On Haitian relief: "...it's not as easy as you might think it is b/c we're fighting so many wars."

[Karmadillo]

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/latest-news/president-barack-obama-throws-full-military-might-aid-effort

<edit>

With the US Southern Command gearing up for the army’s biggest humanitarian mission for decades, there are growing fears that help may not reach the island quickly enough. “Even as we move as quickly as possible, it will take hours — and in many cases days — to get all of our people and resources on the ground,” warned Obama.

“I know the military response is going to be slow,” said Sergeant Tyler Norman of Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 464, who was part of the US contingent dispatched to Haiti following the 2008 hurricane to fly in aid supplies. “It’s a logistical nightmare.”

Obama’s challenge is not just about reaching injured Haitians. He must scrape together sufficient manpower from a US military spread thin by wars in Iraq and Afghanistan while inspiring a sustained international effort.

“We don’t have anybody back here to send to Haiti,” said Sgt Norman. “I feel bad for them, but the people have to realise it’s not as easy as you might think it is because we’re fighting so many wars.”

<edit>

[Skittles]

1. something really, really wrong in this world

[Bobbieo]

2. The same thing will happen here if a major disaster should occur.

[DBoon]

12. "will" happen?

Know what country this is?

[merh]

14. it did happen

August 2005 and the months that followed.

[scarletwoman]

5. True, that.

[liberal N proud]

3. What if there were another war to fight?

I think the military could mobilize very quickly.

[qazplm]

9. no

it couldnt.

[liberal N proud]

11. Lets hope we don't have to find out.

[JVS]

4. I hope this disaster isn't hindering our escalation in Afghanistan! That would be tragic.

:sarcasm:

[dkf]

6. Our own national guard isn't here for us if they have to do Afghanistan or Iraq.

[EFerrari]

7. Another day in the empire.

I hope our troops manage to stay in one piece no matter where they are deployed and brought home as soon as humanly possible. :grr:

[stray cat]

8. Not so easy in any circumstance - An independent soverign county with no infrastructure

left with potentially 150,000 death and 2 million or more homeless with an airport at the best of times with one run way - down to all ports damaged, no control tower, UN administrators killed, government incompetent and corrupt to begin with destroyed, hospitals with too few doctors and equipment destroyed, water poor quality to begin with before the earthquake and almost 50% of the population children, many homeless or sold as house slaves.

[Terra Alta]

10. this is what our troops SHOULD be doing...

helping out with humanitarian aid in Haiti and other countries hit hard by poverty and disaster.

Instead our military is spread thin in not one but TWO countries fighting wars we should have never started(thanks, Dumbya!)

When will this country learn... war is NEVER the answer...

[Mari333]

13. +10000000000000000000000

[Karmadillo]

16. K&R your post.

nt

[quiller4]

15. There could be a guard call-up for the aid effort . That has been

down before. Members of the Washington National Guard were called up for Tsunami relief.