems,
a pediatric surgeon from the HHS International Medical Surgical Response Team performed surgery on a child.
dionysius wrote:
... we Americans are doing more than any other single nation for Haiti...
Indeed, if only one person was rescued, this in fact would be a cracking good story, n'est-ce pas? Good for another legend US history is built upon. But it does not answer the question"WHY - what is the US occupation good for?"
May be the answer becomes evident when we consider that the US found oil in Haiti decades ago, and due to the geopolitical circumstances and big business interests of that era the decision was made to keep Haitian oil in reserve for when Middle Eastern oil had dried up...
... we Americans are doing more than any other single nation for Haiti...
Looks like you need some private lessons in facts and figures:
US set Haiti up for disaster.
And comparing Haiti per capita aid pledged by country, the US is leading the world aid ranks.....
from position ..... ..... #15 (per capita aid US-$ 0.58) ?
far behind ... ... Estonia (US-$ 0.74), ... Guyana (US-$ 1.31), ... Sweden (US-$ 2.51), ... Canada (US-$ 3.91).
dionysius wrote:
... we Americans are doing more than any other single nation for Haiti...
If we'll have a look at the US history of its Caribbean backyard, we easily can discover that the US government and its international and regional allies are used to view real autonomy and independence for Caribbean nations and for Central and South American countries as a threat. Now, President Obama's administration has exploited the catastrophe in Haiti to militarise that country under the pretext of providing security for humanitarian relief operations. Governments in the region see straight through that pretext to the menace behind it. Within Haiti, the US military occupation enables the US government to suppress any resurgence of the virtually banned, but widely popular, Fanmi Lavalas political movement, Haiti's largest. It also makes less likely a return from his involuntary sojourn in South Africa by Fanmi Lavalas leader, the exiled ex-President Jean Bertrand Aristide.
As the White House published, US troops have been sent to occupy and control the civil airport of Port Au Prince.
And what was their job? Anyway, following the White House, 12,000 US troops, 19 US Navy ships plus a dozen coastguard air planes and additional helicopters could achieve sustained success, the White House announced on January 18, 2010, a couple of days after the earthquake killed more than a quarter of a million people: their main purpose was to rescue and provide with food, water and medical care — US citizens first, of course, and what next?
But as Cuban and Venezuelan support for vital medical, education and other development cooperation programmes in Haiti puts US government aid to shame, the US occupation is likely to hinder Cuban and Venezuelan development cooperation to Haiti. It also gives the US government another base from which to menace Cuba and Venezuela while warning off other countries in the region anxious to benefit from extremely successful Venezuelan-led development cooperation programmes like Petrocaribe or ALBA (the Bolivarian Alliance of the Americas).
HEALTH:
265 HHS medical personnel are on the ground in Haiti:
— Doctors, nurses, paramedics, emergency medical technicians, and other medical personnel who are a part of the National Disaster Medical System and the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps. HHS activated the National Disaster Medical System and the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps to assist in relief efforts in Haiti.
HHS medical teams have begun seeing patients.
— More than 300 patients were seen yesterday at a Haitian orphanage, most with acute medical problems.
— A pediatric surgeon from the HHS International Medical Surgical Response Team performed surgery on a child yesterday aboard USNS Carl Vinson.
— A Disaster Medical Assistance Team and the International Medical Surgical Response Team today will see patients at a GHESKIO clinic in Port-au-Prince.
— Members from a Disaster Medical Assistance Team will also see patients today at the Haitian Coast Guard base in Killick, Haiti.
The USNS Comfort is currently underway and expected to arrive on 1/20 with 600 medical personal on board.
EVACUATION & RESCUES
A total of 2,971 Americans have been evacuated.
FEMA is coordinating and supporting the deployment of state and local Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) Teams from across the country to Haiti.
— Currently, 6 USAR teams (511 total personnel) are on the ground in Haiti. These teams are made up of specially-trained state and local first responders and come from across the country.
— U.S. USAR teams have rescued 37 individuals, and 69 rescues have been successfully conducted by the 27 international USAR teams.
— Each USAR team includes approximately 70 team members.
FOOD & WATER
More than 89,800 lbs of cargo has been delivered.
A total of 20 pallets containing 27,000 Humanitarian Daily Rations have been delivered to Port au Prince, as well as three pallets of medicine and hygiene pallets.
The Department of Defense provided three water purifications treatment units and delivered twelve 3,000 gallon water bladders and 18 pallets of bottled water.
Military helicopters airlifted 26,000 Humanitarian Daily Rations from Guantanamo Bay to Port au Prince.
So let's sum up: 12,000 US troops, 19 US Navy ships plus a dozen coastguard air planes and additional helicopters plus 265 HHS medical personnel
delivered 90,000 lbs food and water,
delivered a total of 20 pallets Humanitarian Daily Rations to the city of Port Au Prince, as well as 3 pallets of medicine and hygiene products,
delivered twelve 3,000 gallon water bladders and 18 pallets of bottled water,
evacuated a total of 2,971 US Americans,
rescued 37 individuals
US HHS medical teams have begun seeing patients, more than 300 patients on a day, most with acute medical problems,
a pediatric surgeon from the HHS International Medical Surgical Response Team performed surgery on a child.
dionysius wrote:
... we Americans are doing more than any other single nation for Haiti...
Indeed, if only one person was rescued, this in fact would be a cracking good story, n'est-ce pas? Good for another legend US history is built upon. But it does not answer the question"WHY - what is the US occupation good for?"
May be the answer becomes evident when we consider that the US found oil in Haiti decades ago, and due to the geopolitical circumstances and big business interests of that era the decision was made to keep Haitian oil in reserve for when Middle Eastern oil had dried up...
Another thing. Does anyone know where I can find a list of what countries give what to these kind of disasters? I know the UK and the U.S have given a hell of a lot but what about places like China, Arab emirates, etc, rich countries? You never seem to hear of them when things like this happen do we?
There was a good story on NPR about this... and how tiny countrys often give significantly.
Another thing. Does anyone know where I can find a list of what countries give what to these kind of disasters? I know the UK and the U.S have given a hell of a lot but what about places like China, Arab emirates, etc, rich countries? You never seem to hear of them when things like this happen do we?
Another thing. Does anyone know where I can find a list of what countries give what to these kind of disasters? I know the UK and the U.S have given a hell of a lot but what about places like China, Arab emirates, etc, rich countries? You never seem to hear of them when things like this happen do we?
I've seen a list. I'll try to dig it up. but china, don't remember exactly, but it wasn't much. Saudi Arabia-a big fat zero.
Another thing. Does anyone know where I can find a list of what countries give what to these kind of disasters? I know the UK and the U.S have given a hell of a lot but what about places like China, Arab emirates, etc, rich countries? You never seem to hear of them when things like this happen do we?
I don't know about the news coverage in the U.S but over here there is more and more footage of amputees, many of them children who we are being told had limbs amputated needlessly because urgent medicines were turned away from the airport. This is not a dig at America, it's just what is being reported with many aid agencies still asking questions. A plane with Scientoligists was even allowed to land before these planes, ridiculous!
(100% of your donation will be go to these charities, Doctors Without Borders & International Red Cross: PayPal has agreed to waive all fees on Haiti-related donations from January 12th through February 11th. This means that more of your money will reach the people in need.)
As a non-theist, regarding the above, I must borrow from sirdroseph... sirdroseph wrote:
I think that most of them are spoiled, hypocritical, outrageously banal, self absorbed and out of touch, but that doesn't mean that they can't do good things every now and then. Kudos to them!
Aid Been Given Spurred by the horrific suffering in Haiti, the Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science (RDFRS) has joined forces with 18 other freethought groups or associates, to collect donations to non-religious relief organizations. Those participating are Atheist Alliance International, Atheists Helping the Homeless, Atheists United, The British Humanist Association, Freedom From Religion Foundation, The International Humanist and Ethical Union, James Randi Educational Foundation, Military Association of Atheists and Freethinkers, New Humanist Magazine, Pharyngula, Rationalist Association, Reasonable New York, The Reason Project, The Richard Dawkins Foundation for Reason and Science, Secular Student Alliance, Skeptics in the Pub, The Skeptic Magazine, The Skeptics Society and Unreasonable Faith.
We have set up a new dedicated bank account and PayPal facility in the new name of Non-Believers Giving Aid. All of the money donated will be distributed to disaster relief.
(100% of your donation will be go to these charities, Doctors Without Borders & International Red Cross: PayPal has agreed to waive all fees on Haiti-related donations from January 12th through February 11th. This means that more of your money will reach the people in need.)
sirdroseph wrote: I think that most of them are spoiled, hypocritical, outrageously banal, self absorbed and out of touch, but that doesn't mean that they can't do good things every now and then. Kudos to them!
I agree inasmuch as the US military's takeover of the Port-Au-Prince airport and prioritization of their own relief traffic there over other folks' is uncalled-for and leaves a very bad impression abroad. Having said that, we Americans are doing more than any other single nation for Haiti. We just (as usual) need to be more sensitive to other countries' intentions and work with them rather than hold them at arm's length. We need this relief effort to succeed, and lay the groundwork for Haiti's recovery and economic development. This can't be a US-only operation.
Yes, I agree with all of the above. Difficult to get it perfect in such a desperate situation. Hold onto your seats- I also broadly agree with musiknut's post- America can be proud of what they are doing in Haiti. Ultimately it'll need to be the UN though.
