Col Anderson article is just good sense and should be a bible for all marines going in Haiti.

Bare this in mind :
Humanitarian/welfare operations are complexe and results oriented. More I work with military and more I see how we are the same.
NGOs have develpped a military like operational process:

1) collecting data from open sources and accessible individuals to know where you are going, how to go there and what to expect
2) needs assessment when you are on the spot
3) identification and classification (per priority) of the response
4) logistic requierements to cover the identified needs
5) installation on the spot or in the closest location with the best access
6) coordination and/or advocacy to other agencies to cover uncovered needs
7) delivery of the response
8) response assessment

The logistic revolution induced by MSF (doctors without borders) allows some NGOs to deploy hospital, water, food, shelter... in less than 36 hours. Most of international NGOs have specialised teams ready to go in less than 48h in any place of the world on a simple phone call.

A civil copy cat of military capacity in deed. But humanitarian and relief workers have also their culture (not so far from the military one, some competitions between my war was worst than yours are hilarious), their communication links, they are trained and experimented...

And NGO do not only depend on military to get security. They have their way to get security. Sometime knowing the local drug lord is more usefull than being protected by soldiers. But it has its limits...

There is may be something to learn from them this time. Or at least, a path way to be found.