WP,pg1: Offers of Aid Immediate, but U.S. Approval Delayed for Days

[DeepModem Mom]

Offers of Aid Immediate, but U.S. Approval Delayed for Days
By Elizabeth Williamson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 7, 2005; Page A01


Offers of foreign aid worth tens of millions of dollars -- including a Swedish water purification system, a German cellular telephone network and two Canadian rescue ships -- have been delayed for days awaiting review by backlogged federal agencies, according to European diplomats and information collected by the State Department.

Since Hurricane Katrina, more than 90 countries and international organizations offered to assist in recovery efforts for the flood-stricken region, but nearly all endeavors remained mired yesterday in bureaucratic entanglements, in most cases, at the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

In Germany, a massive telecommunication system and two technicians await the green light to fly to Louisiana, after its donors spent four days searching for someone willing to accept the gift.

"FEMA? That was a lost case," said Mirit Hemy, an executive with the Netherlands-based New Skies Satellite who made the phone calls. "We got zero help, and we lost one week trying to get hold of them."

In Sweden, a transport plane loaded with a water purification system and a cellular network has been ready to take off for four days, while Swedish officials wait for flight clearance. Nearly a week after they were offered, four Canadian rescue vessels and two helicopters have been accepted but probably won't arrive from Halifax, Nova Scotia, until Saturday. The Canadians' offer of search-and-rescue divers has so far gone begging....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/06/AR2005090601994.html

[jsamuel]

1. ... they are just now getting to this story... geez

[Zenlitened]

2. What our country needs most is a leader.

America needs a president.

:(

[AuntiBush]

20. That's so Worthy of Repeating!

Our Country, America, the United States of America NEEDS A REAL LEADER! We obviously have leadership alright. They're running on their own fumes, no compassion, only in care of their own agendas.

Quite frankly, * and CO make me sick.

[Spazito]

3. Good, I was hoping the media would address this issue at some

point! It is another piece of evidence to add to a growing list of screw ups by FEMA, Homeland Security and, at the top, the bush admin.

[bemildred]

4. Hey, they were not done blackmailing Blanco. nt

[bassman79]

5. FEMA refusing offers of aid worth $10M

Offers of Aid Immediate, but U.S. Approval Delayed for Days

By Elizabeth Williamson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 7, 2005; Page A01

Offers of foreign aid worth tens of millions of dollars -- including a Swedish water purification system, a German cellular telephone network and two Canadian rescue ships -- have been delayed for days awaiting review by backlogged federal agencies, according to European diplomats and information collected by the State Department.

Since Hurricane Katrina, more than 90 countries and international organizations offered to assist in recovery efforts for the flood-stricken region, but nearly all endeavors remained mired yesterday in bureaucratic entanglements, in most cases, at the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/06/AR2005090601994.html

[peacetalksforall]

6. I hope this is blasted all over the papers and tv around the world.

Let the world know what is going on in this prison of a country.

[peacetalksforall]

7. Do you people realize the extent of death that is related to Homeland

Security?

Who knows any of the reasons or all of the reason they have for the utter stupidity of their actions. But, it is clear that Homeland Security is not working. They gave it all to a political hack who is not even 100% loyal to the United States.

Obviously, FEMA now has to have everything rubber stamped by the pretenders who have to pretend to check to make sure that a Moslem who is not on the CIA payroll gets into the country without their approval.

This is an unvelievable disaster of a selfish human kind.

Is this the worst that is going to happen to us under this regime?

[Peace Patriot]

8. It's time these 90 foreign countries change strategies, and start re-

directing aid, away from the Bushites, and directly to displaced people, and to cities and states, both those hit and those who are receiving people and helping, and to humanitarian organizations. The Bush Cartel cannot be trusted with these donations. They loot or putrify everything they touch.

[Kagemusha]

12. I'm all for that but FEMA might not *let* them.

India didn't allow such things after the Tsunami. I hoped the US government would have more ah... what was Bush's word for it?... humility. I guess not.

[nothingshocksmeanymore]

9. Because if they took that water purification help, they couldn't hand

it off to ENRON

[redqueen]

10. And FEMA is packed with bush's buddies

recommended

[orion9941]

11. OMG...

The more I read the more my head hurts. My mind over the last few days has literally been boggled by the unimaginable levels of incompetence being espoused by our government.

Just when I thought they couldn't get any worse or any dumber they go ahead and lower the bar again. Just fuckin spiffy.

[Dr Batsen D Belfry]

13. Katrina is Bush's Kursk

Remember how the submariners died because Putin didn't ask for anyone's help for days? Katrin is Bush's Kursk with thousands dying, many because aid was delayed.

Bush truly is Putin's soul-mate. It is perfectly OK to let people die to preserve image.

DBDB

[ReadTomPaine]

19. More like Chernobyl, only more dead. n/t

[struggle4progress]

14. Europeans asking why there has been slow response to offers of Katrina aid

By KARL RITTER

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (CP) - For four days, a C-130 transport plane ready to lift supplies to victims of hurricane Katrina has stood idle at an air base in Sweden. The aid includes a water purification system that may be urgently needed amid signs that deadly diseases could be spreading through fetid pools in New Orleans.

What stands in the way of takeoff? Approval by U.S. officials.

Although some foreign aid is on the way to the United States, many international donors are complaining of frustration that bureaucratic entanglements are hindering shipments to the United States. <snip>

Swiss officials expected an answer to their aid offer by Tuesday night. As of Wednesday afternoon, supplies were still sitting in a warehouse outside Bern as authorities awaited a response, said Andreas Stauffer, spokesman for the Swiss Agency for Development and Co-operation. <snip>

http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2005/09/07/1206242-ap.html

[Sgent]

15. Join the club

there are 100 doctors & medical staff with a mobile hospital that have been sitting in Jackson, MS waiting for clerance as well.

[Skittles]

16. you know how it is when you get back from a loooooong vacation

well actually I don't but............

[Blaq Dem]

17. We have assholes in leadership...

...and that's my final answer.

[zann725]

18. First they need to arrest the War Criminals running the 'show' here

Something that should've been done a LONG time ago. That'd expedite the influx of foreign aid to the Flood Victims, and all the rest of the U.S. citizenry currently deprived of our constitutional rights...as planned by our forefathers in a TRUE Democracy.