7.0 in Haiti!!!

[msbee]

What is wrong with the UN?

CNN has been reporting that the UN evacuated the doctors from a hospital for "security concerns" and left the patients with only Sanjay Gupta left to care for them

CNN has Gen. Honore on and he said we should send the 82nd airborne down to correct this situation. Both him, and Cooper were beyond ticked off

what is wrong with the UN? that's what I want to know too.
I couldn't believe what I was hearing last night.
If sanjay gupta and his crew could stay, why in the hell couldn't the UN?
ridiculous action when people are dying.
the UN should be ashamed of this.

[Dionne]

I'm always very proud of the US response to these disasters. Our military response combined with the civilian response is so many levels above what any other country does.

It is because we are capable of launching a full scale rescue. We're the closest major world power. The Dominican Republic got there first. I'm not sure but it would appear from various reports that CNN beat the 82nd in country. I really hope this isn't true.

LOGISTICS, LOGISTICS, LOGISTICS, LOGISTICS

you don't just snap your fingers and the 82nd is there . . . there is a ton of people, equipment, supplies and supplies and equipment to support the 82nd to get there. . . then the airport was mess, so that had to be cleaned up. .. . it doesn't take much to get a group of what. . less than 20 people with minimal luggage and small amount of video equipment to get in. . . plus CNN probably has less diplomatic BS and red tape to go though . . the US is trying to respect Haitian sovereignty here .. .so the Army and Marines can't just land. . .I don't want to imagine the international nightmare if the US did that.. .




We have rapid deployment troops that can be over the drop zone within 24 hours worldwide. Do you really think the Haitian government would have been upset if they looked up and saw hundreds of medics and support staff floating down out of the sky? "International nightmare"......huh? The Haitians are asking for help. This isn't an invasion. It's a worldwide humanitarian effort.

[Stephanie]

What is wrong with the UN?

CNN has been reporting that the UN evacuated the doctors from a hospital for "security concerns" and left the patients with only Sanjay Gupta left to care for them

CNN has Gen. Honore on and he said we should send the 82nd airborne down to correct this situation. Both him, and Cooper were beyond ticked off

WTH??

We need to get the supplies into the city NOW.

[SaskatchewanScreamer]

I'm assuming they were pulled for a number of reasons but probably the mass crowd manipulation, shootings and killing of innocent people by looters has a lot to do with their forced withdrawl. I also imagine once Peace Keepers (from other countries) are in place they will have Doctors and Nurses in Haiti again. Hopefully the arrival of Soldiers and desperately needed medicine arrives soon.

[Stephanie]

I can understand that SS but they are their to help the Haitians get their feet back on the ground during stable and unstable times. If you have reporters in the line of fire, they should be there as well, IMHO.

I also understand that they lost a lot of their workers, but they still have a job to do.

[Sanibel]

I'm guessing and could be totally wrong - but, they could be doing a tactical move to get the right number of security personnel in place to protect the relief workers.

I suspect, (I could be completely wrong) that they don't want to be forced into a position of defending themselves from attackers with gunfire that then triggers an outright situation that spreads.


That's why I said they should be showering nutrition biscuits from aircraft for the meantime.


They should also say not to fear removing food supplies from supermarkets in an orderly fashion. The Haitian government should make a statement saying it is OK to peacefully remove survival foods from stores.

[Stephanie]

I can understand that Sanibel, but the people don't have the luxury of time to wait for medical care or food or water. Security should've been a part of the initial planning stages of handling the disaster.

The following excerpt from the thread below really frosts my cookies:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100116/ap_ ... earthquake

...Troops from the U.S. Army's 82nd Airborne Division began setting up an aid station on a golf course in an affluent part of the city, but they had no supplies to hand out yet and Capt. John Hartsock said it would be another two days before they could start distributing food and water. "We've got to wait until we've got enough established so we can hand it out in a civilized fashion," Hartsock said.
Many, though, cannot wait.

A violent scuffle broke out among several hundred people jostling to be first in line as three U.S. military helicopters were landing at the golf course with food and water.

The chopper pilots decided it was too dangerous to remain and took off off with their precious cargo still inside.'

"People are so desperate for food that they are going crazy," said Henry Ounche, an accountant who was among the crowd.


They're at a golf course with no supplies yet? They couldn't bring any with them and they won't be ready for another 2 days??? Are you serious?

[caribepr]

Like it will be LESS dangerous in 2 days? People are crazed with hunger and thirst, of course they are acting crazy. Drop the stuff in a 2 mile line, this isn't rocket science.

[lurkey]

you think dropping stuff by air might cause a riot? or get in the wrong hands? ... there are gangs and corrupt local officials there who wouldn't hesitate to use this to their benefit ....

I think we all need to sit and calm down a bit. We don't know what is going on there. All we know is what CNN or other press is saying (or not saying, 'cause journalists have known to "omit" the news to their own agendas as they see fit). It is "fun", I guess, to be a backseat quarterback at our computers and tell the US military, Haitian gov't and aid organizations how to their job.

We should know from being in disasters from Katrina, Gus, Ivan, and etc that we shouldn't depend on the government to be there up to week or so. I sure as heck ain't waiting for the gov't to come save my butt. Why should we believe it will be any different in this disaster?

[msbee]

Like it will be LESS dangerous in 2 days? People are crazed with hunger and thirst, of course they are acting crazy. Drop the stuff in a 2 mile line, this isn't rocket science.

exactly

[caribepr]

Lurkey...there is going to be a riot no matter what. There IS no big design going on there. These aren't people stealing big screen televisions, these are people who are starving to DEATH. Who are dying for lack of a freaking antibiotic. Maybe even just a damn bandage. So some die during the drop, that's less than how many more will be unneccessarily dead in two days from now.

Sit back and calm down? One need not be hysterical to be outraged by what is going on here. And the truth is, the fault was laid down a LONG time ago in Haiti...

Oh...and why should it be any different for THIS???? Because you live in Raleigh North Carolina United States of America. There are no neighbors to help their neighbors because they don't have anything either! Good lord.

[Derek Ortt]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/ ... tml?hpt=T2

Here is a cnn article on what happened. At the end are Gen. Honore's very pointed and direct words of displeasure.

Perhaps he should lead the operation. He did a nice job the last time

[Gustywind]

Looks like another earthquake, with the intensity of 5 on Ritcher Scale, have been reported this afternoon 2123 french hour) in the western side of Iran (Dezful) given our french journalists of LCI. Depth: 10km. It's awesome since Tuesday...
http://lci.tf1.fr/filnews/monde/seisme- ... 42915.html

[Derek Ortt]

Some potential horrific news

There has not been any reports yet from Carrefour, a city of nearly 500K

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/ ... tml?hpt=T2

A radio station may be reporting that the entire city is gone

http://open.salon.com/blog/chantal_laur ... aster_info

There also may have been a tsunami SW of Port Au Prince

http://open.salon.com/blog/ezili_danto/ ... scuetroops

One quote "Other areas of Haiti around the capital, especially the South, suffered heavy damage also. A Haitian in shock told HLLN, "in Au Cayes, the ocean has entered the city."

This may be far worse than we have heard

[Sanibel]

A violent scuffle broke out among several hundred people jostling to be first in line as three U.S. military helicopters were landing at the golf course with food and water.

The chopper pilots decided it was too dangerous to remain and took off off with their precious cargo still inside.'

"People are so desperate for food that they are going crazy," said Henry Ounche, an accountant who was among the crowd. [/b]


They're at a golf course with no supplies yet? They couldn't bring any with them and they won't be ready for another 2 days??? Are you serious?

This is being unintelligently planned. The way to prevent mobbing and dangerous crowds is to sprinkle nutrition biscuits and MRE's *INDIVIDUALLY* by air. That way if the people in need see those items showered around them all over the place they won't get to the level of mass dangerous stampeding mob.

I am a person at a computer in the US. I would think the US could have figured this out.

Also, skycranes or cargo nets should be deployed to drop those water pallets and go.

[lurkey]

I'm bowing out of this thread. ... since ya'll know everything about what is going there and what to do . . .

[vbhoutex]

It saddens me to see people/members arguing about what is right and what is wrong concerning the distribution of relief after this horrific tragedy in Haiti. Unless one is an expert in this type of disaster relief not one of us knows for sure what is best in this situation and probably not even then since each disaster is unique in its scope. As we have always tried to stress on this site, EVERYONE is due their opinion, whether we agree with it or not. Because one disagrees with someone else's opinion is NEVER a reason to bow out of a discussion, imo. However, I always say to each his own.
This is indeed a tragic situation, way past tragic in fact. The poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere has been hit by a devastating earthquake and literally millions are in desperate need af assistance. The entire world is responding to the need. Unfortunately due to the poverty of the country being helped there is not a distribution network available so everyone is doing their best to make it work. That is all we can hope for at this time and continue to pray for two things. One, that the situation continues to improve on all levels in Haiti, and two What can I do to help in this situation, however insignificant it may seem? JMHO

[Stephanie]

Some potential horrific news

There has not been any reports yet from Carrefour, a city of nearly 500K

http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/ ... tml?hpt=T2

A radio station may be reporting that the entire city is gone

http://open.salon.com/blog/chantal_laur ... aster_info

There also may have been a tsunami SW of Port Au Prince

http://open.salon.com/blog/ezili_danto/ ... scuetroops

One quote "Other areas of Haiti around the capital, especially the South, suffered heavy damage also. A Haitian in shock told HLLN, "in Au Cayes, the ocean has entered the city."

This may be far worse than we have heard

Yes, we have been very focused on Port Au Prince. This is just awful.

[cycloneye]

Woman is rescued from rubble alive

Some good news in all of this tragedy is this rescue of a woman from the rubble of a supermarket.



http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/34829978/ns ... arthquake/

[Stephanie]

That is great news and I've read other reports of others being rescued by the various search and rescue teams that came in to help.