U.S. turns down Israeli offer of extensive humanitarian aid

[Violet_Crumble]

The United States has turned down Israel's offer to provide more extensive aid for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina, Israel Radio reported Friday.

A special El Al flight departed for New Orleans on Thursday morning carrying goods for Hurricane Katrina refugees.

The Boeing 747 cargo plane was loaded with 90 tons of goods including food, bottled water, tents, diapers and baby formula.

Another El Al plane carried Foreign and Defense Ministry delegations.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/623101.html

[ClintonTyree]

1. And why would the Hurricane victims need.......

Foreign and Defense Ministry delegations? :shrug: Must be more photo-ops coming up or something. After all the aid we've given Israel over the decades why the hell are we refusing it when they want to give some back?
I've given up trying to understand why the bush administration does what they do. Sometimes there is just NO explaining it.

[Violet_Crumble]

2. If there's still Israelis missing...

..I can understand the officials wanting to go over there. Not that it'd do much good - our consular officials weren't allowed anywhere near New Orleans when there were still Australians missing...

It's making me wonder how much other international aid the US administration is knocking back that we don't hear about...

Violet...

[Violet_Crumble]

3. Found another knock-back...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x4707979

[bemildred]

4. It's like Fallujah, witnesses are bad, make it hard catapult the spin. nt

[Coastie for Truth]

6. Did you ever wonder what Bush Cheney Rove Brown are hiding?

In the 1960's one of the Movement cheers was

THE WHOLE WORLD IS WATCHING"

[Coastie for Truth]

5. Naive

Foreign and Defense Ministry delegations?

Telecommunications

1. The cell phone system is dead -- remember not everybody has a satellite phone. :shrug:
2. In much of the area the land line is also dead. :shrug:
3. First major disaster in my life time where HAM radio (ARRL, RACES, MARS, CAP, CGA) assistance in Louisiana (did serve in Alabama, Mississippi, Texas) was turned down by FEMA and the State of Louisiana. :shrug:
4. Ham radio operators "shadow" relief workers and first responders to provide comms on the 146.520 Mhz channel and other 2 meter bands. The radios that most relief workers and responders carry still can not communicate with counterparts from other agencies. (Do you remember 9/11) :shrug:

Urban Search and Rescue (A euphemism for body recovery)

1. Israeli Army is skilled at this. :shrug:

"Combat" Engineering

1. Restoration of urban infrastructure - phones, cell phones, electricity, gas. :shrug:
2. Safe demolition of partially destroyed buildings (this is actually very hazardous work) :shrug:

Foreign Ministry? OK PR - even the Red Cross and the Salvation Army and the Southern Baptist Brotherhood and the Police and Fire send "spokespeople" and "public information" people.

"Coastie"
Lieutenant, United States Coast Guard (Honorably Discharged)
Red Cross Disaster Assistance Team Captain/Mass Shelter Supervisor
Extra Class Amateur Radio License (Emergency Ops Qualified)