You've lost family, home...do you want to see Jeb and Colin?

[madison2000]

This type of visit seems utterly self-serving and political to me. Why don't they send someone from FEMA who can actually contribute something?

[RoeBear]

1. Others here were complaining

that we hadn't sent high level officals there.

[Stephanie]

5. I haven't seen that complaint.

I have seen complaints that George Bush could not be bothered to interrupt his vacation, to express sorrow for the loss of life and support for the survivors, until three days later, after being shamed into it by Bill Clinton and the Washington Post. And I have seen complaints that Bush did not return to Washington to take a leadership role in the crisis. And complaints that 150,000 souls swept from the earth in minutes seem to mean little to him in comparison to the 3000 murdered in New York, as he intends to have a $40M party for himself after offering $35M to disaster relief. I have NOT seen anyone suggest that Bush travel to Southeast Asia, as his presence would just be one more burden for those beleagured countries. As I imagine the Bush/Powell visit is, especially their security requirements.

[MsConduct]

2. No, I wouldn't. In fact I'd probably be more insulted because their

photo ops won't help anyone or anything in anyway. Like, hey I lived through the tsunami and all I got for it was an extra colon and another useless bush. WTF!

[Avalux]

3. How about sending

our glorious leader? He's an expert at brush clearing - or so we're told - his ass should be on a plane to Sri Lanka with a good pair of gloves.

[northzax]

4. It's a sign of respect

in Asia nothing is more important than familial connections. People understand much more that Jeb is the President's brother than if we sent the entire staff of FEMA. SE Asia is in no position to have a state visit, obviously, which rules out Bush or Cheney, so Powell and Jeb are the highest level officials the US can send. plus, Jeb does have some experience with natural disasters.

Look, I am no supporter of Jeb, obviously, but I think this is the right message to send, especially in this part of the world.

[madison2000]

7. And it doesn't hurt that he wants to run in 2008 does it?

If its about family, why doesn't W send his parents or his daughters or his brother Neil?

[northzax]

10. well, his father was a president, you may have noticed

which would require a higher level of outlay on the part of the recieving countires (former presidents on official visits get something close to a state visit) there are rules aoubt diplomacy.

You can't send a woman to a patriarchal society like rural Indonesia, it would be considered by many there to be an insult. And Niel doesn't work for thegovernment (and the Thais know him a little too well, methinks) and hey, maybe, just maybe, this isn't about us, but about doing the right thing, by the norms of international diplomacy (which predate the Treaty of Westphalia)

For once, let's take off our little NotreAmericano blinders and think that maybe, just maybe, Bush is doing the right thing here, there is a protocol for these types of things, and this is the right message to send to the rest of the world.

[Bridget Burke]

6. I doubt most of the affected will actually see Jeb & Colin.

Jeb & Colin will participate in a few photo-ops & flyovers. And I'm sure they'll have plenty of security to protect them from any distressing sights.

It's a wretched waste of energy.

[MissBrooks]

8. I'd want to see food and clean water

If they are bringing it with them - bring it.

Oh.... and a shower; not a bath.

[tavalon]

9. Because this visit

is utterly self-serving and political. Was there something about it that led you to believe otherwise?

I just wish Colin would stop serving his dark lord already. He's been humiliated and debased enough. Or rather, he has humiliated and debased himself enough.

[tigereye]

11. someone has to do something decent,even if it is pr

why not them?

[AngryOldDem]

13. Then send somebody like Jimmy Carter,

Someone who actually knows what it is like to suffer adversity, and help people through it. RFK Jr. is another possibility -- someone who has helped the poor.

I realize Carter is probably unwilling to do the trip due to age, but his presence would be much more sincere than Powell's and Jeb's.

For that matter, there is really no reason why Bush himself couldn't make a brief visit. This is a disaster of unprecedented size and scope -- the physical presence of the Leader of the Free World would not be the least bit untoward.

[northzax]

15. Bush himself cannot visit

it would be unseemly to require the preparations for a presidential visit in countries just struggling to survive, and not being able ot have those processes would be shameful to the victims. This is exactly the right note to take, I think. Someone has advised Bush well, since he certainly didn't come up with the idea.

[AngryOldDem]

19. Yeah, that's true....

[AngryOldDem]

12. Only if they are bringing food, clothing, water, building materials,

shovels, heavy equipment, manpower...

In other words, if they are there to actually help, fine. If they're there for the glory, they can stay the hell home -- they'd just get in the way.

There is no need for either of these men to be there right now. This is political grandstanding at its absolute worst.

[northzax]

17. no, it's public diplomacy

and the right move to make. Remember when Chirac visited right after 9/11? he certainly didn't bring any needed supplies or aid, he simply came ot say "hey, I'm sorry, this sucks, but we're here if you need us." Psychologically, having people come by and say "I'm sorry, this is awful, how can I help?" in person really makes a difference to people. That's why you go to funerals, and visit people in the hospital. You can't actually do anything about the dead person, and unless you're a doctor, you can't help the guy in the bed, but just coming by and saying "I feel for you" is helpful.

with one hand we are giving aid, on the ground and financially. that's fine, but it's also important to provide emotional and psychological support for the governments of these nations. Look, an example. your neighbor's house catches on fire and burns down. You don't really know the guy well, and you've already given money to the Salvation Army to help get his family a room in a hotel and a warm meal. So do you also stop by when you see him picking up the rubble the next day and offer your support? or do you just write a check? which means more to him after he gets his life back together? see?

for an example of the human instinct towards empathy, go to this current thread in the lounge: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=105x2349133 notice how people who know neither the poster nor his/her father (I certainly don't) feel compelled to express their sympathy? And do you think the poster gains some small measure of comfort from those sentiments? Are those posts, because they are public, just publicity stunts done for personal gain, or are they sincere sentiments of shared grief? you decide.

[AngryOldDem]

18. Those are nice sentiments

But actions speak louder than words, and I think Bush dropped the ball on this one: It took him three days to even acknowledge that the tragedy happened. And then, from what I read from some posts here, his demeanor while doing so was inappropriate. Finally, he offers a paltry amount of aid and acts insulted when the rest of the world points that out. You go to these disaster scenes out of genuine concern, as Chirac did after 9/11. You don't go because you think you "have to." And sorry, but I still do not sense a genuine concern on the part of anyone in this administration.

Powell and Jeb add nothing here. While it looks good that they are there, to me it smacks of an empty gesture.

[Solly Mack]

14. NO!

[Taxloss]

16. Visits of this kind simply divert resources.

They're actually harmful to aid efforts. I have no truck with the idea that high level officials should be "on the ground" - it's a PR photoshoot and does more harm than good.

Which isn't to say that vacations shouldn't be called off.

[elehhhhna]

20. Reframing the Q: Wanna see Putin's Brother and a Lame Duck Rus'n General?

[diamond14]

21. YEESSSS...they need to see some big american PORKERS !! (PHOTOS)

67-year-old American Porker arrives for PHOTO-OP, with bloater jeb bush , and a whole DELEGATION, and mercenaries....



70-year-old Sri Lankan waits for food in the rain....


there would have been a LOT more room for FOOD/MEDICINE on that aircraft IF the American Porkers were left at home....

[AngryOldDem]

22. These pictures say it all.

But chances are the plane's engines won't have time to cool off before they are both back on it and out of there, so those who are actually working can get back to digging out survivors and bodies.

Shameful.

[MsConduct]

24. Great pics and great points. LOL on there being more room

for food/medicine w/o the porkers on board.

[Be Brave]

23. Those poor victims. As if they haven't suffered enough,

they have to deal with Collin and Jebbie also. I think it's a good thing that the Asian people have a laid-back and patient disposition.