Haiti (Catch all)

[slapout9]

Anderson Cooper of CNN just interviewed General Honere' (spellin) of Katrina fame and he was not to pleased with situation. Among his responses were... drop the rest of the 82nd tomorrow morning and get this problem fixed! Have the local population start clearing landing pads for helicopters so they can set up water and food distribution points. Don't be afraid of the people they just want help. Another reporter said people are dying because of stupidity wasn't exactly sure what he meant but it appears that the roads are passable and have a fair amount of traffic on them but nothing is being distributed or at least very little. Zenpundit has aksed the question will Haiti be President Obama's Katrina?We will see.

[Steve the Planner]

Right. All the mumbo jumbo aside, this is a basic humanitarian crisis/disaster recovery operation, and the President will be measured by it, although, being a country far, far away, (read: Not America) he may get some latitude.

First underway, and foremost has been Honore, then DoD. Only DoD can plan, muster, resource and deliver the immediate response. (That is the underlying weak spot in all this "whole-of-government" thing). No other agencies have the resources and firepower.

Behind the scenes, a report in the Post indicated that the new US AID Director has been the substantive civilian in charge, and, based on prior experience, is apparently pretty good at it. (A reprieve for USAID's future). But they lack actual experts and staffing---just longer-range contract responses at the moment.

State first came out with an order for US citizens to get to the airport for flights home, then rescinded that for "shelter in place." Other than stumbling around, they don't seem to have their act together, or any relevant juice or resources.

I would have been happy to jump on a plane the first day, but like Honore indicated, the infrastructure and supporting framework isn't in place yet. Just another mouth to feed, and one without a backhoe or jack hammer (what's needed now). I can operate one, but I can't carry one across the pond.

The thought of seeing an injured loved one inches away, but separated by chunks of concrete, and what do you have to break through? Maybe a hammer< but probably just another hunk of concrete (futile).

As for the religion thing. What would Jesus do? Get a backhoe or jack hammer and go and try to rescue people!!!!

Behind the scenes, we already see the drones being diverted from Afghanistan to help. Great for Haiti, but, obviously, we now have another diversion of attention, leadership, resources (not a good thing).

[Schmedlap]

I would have been happy to jump on a plane the first day, but like Honore indicated, the infrastructure and supporting framework isn't in place yet. Just another mouth to feed, and one without a backhoe or jack hammer (what's needed now). I can operate one, but I can't carry one across the pond.

I spent hours searching the internet for any organization that was going to Haiti that I could tag along with. I am not a doctor, or a search and rescue specialist, nor do I have any experience in massive humanitarian disasters. What I am is able-bodied, a self-starter, someone who takes charge, willing to go, and adaptive. There were no slots for someone with those attributes.

[Stan]

I spent hours searching the internet for any organization that was going to Haiti that I could tag along with. I am not a doctor, or a search and rescue specialist, nor do I have any experience in massive humanitarian disasters. What I am is able-bodied, a self-starter, someone who takes charge, willing to go, and adaptive. There were no slots for someone with those attributes.

As weird as this sounds (one would think a physically fit volunteer would be able to lift sierra, drive trucks, etc.), most of the aid agencies demand at least 10-years experience and previous overseas assignments for disaster relief volunteers. They justify these requirements because they are responsible for the volunteer's well-being (food, shelter, health and security) and will even go as far as saying you're more of a burden than assistance

The Estonian Disaster Relief Team (EDRT) under international law certifies that all her members meet the very same criteria. EDRT EOD Techs are required to speak a foreign language and possess at least 2 overseas tours in addition to the minimum 10-year rule.

Begs the question - how to get those two tours and obtain the disaster groupie team "pledge pin" if nobody will let you start

Yes, I have the pledge pin and shoulder patch too (Little did Tom know, by sending me into real sierra holes in the 90s I would by default possess the 2-tour requirement)

[Beelzebubalicious]

What we need is a civilian disaster response corps. If we start now, they should be ready for disasters in 2020. They could float around on modified cruise ships ready to sail when needed (after a short period of sobering up) one in each region or sea. We'd have another set in blimps and do on.....

[slapout9]

What we need is a civilian disaster response corps. If we start now, they should be ready for disasters in 2020. They could float around on modified cruise ships ready to sail when needed (after a short period of sobering up) one in each region or sea. We'd have another set in blimps and do on.....

You know with a little thought that ain't a half bad idea.....especially Blimps and Cruise Ships. Kinda like the old Buckminster Fuller Thinking. He said the best way to rebuild a broken city was to move the population offshore then go rebuild the city and then send them back to it.

Link to floating city.
http://www.buckminster.info/Index/T/Triton.htm

[Firn]

Certainly a terrible, terrible catastrophe. To throw such a deeply offensive "stone" is to say the very least shameful. I completely agree with Danny.

Other than that it shows just how little it takes, especially in third world countries with very limited access to cause a catastrophe of such a magnitude. So many dead, so many wounded, so many needing the most basic of things. And how difficult it is to deliver it under such circumstances.


Firn

[Schmedlap]

They could float around on modified cruise ships...

A floating Green Zone!

[Beelzebubalicious]

Just what we need, more separation from boots and the ground. To tell you the truth, it might not make much of a difference to some.

[Brett Patron]

Just wondering....if you cite Satan as having subsumed a country beset with so much poverty, misery and general deprivation, is it "too big to fail"?

[Schmedlap]

The humanitarian effort for Haiti is now being waged by major global powers, NGOs, charities, and it seems that just about every church, school, and other organization on the planet is doing what they can to pitch in.

If Haiti really did make a pact with the devil, then it seems that the devil is now getting kicked squarely in the nuts.

[Danny]

Schemdlap,

I don't know any more than the next guy, but I would try the Red Cross or Samaritan's Purse (Franklin Graham of the Billy Graham organization). They are usually at the front of such efforts, and have already been to Haiti. It's just a matter of how many aircraft, vehicles, people and supplies can be gotten into one airport.

It all comes down to logistics. Oh how I love to point that out! Logistics, logistics, logistics. A land locked Afghanistan, or Haiti. The logisticians tell everyone else what to do.

[Schmedlap]

I don't know any more than the next guy, but I would try the Red Cross or Samaritan's Purse (Franklin Graham of the Billy Graham organization).

Already done it.