"Radio station in the sky warns Haitians not to attempt boat voyage"

[noamnety]

Washington (CNN) -- A U.S. Air Force plane serving as an airborne radio station is broadcasting messages to Haitians urging them not to attempt ocean voyages to the United States, saying they will be intercepted and turned back home if they do.

The plane is broadcasting recorded messages from Raymond Joseph, Haiti's ambassador to the United States, and announcements of where earthquake victims can go for food and aid.

"Listen, don't rush on boats to leave the country," Joseph says in Creole. "If you do that, we'll all have even worse problems. Because, I'll be honest with you: If you think you will reach the U.S. and all the doors will be wide open to you, that's not at all the case. And they will intercept you right on the water and send you back home where you came from."

(snip)

Haitians who have valid visas can come to the United States on commercial flights.
...

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/19/haiti.broadcast.warning/index.html?hpt=T2

I'm sure that's a relief to the average Haitian right now - they can just use their valid visa and hop on one of the commercial flights heading out ... soon as they have their airfare.

[Dennis Donovan]

1. That sounds vaguely familiar...

...like the police lining the bridges after Katrina keeping survivors out of the dryer, affluent areas.

[Leopolds Ghost]

2. Don't be silly! Our military is over there to help, not to secure the country from threats.

Um, er, wait... Clinton even said in front of Preval and TV interview that the reason "all these
nations are bringing in troops" is "because we don't want a failed state in the Caribbean."

Hence why military trumps non-military relief.

After all, you have to be trained to kill before you can save lives.

"People can get desperate, pushing and shoving. They might even threaten the relief workers.
What if we have to shoot...?"

[Leopolds Ghost]

4. Per sandnsea, 30 Haitians have been saved from rubble 6 US search teams total. 3000 Americans saved.

The reason we're in charge is because we have more stuff closer to the scene. That's why we have 6 search teams and the int'l community has 27.

:sarcasm:

We spend more on military than all other nations combined, that's what makes us so great. Why we're still so prosperous compared to all other nations despite citizens not feeling it. The prosperity is tied up in the military economic elite. Their security interests are at stake in any foreign aid crisis.

[tavalon]

3. Yeah, couch in terms that make it seem like America just wants to protect Haitians

The Department of Homeland Security just wants you to stay safe. Uh, huh, sure.

[texasleo]

5. No good deed goes unpunished.

:eyes:

[icnorth]

6. Lou Dobbs wasn't fired from CNN...

he is currently on assignment supervising erection of a 60 foot high security fence around the Gulf Coast. :sarcasm: