"Why is the world unmoved by the plight of Pakistan?" Photos/Dial-Up Warning

[sabrina 1]

The scope of this disaster is breath-taking! And heart-wrenching!

They have only 60,000 troops trying to handle this massive disaster which is now affecting 25% of the country's territory and millions and millions of people. Food, shelter, medical care, how are they going to cope?



Why is the world unmoved by the plight of Pakistan?

Angry flood survivors are turning to a banned Islamist charity, reports Andrew Buncombe from central Punjab

Surrounded by brown, fast-shifting water on all sides, the 40 or so families in the village-turned-island had received no food, no medicine and no news as to when they might be rescued.

"We're dying of hunger," shrieked the woman, Sughra Bibi, as volunteers on the boat handed over plastic bags of lentils and cartons of milk to the villagers who gathered around her. One of them shouted out: "We don't care if it's the chief minister or the prime minister, but no one is sending anything to us. We are only waiting for God's help."

Across a huge swathe of central Punjab, Pakistan's famously fertile agricultural belt, now besieged by unprecedented floods, such scenes are being played out a thousand times or more.

1) Villagers wade through flood waters with their livestock while looking for higher grounds in Sukkur, Pakistan on August 8, 2010. Pakistani navy boats sped across miles of flood waters on Sunday as the military took a lead role in rescuing survivors from a devastating disaster that has killed 1,600 people and left two million homeless. (REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro)


2) An aerial view, from a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter en route to delivering humanitarian assistance supplies, shows the flood-damaged countryside in Ghazi, Pakistan ON August 5, 2010. (REUTERS/Horace Murray/U.S. Army)


3) Pakistani flood survivors walk in the flooded area of Bssera village, 60 km south west of Multan, on August 10, 2010. (Arif Ali/AFP/Getty Images)


4) Pakistani villagers chase after relief supplies dropped from an army helicopter in a heavy flood-hit area of Mithan Kot, in central Pakistan, Monday, Aug. 9, 2010. (AP Photo/Khalid Tanveer)


5) Pakistani villagers raise hands to get food dropped from an army helicopter at a flood-hit area of Kot Addu, in central Pakistan on Saturday, Aug. 7, 2010. (AP Photo/Khalid Tanveer


6) Pakistani villagers stand on the remains of a bridge washed away by heavy flooding in Bannu in northwest Pakistan on Sunday, Aug. 8, 2010. (AP Photo/Ijaz Mohammad


7) A Pakistani crosses a canal with the help of cable wire on a damaged bridge, which was washed away by heave flood in Ghazi Gat in central Pakistan on Monday, Aug. 9, 2010. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)



8) A boy waits for food handouts with other flood victims as they take refuge at a makeshift camp in Sukkur, in Pakistan's Sindh province August 8, 2010. (REUTERS/Akhtar Soomro)


9) Newborn twin boys lay covered up in a blanket on the floor of a Pakistani Army helicopter, as mother Zada Perveen (unseen) rests after being rescued by Pakistan Army soldiers during air rescue operations on August 9, 2010 over the village of Sanawan in the Muzaffargarh district of Pakistan. Of the twin boys, un-named at the time, the first was born 15 minutes before mid day and the other twin was born as the Army rescue helicopter was circling above to find a safe landing position on a road surrounded by flood waters. The mother was then carried on a makeshift bed through chest deep flood waters to the awaiting Pakistan Army helicopter. (Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images)


10) Pakistani flood victim Mohammed Nawaz hangs onto a moving raft as he is rescued by the Pakistan Navy August 10, 2010 in Sukkur, Pakistan. (Paula Bronstein/Getty Images

More pictures here If you click the link, you can use the 'J' key to move photos.

Reports say that the U.N. has issued an appeal for help and as a result more aid has been pledged today.

The U.S. has sent in 1,000 troops to help rescue flood victims and to deliver other aid. I can't help thinking of how it would be if the U.S. was not engaged in two wars and instead was free to send help to disasters like this. The different image it would portray around the world, and the difference it would make as far as our national security is concerned. That is how you win 'hearts and minds' ....

The reluctance to send help to Pakistan, according to the British Press was caused by the British PM referring to Pakistan as a terrorist state and the bad publicity given to Pakistan's president who was away from home for days after the floods began. Other reports say it is because the scope of the disaster was not fully comprehended at first.

Regardless, millions of innocent people need help and I hope they will receive it.

[theophilus]

1. I think many are moved. The world is getting shell shocked, however.

The U.S. is reeling from financial collapse (caused by rightwing and leftwing greedocrats) and many other "rich" countries are suffering as well. As Climate Change "heats up" these events will not even be noted in the media. Unless we take unprecedented action, millions, or billions, will suffer. Will we act?

[Sherman A1]

2. Agreed & Well Said

I believe it is a combination of donor fatigue, the continued bad weather in the region and the geography involved (I understand it's rather remote from the news reports).

I am sure that everyone feels for the folks, but many here (that might have donated money in the past) are trying to figure out how to keep roofs over their own heads, our military is stretched beyond it's limits, Haiti is still in bad straights, the Gulf Coast is hurting badly, New Orleans has hardly been repaired and the tsunami victims certainly need continued support.

I think the resource jar is empty.

[sabrina 1]

4. Yes, DUer Turborama who has posted many OPs

on this disaster said something similar to what you just said ~ he said he believes that we are now beginning to see some of the migration predicted that would be caused by Global Warming. I hope I'm remembering correctly what he said.

I think you are right about the world being shell-shocked. Russia is experiencing a disaster of its own, they are now worried about the fires reaching Chernobyl and then there's China. It seems to be worse every year. Maybe it's too late to act? I hope not, but one thing we could do, is stop all these wars and start fighting to save the planet. How stupid we are as a species, fighting amongst ourselves when things are falling apart around us.

[theophilus]

5. Well said. n/t

[proud patriot]

51. very well said nt

[sandnsea]

3. The USS Pelieu is providing helicopter aid

http://www.defense.gov//News/NewsArticle.aspx?ID=60372

Afghanistan based helicopters are providing aid. We're doing a lot.

"Four Chinook helicopters and two Black Hawks aided Pakistani officials in the northwestern part of the country, where flooding and landslides have isolated large swaths of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

To date, U.S. helicopters have rescued 2,305 people and transported 211,000 pounds of supplies in 40 sorties. Weather has been a tremendous obstacle, with monsoon rains still falling over the area. The choppers, based in Afghanistan’s Ghazi air base, could not fly for two days earlier this week."

[sabrina 1]

6. Thanks for the link giving the details of what the U.S. is

doing to help. As I mentioned in the OP they have sent 1000 troops so far.

Photo #2 was taken from a U.S. plane on its way to the area which is also mentioned in the OP.

[sandnsea]

9. They don't include troops in Afghanistan

Besides, if we sent any more troops, then people would just start saying there's a military takeover of Pakistan, like they did in Haiti.

[sabrina 1]

11. Yes, they probably would

and not without reason sadly. The deaths of over one million Iraqis and Afghans have caused the world to view this country with justifiable suspicion. If I were from a Muslim, Arab or oil producing South American country, I would be very wary of the U.S. sending in its military. And that is sad, certainly as far as the troops are concerned as many of them have said how much they prefer to be doing that kind of work than being at war with people.

It will take a long, long time before the world trusts this country again. Obama's popularity which was very high when he first took office in the Arab and Muslim world, has begun to erode. How sad that is. An opportunity blown as we continue to wage war and refuse to hold war criminals accountable. There has been no justice for the victims of the Bush crimes and the world is taking notice.

[sandnsea]

17. So it will always be wrong

If we send in lots of US help, it will be wrong. If we don't send in enough, it will be wrong. No matter what is done, people like you will find fault with it.

It's one thing to have a legitimate complaint, like the Iraq War WMD lies. But when you find the imperfection in every single thing, pretty soon you're nothing more than a harpy that nobody listens to.

[sabrina 1]

19. Oh get a grip. What is wrong is U.S. foreign policy

It's a fact that they haven't made us very popular around the world.

Your ridiculous comments searching for something to whine about, are so typical of the xenophobia we are so accustomed to from the right.

Did you think Bush's wars had made us popular around the world? And that continuing them would make us any more popular?

Are you aware that there are demands not to take help from the U.S. in Pakistan and elsewhere?

'Harpy' right! Maybe if you call people names you can shut them up, is that what you think? Can't just debate without resorting to anger and name-calling because the world isn't the way you would like it to be where people will just keep quiet about the truth so your tender feelings don't get hurt.

The world isn't the way I'd like it to be either. And I'm not going to sweep it under the rug as you'd like to do, when this country does wrong. Do you really think that if we all did that here, no one would notice we are killing people every day?

We, our precious government, are killing people every day!! And whether I talk about it or not, the rest of the world knows that and when we go now to help in a disaster, no one trusts our motives. Deal with those facts or don't, but facts they are.

[Binka]

21. Harpy?

Holy shit did YOU really go there? OMFG.:rofl:

[RandomThoughts]

8. That is great news. Thanks for posting that.

[fujiyama]

7. .

[sabrina 1]

10. It does sound cold, sorry.

First, the U.S. does not give money to Pakistan for altruistic reasons. We are as responsible for the corrupt governments in many of these countries, as they are themselves. We are in the business of Arms dealing and our own supply of nuclear weapons has made other countries who fear this country, and after our recent pre-emptive strikes on two countries who could blame them, an excuse to defend themselves.

The world right now, might feel the same way about this country should we should ever need help. We are not the most popular nation around the globe considering the death toll from OUR weapons in Iraq and Afghanistan.

I hope if we ever do need help, the world won't hold the actions of our government against the people, especially those of us who oppose these wars, no matter which party is in power.

We interfere in everyone's business, and for the most part the money we give to governments is to serve our own interests, to buy their support, and most of the time we support the worst and most corrupt governments whose own people hate them.

The majority of the people in Pakistan are simply victims of the war games Empires have been playing for centuries now. And sadly, instead of breaking that chain of abuse, the U.S. has just become the latest Empire to keep the war profiteers in business.

Which is why I tried to imagine what it would be like if we were in the business of peace, not war.

[Kringle]

12. fellow Muslim nations pledge aid ... two cents .. .nt

[sabrina 1]

13. Wrong, but nice rightwing assumption ~

Saudi Arabia pledges $100 million for flood victims in Pakistan

The ambassador said that King Abdullah was taking a personal interest in extending relief assistance to the flood-affected people of Pakistan. He also said that more relief consignments will follow the $100 million donation.

Google is a very useful resource and can help people avoid making foolish statements online

Eg, in just a few minutes, I found out that aside from Saudi Arabia many other Islamic countries have pledged to aid Pakistan:

14 Islamic states pledge financial support to Pakistan

Sources said that beside other countries, Saudi Arabia has particularly assured the authorities that it would help Pakistan in all phases of rescue, early recovery and rehabilitation of flood affected areas and population. Hafeez Sheikh held a meeting with the Ambassadors of Islamic countries based in Pakistan. Saudi Arabia, UAE, Turkey, Kuwait, Malaysia, Indonesia, Iran, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt, Libya, Brunei and Afghanistan diplomats attended the meeting.

The Finance Minister thanked the Muslim countries for their persistent support to Pakistan, especially their prompt response in providing relief goods, food and medicines to the flood affected people.

[Turborama]

15. Also, according to this graphic, on Monday Kuwait had donated more per capita than anywhere else

More details here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4498952&mesg_id=4499196

Thank you for your excellent OP!

The lack of interest and/or concern has been quite surprising and saddening, actually.

This latest one I just posted is rapidly sinking: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4502430

As did this one: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4500485

This one: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4498070

This one: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4496486

This one: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4496269

This one: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4494524

This one (which was negativity received): http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4492644

And this one: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4494156

This one I linked to above had 482 views and only 6 replies: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4498086


I'm not saying this to call anyone out, just using it as an example of how little attention this monumental catastrophe is getting.

[sabrina 1]

16. Thanks for the graphic, Turborama, it's interesting that the UAE

have done so little, so far anyhow, as they are a pretty wealthy country. Hopefully more will be forthcoming.

I just checked out your other thread, I had not seen it 'til now.

It is kind of remarkable how little attention this story gets, not just from the International community, but as you say, even on blogs.

Your OPs have been excellent, in fact I just mentioned you in a post upthread and I hope I did not misrepresent what you said the other day, about Global Warming and what is happening to the planet.

Keep up the good work, people may not be commenting but I think they are reading.

As someone upthread said, we are all shell-shocked. There are so many disasters and tragedies. So I guess people do not know what to say anymore.

[Turborama]

22. Yes, I was surprised that Saudi Arabia weren't on that list, too

I have a dark suspicion, which might be totally unfounded, that the answer to your question in the OP's title is the last word in it.

I think you're doing some great work with your original OPs, please keep it up too. I'm glad I added you to my buddies list a while ago so I don't miss them. :hi:

[sabrina 1]

25. I think you might be right about the reasons, at least in part.

And when I read comments on some of the articles or utube videos about how 'their own people' should 'step up to the plate', ignorance right from Fox News, it's easy to start thinking that might be the reason. But then, governments are supposed to be above that kind of thing.

I didn't know how the buddies list worked, but will now add you to mine. I often miss posts from people, like you, that I know I would want to read.

I haven't been watching much TV so I don't know how much coverage this is getting here. I doubt we'll be sending TV crews over there though.

I just found an article from a science magazine that agrees with why said recently about these kind of floods and fires and other disasters being tied to Global Warming.

[Turborama]

28. Did you know that there are 84 broadcasters in Pakistan that provide Faux news?

I mean, what must they be thinking Americans are like when they see all the anti Muslim fearmongering/hysteria they are pumping out 24/7?

I posted the long list of broadcasters here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4498070

I am fortunate enough to get a wide variety of TV news sources, BBC World/Al Jazeera English (which is streamed live online, let me know if you want the link)/CNN International/Sky News/RT and several others including Faux (which is useful to have because I think it's important to keep an eye in the enemy).



Re the buddies list, whenever someone on your list adds a post to their journal it shows up in "My DU". ;-)

Is that science magazine online? If so, I'd be really interested in reading the article....

[sabrina 1]

35. I did not know that, Fox in Pakistan. No wonder there is violence

there. How did this worthless excuse for a human being, Murdoch manage to get so much power?

I would like a link to Al Jazeera, I think they do a very good job of reporting the news. Thanks.

Let me look for that link to the science blog. Sorry, it was a blog ...

Found it, it is actually not a science blog, sorry I was reading so much the other night I got confused. It's a Pakistani equivalent of the WSJ I think ...

Floods show threat from warmer world: Scientists

SINGAPORE (August 11 2010): Floods that have devastated Pakistan could be a sign of the future as climate change brings greater extremes of weather to the region. While climate scientists say single flooding events can't be directly blamed on global warming, more intense droughts and floods could be in the forecast for the future.

They also say that deforestation could be a factor. And the same thing with the mudslides in China. It is not conclusive that the floods are a sign of Global Warming, but scientists seem to believe that it may be and may be getting worse.

The fires in Russia, I think they said, are a more provable sign of the planet heating up. Anyhow, I thought about what you said when I read that ...

[Turborama]

41. Links to Al Jazeera English's live online stream and more...

It's not necessary but it is worth downloading the player as you can get involved with discussions about what's being shown with viewers from all over the world: http://www.livestation.com/channels/3-al-jazeera-english-english ("Inside Iraq" is starting now, always worth a watch)

They constantly upload features to their YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/aljazeeraenglish#g/u

Campaign to help get it broadcast in the US: http://english.aljazeera.net/iwantaje/201032111013575472.html

Their website is well worth checking regularly, too: http://english.aljazeera.net/

Probably the best 24 hour TV news service I've come across.

[sabrina 1]

45. Thanks, I've bookmarked it to read later. I agree that they are

a great news service and I'm glad I can watch them online ...

[polly7]

23. Harper embarrasses us.

Why is nobody rushing to help Pakistan?
By Mansoor Ladha, For The Calgary Herald


Prime Minister Stephen Harper lost my confidence when he recently announced a meagre $2 million of relief aid to flood-ravaged Pakistan.

"The situation in Pakistan is so tragic it has been described as worse than Haiti's earthquake or the tsunami that took place in Asia. The pathetic pictures of children, women and elderly people clinging to trees, rooftops and anything they can get hold of, which we have seen on TV and in the newspapers, should convince us of the human suffering that is prevailing in that part of the world."


......."Liberal MP Jim Karygiannis has rightly accused the Harper government of playing politics by withholding aid to Pakistan because the community in Canada won't help them win a future election.

"When Haiti struck and (the Conservative government) moved immediately; there were a lot of votes to be gained in Montreal in the areas where there are a lot of Haitians. There's not one riding that has (a lot) of Pakistani-Canadian votes," Karygiannis said in an interview."



Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/nobody+rushing+help+Pakistan/3393839/story.html#ixzz0wWw9tOaz


Thank goodness some aid organizations here have been on it, private citizens outdo him every time .... the cheap, conniving a**.

[sabrina 1]

27. That's too bad. Harper is a Bush wanna-be it looks like.

I think Conservatism is a sickness personally. They seem to have no emotions, no empathy for others and I'm beginning to think they are born that way.

How come Canada can't get rid of him? To make a decision like this for pure, selfish, political reasons, Cheney would be proud of him.

[polly7]

29. Yes, he is Bush .... with a brain (no offense).

He's EXTREMELY arrogant, secretive, and honestly believes Canadians aren't smart enough to make good decisions about this country. He doesn't care about us, so why would he care about the suffering in Pakistan. I can't wait until he's gone. In 2006 he merged the Conservative party and the Canadian Alliance Party. This took the votes that would have gone to both and put them with the conservative party. His position is strong not because he has the admiration of the people, but because the opposition is so fragmented. We desperately need some real leadership from the other parties and a desire to work together. Quick. I actually cried when he was elected. Back on topic though:

OTTAWA — "The Harper government is preparing to substantially increase its commitment to flood victims in Pakistan by pumping $30 million in aid to disaster-stricken country, up from its current pledge of $2 million."

Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/canada/Canada+pledge+Pakistan+jump/3395394/story.html#ixzz0wXPtNGBR

I'm hoping he was shamed into it but it's more likely a response to the UN's global request. He's still an a**.

Some of the Aid orgs in Canada collecting for Pakistan include:
plancanada - https://plancanada.ca/SSLPage.aspx?pid=2768&WT.mc_id=AQFY11EAPAKSD&gclid=CPWy6b_jt6MCFRD75wodMVXlcw
UNICEF - https://secure.unicef.ca/portal/SmartDefault.aspx?at=1380&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=SEM_PAID_Emergencies&utm_term=Pakistan+aid
Canadian Red Cross, who have already sent mobile clinics and paramedics and more supplies on Sunday.
Care.Canada, who is also there. http://care.ca/main/index.php?en&_home
Oxfam
Islamic Society of NA in Canada
The requests for this aid have been slower than any catastrophe I can remember, I hope Canadians step up and put Harper to shame.

[sabrina 1]

31. Not to worry, nothing you say about Bush could offend anyone

here. We are thoroughly ashamed, like the Dixie Chicks, that he was born here in the U.S.

As for Harper, he always seemed like a Bush/Cheney protege.

I think you are right about him being 'shamed' by the UN request. A lot more aid has been promised since they stepped forward and made that appeal.

Thanks for the list of orgs in Canada that are trying to help. It's a shame that good people end up with these heartless, cruel leaders and end up being associated with him, unfairly.

[Hannah Bell]

24. thank you. the far-right smell is strong.

[sabrina 1]

26. Yes, that kind of ignorant statement, combined with not bothering

to look it up, is definitely something more likely to be found on the far right blogs. I am Democrat because I thought we were different.

[Violet_Crumble]

39. Are you accusing that other poster of being right-wing? n/t

[sabrina 1]

44. Do you think that there are no Democrats who are

as capable of ignorance as any right-winger? Or that all right-wingers are as ignorant as Fox News viewers? If so I strongly disagree with you.

[Violet_Crumble]

48. Of course not, which is why I asked what I did...

I'd like to know what they meant by 'the far right-wing smell'. I doubt very much that greed and lack of compassion is limited to right-wingers...

[sabrina 1]

50. Okay, sorry I thought your post was directed to me ...

I just dislike generalizations about any group of people and the comment that assumed Arab/Muslim countries never help other Arab/countries was simply wrong and is definitely a rightwing meme which I don't think progressives should be adopting. So I provided information which was easily available had the commenter not simply accepted that false assumption.

Anyhow, thanks for clarifying, I agree with you. Ignorance sadly is not limited to any one group.

[mdmc]

14. ..

[Sheepshank]

40. never mind

never mind...carry on

[OhioChick]

18. Support UNICEF's disaster relief for the children of Pakistan

Support UNICEF's disaster relief for the children of Pakistan

https://secure.unicefusa.org/site/Donation2?df_id=8320&8320.donation=form1

[sabrina 1]

20. Thank you

It looks like support is increasing since the UN made its appeal also ...

[Turborama]

30. Thank you OhioChick, I'm adding that to my signature now...

:hi:

[jillan]

33. Thank you - I will do that.

[jillan]

32. OMG - I hadn't even seen these. Thanks for posting.

:(

[Quantess]

34. They need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.

[Violet_Crumble]

38. Let me get this straight. Yr opposed to the flood victims getting any international aid?

Uh, why?

[JI7]

49. i think he was being sarcastic, mocking the wingnuts who say this about Americans

and anyone else who needs help.

[Violet_Crumble]

54. I hope they were being sarcastic. n/t

[Quantess]

55. You may have missed the cliche, being from Australia.

I can't imagine that any American could possibly miss the sarcasm in repeating that tired, ridiculous mantra that RWers constantly trot out whenever poor people are in trouble and need some help.

Sometimes I get a kick out of applying knee-jerk RW sayings in the most inappropriate of times. I was also about to criticise the men for wearing skirts, and that those sissies should wipe away their tears and start acting like real men, but I figured that would be overkill.

I'm a "she", by the way.

[Violet_Crumble]

56. Sorry for the misunderstanding. I missed it by a mile...

I feel kinda stupid about it now :)

[Quantess]

57. Don't worry. I really should have used the sarcasm tag.

I was going to write more in that first post, but instead I just hit "post message" and moved on. :)

[nadinbrzezinski]

36. Disaster overload\ people are tapped out

I will be frank... I have to make a choice, keep our quarterly donation to Unicef for Haiti... or switch.

That said, as Weather Change continues, "get used to it," because we will have more of this.

[sabrina 1]

46. Yes, I just posted a link above regarding how scientists

are considering that these disasters, the fires in Russia, the floods in Pakistan and the mudslides in China are the result of Global warming.

Maybe we'll have to stop fighting with each other, and start some new ways of thinking, such as using our military to fight disasters like these, not just us but every country in the world. I think it really is the beginning of concrete evidence of a whole new world and I don't think we can afford these wars we've been engaged in much longer.

[nadinbrzezinski]

47. I can see, in 20 years or so, at the longest

a UN run, rapid response force...

And yes, they will have to be militarized, under military logistics, and efficiency... and include MPs... but also medical specialists, rescue specialists, and relief specialists.

Either that, or resource wars that will make the last century look like a proverbial walk

[sabrina 1]

52. Yes, it will probably be necessary

for the world to join forces in order to fight for the survival of the planet. I hope that the world's militaries will use their training and expertize to bring about a better world. They could, eg, start restoring some of the damage we have done far more efficiently than civilians alone. After centuries of destruction and wars, maybe it's time for a period of peace and cooperation, or else we will all suffer the consequences.

[MadMaddie]

37. I am going to say something unpopular

but it is honestly the first thing I thought about when I heard about the flood.

Pakistan has been receiving billions upon billions for their military war machine. No money has gone to these areas to protect these poor villages and people from events like this and war. These people don't deserve this.

I hope that money goes in to help the area.

[sabrina 1]

42. Well, I agree with you. I don't know why you think that would

be unpopular though. I do not know if the current government is much of an improvement over the last one yet. But they are friendlier to the U.S. which of course makes them unpopular with segments of the popular there. But you're right, if there is money there for weapons, they should start using it to deal with this disaster. But they will still need more, as the scope of this disaster is huge, it is so widespread and will put millions of people out on the street with nothing but what they can carry with them.

I have read also that deforestation is a possible cause of these floods and of the landslides in China. So maybe instead of buying so many weapons, they could start planting trees when this is over.

[MadMaddie]

59. I also heard a news report that the dams were poorly built

and were doomed to fail...The Pakistani President (Mrs. Bhutto's husband won election after her death), has been out of the country for the entire event. He doesn't believe it's his job to manage the crisis.

[Scurrilous]

43. K & R

:thumbsup:

[Catherina]

53. Not unmoved. Maybe worn out. Tired. Cynical about aid getting to people

after the number that was pulled on Haiti.


I can't believe this is happening :cry:

[sabrina 1]

58. Yes, you are probably right

I have followed Haiti since the coup against Aristedes and used to write regularly about the country. The earthquake was shattering but I hoped that it would maybe have a silver lining. People there were starvinng before the disaster, eating mud cakes as the country remained under the control of the multi nationals.

I find it too painful lately to even read about what is going on there. I have a special feeling for that country. But I had a feeling the money would not get to those it was intended for.

And now there is this awful tragedy. Over a thousand people have died so far but unless they get help many more will die ....