First U.S. military aid reaches quake-stricken Haiti

[sabrina 1]

Source: CNN

Washington (CNN) -- With the first of its flights touching down in earthquake-devastated Haiti late Wednesday afternoon, the U.S. began deploying military planes, ships and ground troops to the Caribbean nation.

One of two planes carrying a 30-person assessment team arrived at Port-au-Prince airport about 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. The team will assess what Haiti needs to cope with the immediate aftermath of the disaster.

One of the team's first jobs is to get the airport working to a point where it can handle all the flights coming in from around the world filled with people and supplies to help the victims of the quake.

The U.S. Southern Command is leading the Department of Defense's response. Gen. P.K. Keen, deputy commander of the Southern Command, was in Haiti when the quake struck and has seen the situation at the airport.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/01/13/haiti.us.coast.guard/index.html?eref=igoogle_cnn

---

Also on its way is the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson. The ship was at sea near Virginia when the quake hit and as it sails south, it will stop at Mayport, Florida, Naval Station to pick up supplies. They will have helicopters on the ship, the article says.

2000 Marines are also being sent, as well as the hospital ship USNS Comfort.

Thank you President Obama!

[Rabrrrrrr]

1. Shrubbie couldn't respond to Katrina for, what, a week? And Obama responds in hours

to a foreign country. And a foreign country that has no economic bonus to the US, too.

[ManiacJoe]

2. Probably less of a fight with the locals over

who is in charge, too.

[piedmont]

3. Yep, and everyone could watch Katrina coming via satellite for a WEEK ahead of landfall. nt

[Common Sense Party]

6. It took a few days, that's for sure. Governor Blanco asked for help

the day after. Katrina hit on Monday. By Wednesday, the USS Bataan was off the coast of Gulfport, and the National Guard was starting to move in to the affected areas. Thursday, the Senate passed a relief act, and the NatGuard began delivering supplies to the Superdome.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Hurricane_Katrina#Monday.2C_August_29.2C_2005

[sabrina 1]

8. Five days, airc ~

Bush was busy celebrating a birthday and playing the guitar with McCain. Cheney, we found out later was busy saving the oil industry. Condi had shoes to buy and a Broadway Show to attend to and I forget where Rummy was, a Baseball game maybe.

And then there was Brownie, and Chertoff ~

The world watched for five days as people died in front of the TV cameras ~

And Giuliani says we had no terror while Bush was in office ~ for that criminal neglect alone, they all should have been prosecuted.

[sandnsea]

15. Blanco asked for help before Katrina hit

She had declared a state of emergency the Friday before Katrina. She asked for everything FEMA had staged, "everything you've got". On Wed, when she still had next to nothing, she asked for 40,000 Nat Guard because rumores of violence had started. Bush was doing his "heckuva job" tour on Friday. The Bataan had 6 helicopters which wasn't near enough for the catastrophe they had, and at the time the crew said they ignored orders to return to ship because they hadn't received authorization.

As per usual, the R in Republican stands for Revision. I don't know how they always manage to erase the truth of what people actually lived through and replace it with fantasy.

The response to Haiti has been significantly swifter than any response Bush had to anything, including 9/11 and the tsunami.

[sabrina 1]

21. Thanks for correcting the record. I remember Blanco's

request days before the hurricane hit. People online were frantic, ordinary people. But the Bush administration showed no sign of panic, until way too late.

History is being rewritten mainly because no one suffered any consequences. That is the problem with allowing these corrupt criminals to not be accountable for their actions.

Chertoff, who also did nothing, is now advising Obama on National Security while the media just sits and looks at him in awe, never once asking about his creditionals on National Security. Not to mention his conflict of interest regarding the full body scanners he stands to make a fortune from.

Reading the comment to which you responded demonstrates how quickly people forget, unless there is a huge outcry with consequences as these are people who have no shame or regrets for what they do.

[PacerLJ35]

22. I can't speak for other parts of the US government, but prior to Katrina

the USAF had crews placed in alert and ready to fly out as soon as conditions improved. I know the other branches were similarly prepared to send people to NOLA.

[sabrina 1]

23. True, many were ready to go help. The Coast Guard did

a magnificent job of rescuing people eg. But the President did not give the orders necessary to mobilize those who would normally have been there, probably even before it happened.

There was also a dispute between Bush and Blanco, airc. Blanco believed the state's Governor had the authority to call in the NG. Bush, being a 'unitary executive' disagreed. Precious time passed as these arguments took place.

There were NG ready from other parts of the country to go to NOLA also, but they were not given the order to do so until it was too late for so many people.

I do not blame the USAF, the Military, the NG or anyone else, the blame for the failures of NOLA lie directly at the feet of the Bush administration. They obstructed rather than facilitated rescue efforts.

[PacerLJ35]

24. I believe the order for our aircraft to be prepared came from TRANSCOM

Which reports directly to the DoD...nearly everyone that had an ability to help (rescue squadrons, airlift squadrons, aeromedical squadrons, etc) were placed on alert a day or two ahead of time. I can't say for sure if the CinC directed it, but I'm quite sure somebody at the Pentagon made the decision. TRANSCOM, AMC and those other agencies don't simply alert themselves...that's not how things work. I used to work in the plans office at my last duty station and I can say with accuracy that individual wings, and even larger commands, receive guidance from DoD.

[sabrina 1]

29. I have read that the Pentagon went into action right away

and as you say, they launched a huge effort to get as much help to the area as they could. So they must have the authority to react to an emergency without waiting, unless someone called the WH and was just told to 'go ahead'.

It was FEMA who is supposed to coordinate all the emergency help, that failed.

Bush seemed lost according to many people. And he seemed unaware of the gravity of the situation according to his own aids. Some of them said they were afraid to tell him how bad it is. A video was made in the end to get the point across to him, rather than assign that task to any individual according to people who were part of his administration.

As I said, no one is faulting any of the rescue agencies including the military. They did all they could do. But when there is a disaster of that magnitude, rescue efforts need coordination and there was none coming from the Bush WH or from FEMA.

I remember the Coast Guard especially, flying in and risking their own lives, almost non-stop for days, to save people who were stranded. They obviously didn't need to wait for Bush and they didn't.

I think the main criticism of Bush is that he ignored the warnings and didn't even begin to act until after the levees were broken.

[PacerLJ35]

30. FEMA did break down spectacularly

but the military has it's own way of managing events like that and honestly the FEMA issue was only a minor problem for us. FEMA impacted agencies like the Red Cross and other civilian aid organizations in a much more dire way than the US military. I can't pretend to know exactly what individual made the call, but for the DoD to actually act, someone in the WH had to give at least a tacit "go ahead". Again, the military is more than capable of planning and executing something like that on their own but we generally don't jump into action on our own.

Not defending the Bush administration, just trying to clear up the facts because I'm tired of people saying things like "that's too bad you guys weren't allowed to help people in New Orleans".

[sabrina 1]

31. I appreciate the first hand information you have

provided of how the Pentagon reacted. It confirms some of what I've read myself. I am sure it is frustrating to see people misrepresent the role played by the military and not get credit for what probably saved many lives.

I am sure the military had to have a 'go ahead' from the WH as you say, they don't generally make these decisions by themselves.

This article from Newsweek may shed some light on how that might have occurred. Apparently Bush was responding to people who asked for permission to do certain things to just 'go ahead and do it'. So that is a possibility, especially if it was the Pentagon calling.

Katrina: How Bush Blew It

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9287434/print/1/displaymode/1098/

The Pentagon was not sitting idly. By Tuesday morning (and even before the storm) the military was moving supplies, ships, boats, helicopters and troops toward the Gulf Coast. But, ironically, the scale of the effort slowed it. TV viewers had difficulty understanding why TV crews seemed to move in and out of New Orleans while the military was nowhere to be seen. But a TV crew is five people in an RV. Before the military can send in convoys of trucks, it has to clear broken and flooded highways. The military took over the shattered New Orleans airport for emergency airlifts, but special teams of Air Force operators had to be sent in to make it ready. By the week after the storm, the military had mobilized some 70,000 troops and hundreds of helicopters—but it took at least two days and usually four and five to get them into the disaster area. Looters and well-armed gangs, like TV crews, moved faster.

As you read on, it gives more insight into how out of touch the WH was and how inept FEMA was under Brownie. It's also interesting to see that Rumsfeld was worried about sending in soldiers to control the situation. I would have thought he'd be all for that.

Btw, were you there during Katrina? If so, I'm sure those you helped know and are very grateful, even if the reporting gets distorted at times ~ :-)

[PacerLJ35]

33. That's a more accurate assessment...

I wasn't at Katrina myself. Most of my squadron was in the ME flying missions in and out of Iraq. But our sister squadron was home, as was about a third of my squadron...and they flew missions into NOLA. I got to read the emails and see the pictures, and hear the stories. They were very busy. I was busy too, but in a different capacity. Interestingly enough, those of us in the ME wound up flying relief supplies into Pakistan not long after Katrina, following an earthquake there.

[sabrina 1]

34. Well, I'm glad you are safe. It must be frustrating to be away

from home when a disaster like Katrina happens. I was thinking about Pakistan's earthquake today and wondering how all those people are doing.

[Psephos]

9. True, that - but the US military response in the Indonesian tsunami was excellent.

For which I give full credit to the US military and no credit to *.

The US military is enjoined from "law and order" elements of domestic crisis response by posse comitatus, btw.

[flamingdem]

13. YEAH BABEE that's the guy I voted for nt

[PacerLJ35]

18. US military was flying aid in and people out of NOLA the day after the hurricane

You mention when the ships got there...5 days later...but the USAF, US Army, Marines, National Guard and Coast Guard were all flying rescue, aid and recovery sorties in and around the affected area the day after the hurricane hit. They could not fly into the area any earlier due to weather conditions. The premise that the military was absent for a long time following Katrina is just not true. I was in a C-130 squadron out of Texas, and we put crews into alert the night before landfall, and as soon as weather improved they were departing our base for New Orleans.

I think too many people confuse the military's response with the civilian-run FEMA response. There's a huge difference.

[sandnsea]

27. There wasn't enough

Not near enough and too many were held up when Bush tried to circumvent the Constitution and take over Louisiana. That is what happened. Perhaps your planes were headed for Keesler because Bush didn't play these games with MS or AL.

[PacerLJ35]

28. We weren't held up

The decision to go was made at the DoD level, and not only our squadron but nearly every other airlift, rescue and related type of squadron was called up and sent down. From my perspective, we got there as fast as we could. The only way to get there faster was to already be in place, but that wouldn't have been a good idea.

[sabrina 1]

4. Yes, thank you President Obama

and President Clinton ~

[Sultana]

5. K&R

:patriot:

[MadMaddie]

7. That's what I am talking about!

Cut the bullshit out and get the actions done!

[peacetalksforall]

10. BOOKMARK THIS NEWS AND IMAGE AND USE IT TO FIGHT THE LIARS

who claim that Bush acted faster in New Orleans with Katrina than Obama is acting with Haiti.

Given that Katrina was struck with a hurricane which was forecast for days and given that no one forecast the earthquake ... then

Given that aircraft was touching down in a foreign country within 24 hours when as of some time last night, there was doubt about whether the airport was usable. .... it appears

Obama did terrifically well.

Shout it!!! DON'T LET THEM LIE!!!!!!!

[Rapier09]

12. Well played by Obama

Hope these people get the aid they need.

[sabrina 1]

14. Hurricane Katrina Timeline:

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/katrina-timeline.php

Anyone who says Bush acted faster than Obama should be shown this time-line for comparison.

Bush had days to prepare for Katrina. I can't find it now, but there was video of him getting a briefing from the Hurricane Center as they were tracking the storm. He looked so disinterested as if he didn't understand the gravity of the situation. He did nothing about it. If he had acted then, many lives would have been saved.

When you read the timeline you can see what was on Bush's mind on Saturday, Aug 27 when he made his weekly address.

And on the 29th, the day Katrina made landfall, Brownie waited five hours before asking Chertoff to send in help which would not arrive for two more days.

And we are talking about a US City. This is another country as you said.

Big difference in how they reacted ~

[peacetalksforall]

16. Excellent update-reminder. Our motto has to be - Don't Allow Them To Lie!

[PacerLJ35]

19. I won't say that Bush acted faster...

But the military did indeed launch help within 24 hours of Katrina making landfall. The 40th and 39th Airlift squadrons based out of Dyess AFB in Texas (my old squadrons) launched airplanes as soon as the weather was good enough for them to make it in there. We weren't the only aircraft arriving either...helicopters from the National Guard and Coast Guard were already airborne looking for survivors, and other fixed wing and rotary wing assets were arriving, including C-17s, other C-130s, and various helicopters from all branches. By the 5th day, the New Orleans airport was essentially a temporary military base wall-to-wall with all sorts of aircraft.

[sabrina 1]

11. The world is mobilized to go help those poor people ~

Aid begins flowing to Haiti

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/13/haiti.aid.response/index.html

In addition, a unit of U.S. Air Force Special Operations Forces left Hurlburt Field in Florida, with the unit including airmen, search-and-rescue experts and equipment to set up temporary air traffic control systems.

A Canadian military plane was to depart Trenton, Ontario, laden with supplies at 2 a.m. Thursday.

........

Many other countries have also offered assistance:

• Brazil's Ministry of Defense ordered its troops in the country to offer whatever assistance they can, Brazil's official news agency reported. The South American nation has 1,266 troops -- including 250 in an engineering unit -- in Haiti as part of a United Nations stabilization force.

• China was preparing to send a 50-member rescue team, including three sniffer dogs, the official news agency Xinhua reported. China has 125 peace-keeping police in Haiti, but no diplomatic ties with the country, Xinhua reported.

• Spain was sending three planeloads of aid -- two from Panama in Central America and one from Madrid, the Spanish capital, CNN affiliate CNN+ reported. Spain was also making 3 million euros ($4.35 million) available for aid and will coordinate the European Union response.

• France, Haiti's former colonial ruler, dispatched two planeloads of rescue personnel, one from Guadeloupe in the Caribbean and one from Marseilles, France.

• Russia was sending a mobile hospital with a staff of 45, including 20 doctors, Emergency Situations Ministry spokeswoman Elena Chernova told CNN. The mobile hospital "has intensive therapy, surgery, diagnostics, ultra-sound, X-ray, electrocardiogram modules as well as a blood test laboratory," and can accommodate 50 patients at a time, she said.

• Cuba sent an additional 30 doctors, plus medical supplies, to join the 344 doctors and paramedics it already had working throughout Haiti on humanitarian missions, said Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez.

• Iceland was sending a 37-man search-and-rescue team and offered to help evacuate foreign nationals, its foreign ministry said.

• Canada had a five-man team already in Haiti as part of the U.N. relief efforts there. All five were helping with the relief effort, Capt. Elizabeth Tremblay told CNN.

• The United Kingdom and Israel also pledged to send survey teams.

• Under a U.S. State Department program, individuals with U.S. cell phones can donate $10 to the Red Cross by texting "Haiti" to 90999. The State Department said Wednesday afternoon that the campaign had received nearly 83,000 hits.

• Musician Wyclef Jean's Yele foundation is accepting $5 donations for texting the word "Yele" to 501501. Text the word "Haiti" to 25383 to donate $5 to the Internal Rescue Committee. The donations will appear on mobile phone bills, in addition to any charges for texting and data.

• The Jolie-Pitt Foundation donated $1 Million to Doctors Without Borders for operations in Haiti.

Al Jazeera reported that Venezuela, not mentioned above, also sent a plane with rescue workers which arrived today.

So moving to see the response from the US and all those other countries, Iceland too which is suffering so much themselves because of its economic destruction.

[Posteritatis]

17. 550 Canadian personnel on two ships are leaving my town in a half hour for there. (nt)

[sabrina 1]

20. Very good news ~ they will need all the help they can get.

Thanks for adding that information ~

I did read that the air space had not been cleared for planes planning to go to Haiti. That was yesterday though, hopefully it is now.

[Xenotime]

25. HURRY!!!! PEOPLE ARE DYING!!!

[wickerwoman]

26. Maybe if you get behind the aircraft carrier and push...

I'm sure they're going as fast as they can. Why don't you show a little appreciation for the troops and relief workers who are risking their lives instead of implying that they're sitting on their asses watching people die.

[Codeine]

32. They are?

Holy shit, they should probably stop lollygagging. :sarcasm: