What a joke...

Rescuers Search for Landslide Survivors

Rescue workers searched a sea of mud in vain Saturday for survivors of a landslide that killed up to 1,800 people. People fled nearby villages, heeding warnings that the disaster threatened to repeat itself.

Two U.S. warships and 1,000 Marines steamed toward the disaster scene on Leyte island in the eastern Philippines. They were expected to arrive early Sunday.

...but they couldn't do this for our own citizens....

(NOTE: I feel deeply for the tragedy in the Philippines, but reading that paragraph made my blood boil.)







[edit on 18-2-2006 by loam]

Disgusting, isn't it?

Our country's policy seems to be centered on making everything better abroad before fixing things here. Not only that, but they're just trying to make good in the eyes of Muslims.

How would this look good in the eyes of the Muslims? The Philippines is a Catholic country.

www.cia.gov...
Roman Catholic 80.9%, Evangelical 2.8%, Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%, Aglipayan 2%, other Christian 4.5%, Muslim 5%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census)

This is the SECOND time today I've heard that ignorant comment :shk:

Never expected it to come out of you CMD.

[edit on 18-2-2006 by sardion2000]

D'oh! I saw Phillipines and I thought Indonesia for some reason. Sorry about that...

The Philippines has NOTHING like the Red Cross or other non-military organizations that we have in the US. If you have ever been there and SEEN how poor the people in the PHilippines are you wouldn't make statements about how disgusting it is that we're sending troops to help immediately. In the area that my home there is, out of 15 houses, there are TWO that I am aware of that even have refrigerators, that aren't part of stoes. That's something everyone here takes for granted, but it's an extravigance there. I was able to send $600/month to my wife, and she'd have enough to pay our bills, buy food, and give some to her family to help them out with basics. Did you know that 90% of the country is at or below the poverty level?



[edit on 2/18/2006 by Zaphod58]

Imelda Marcos & the shoes was a joke

this calamity ranks with mt. pinatubo, imo


as far as a quick & unconditional help/assistance response
by the USA to a l-o-n-g time friend & ally.....well....
~where's the Vaticans' help & aid teams??~

Originally posted by Zaphod58
The Philippines has NOTHING like the Red Cross or other non-military organizations that we have in the US. If you have ever been there and SEEN how poor the people in the PHilippines are you wouldn't make statements about how disgusting it is that we're sending troops to help immediately.

Zaph: Where did you get that I said it was "disgusting that we're sending troops to help immediately"? The point I made was that we did NOT do the same for our own people.... To me, THAT is what I find disgusting.

Navy ship nearby underused: Craft with food, water, doctors needed orders


The USS Bataan, a 844-foot ship designed to dispatch Marines in amphibious assaults, has helicopters, doctors, hospital beds, food and water. It also can make its own water, up to 100,000 gallons a day. And it just happened to be in the Gulf of Mexico when Katrina came roaring ashore.

The Bataan rode out the storm and then followed it toward shore, awaiting relief orders. Helicopter pilots flying from its deck were some of the first to begin plucking stranded New Orleans residents.

But now the Bataan's hospital facilities, including six operating rooms and beds for 600 patients, are empty. A good share of its 1,200 sailors could also go ashore to help with the relief effort, but they haven't been asked.

AND

Appeals for troops unheeded for days: Blanco, Bush disagreed on authority over forces

I could find a half dozen other articles that describe how our military assets were made to just sit on their hands.

Originally posted by Zaphod58
In the area that my home there is, out of 15 houses, there are TWO that I am aware of that even have refrigerators, that aren't part of stoes. That's something everyone here takes for granted, but it's an extravigance there. I was able to send $600/month to my wife, and she'd have enough to pay our bills, buy food, and give some to her family to help them out with basics. Did you know that 90% of the country is at or below the poverty level?

Again, this thread isn't really about the Philippines, but I can't help but make a comparison to the point you just made...

According to the National Statistical Coordination Board, in 2003, 13.8% of the population of the Philippines lived in 'extreme' poverty and 30.4% of the population lived below the poverty line. Source.

In 2004, before the Katrina disaster, New Orleans numbers compare as follows:

- 38% of children live in poverty.



- In Louisiana, 13% of children live in extreme poverty

Source.

Not really much of a difference is there?

Let's be clear, because a comparison of poverty rates has nothing really to do with the issue of this thread...

We can send an immediate military response to foreign lands during a natural disaster, but when it came to our own people, we had weeks of political BS, arguing that it was someone else's responsibility.


[edit on 19-2-2006 by loam]

And the point *I* was trying to make is that we have organizations BESIDES the military that can respond first after a disaster. Like the Red Cross, and others. The Philippines has nothing even close to that. Yes we should have sent our military into NO sooner, but if we had I'm sure we'd hear people screaming about THAT as well.

Originally posted by sardion2000
How would this look good in the eyes of the Muslims? The Philippines is a Catholic country.

www.cia.gov...
Roman Catholic 80.9%, Evangelical 2.8%, Iglesia ni Kristo 2.3%, Aglipayan 2%, other Christian 4.5%, Muslim 5%, other 1.8%, unspecified 0.6%, none 0.1% (2000 census)

This is the SECOND time today I've heard that ignorant comment

Never expected it to come out of you CMD.

[edit on 18-2-2006 by sardion2000]

Sardion2000, I have also seen statistics that say that at least 10% of the Philipines are Muslims. They are apparently quite a vociferous group and stir up alot of problems. A friend's wife is from there and that's what he told me, anyway. They are a major problem there it seems.

-Forestlady

Only in small areas of the Philippines. I've spent a LOT of time there in the last few years, and never had a single problem with the Muslim population anywhere near where I was. Mindanao is the only real problem area.

AS usual the lunies try to lie and mislead the truth about Katrina.

First responder is LOCAL then STATE then Federal. FACT...........

The ultimate center of liberal planetary bliss was NOLA. Alway looking for a hand out not a hand UP!.

Military assets in the area of the Phillipines is an easy call because the ships are "stationed" there.

The NO disasted starts and ends with the lazy, give me money, you own me, crowd that infect that area like cancer.

Based on the BILLION sent to NO in the last 60 years for flood control and the "war on poverty" the rain should have never even touched the ground..........

thermopolis:

*yawn*

Originally posted by thermopolis
AS usual the lunies try to lie and mislead the truth about Katrina.

First responder is LOCAL then STATE then Federal. FACT...........

WRONG!

Scathing Katrina Report

A House select committee examining the federal response to Hurricane Katrina is preparing to issue a report Wednesday that blames the federal government for "an abdication of the most solemn obligation to provide for the common welfare" — but the legislators who participated in the study are divided about how to address the lapse.

Assailing Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff as being detached from events — when New Orleans residents were clinging to rooftops, he traveled to Atlanta for a conference on bird flu — a draft of the report says he switched on federal response systems "late, ineffectively or not at all."

Specifically, the draft report, which runs about 600 pages, faults Chertoff for his failure to designate a principal federal official to coordinate relief efforts on Aug. 27, two days before Katrina made landfall, and to convene an interagency group to manage the crisis. It also describes his coordination with the Pentagon as "not effective."

If Chertoff had designated Katrina "an incident of national significance," the report said, federal agencies would not have had to wait for individual requests from overwhelmed state and local officials in order to provide help.

Originally posted by thermopolis
The ultimate center of liberal planetary bliss was NOLA. Alway looking for a hand out not a hand UP!.

Yet the committee that produced the report above was comprised of 11 Republicans and NO Democrats.

The committee that prepared the report was composed of 11 Republicans, led by Rep. Thomas M. Davis III of Virginia. Democrats refused to be involved officially in the deliberations, saying that the extent of the disaster mandated an independent commission similar to the one that investigated the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

They conclude with the following statement about the Federal response....

"An abdication of the most solemn obligation to provide for the common welfare."

Originally posted by thermopolis
Military assets in the area of the Phillipines is an easy call because the ships are "stationed" there.

Are you freakin' kidding me?

www.nsmayport.navy.mil...
www.naskw.navy.mil...
www.naspensacola.navy.mil...
www.cnet.navy.mil...
www.ns-pascagoula.navy.mil...
nascc.cnatra.navy.mil...
www.nask.navy.mil...
www.nsi.navy.mil...

Oh, and....

Sasebo is currently home to: USS Essex (LHD 2); USS Fort McHenry ('___' 43); USS Juneau (LPD 10); USS Harpers Ferry ('___' 49); USS Guardian (MCM 5) and USS Patriot (MCM 7), USS Safeguard (ARS 50) and some 5,600 Americans as part of the forward deployed naval forces.

Source.

You were saying, TROLL? In case you didn't know, Sasebo is in Japan. Both ships are "stationed" there.

GET YOUR FACTS RIGHT.



[edit on 19-2-2006 by loam]

loam,

I see your point if no one else does. And yes, it does boil one's blood to realize that half a world a way we can provide an immediate response.

Yet when a catastrophe strikes the Americans who provided the money enabling that immediate response, those Americans cannot/do no receive it.

Certainly there is something wrong with this picture. Something that has nothing to do with poverty, nothing to do with color of skin, nothing to do with religion......

What is has to do with in the simplest terms is:

Don't the Americans paying for this human aide to other nations deserve to receive that aide as HUMAN BEINGS as well?

Yes, loam, it boils my blood as well.





[edit on 19-2-2006 by garyo1954]

The congress is more directly responsible for the Fema "mess" than anyone, they put it under Homeland security, superbeurocracy........

FACT.state troopers in LA held suppies from the superdome on the govenors orders for fear of too many people showing up.

The "joke" is the insane "hate" so many have for thsi administration.

There were thousands of military on the ground in only a few hours. Who do you think evacuated the superdome. And took out the looters.

The size of the disaster was larger than the entire island of england.

My blood boils at the lies and disinformation surrounding this disaster.

Slamming the logistics of mounting the rescure of thousands of square miles in three states compared to a small village in the phillipines is just nosense.



[edit on 19-2-2006 by thermopolis]

Originally posted by thermopolis
The congress is more directly responsible for the Fema "mess" than anyone, they put it under Homeland security, superbeurocracy........

FACT.state troopers in LA held suppies from the superdome on the govenors orders for fear of too many people showing up.

The "joke" is the insane "hate" so many have for thsi administration.

There were thousands of military on the ground in only a few hours. Who do you think evacuated the superdome. And took out the looters.

The size of the disaster was larger than the entire island of england.

My blood boils at the lies and disinformation surrounding this disaster.

Slamming the logistics of mounting the rescure of thousands of square miles in three states compared to a small village in the phillipines is just nosense.



[edit on 19-2-2006 by thermopolis]

Bet it doesn't boil your blood that FEMA prevented food from going in. Or that they jammed police communications when the cops were trying to help the people.

No, you must love that. Anything to lick boots, I guess. I also notice you like that they took care of the "looters," but praised the survival tactics of the "finders." Funny how those words are "colored," isn't it.

The congress is more directly responsible for the Fema "mess" than anyone, they put it under Homeland security, superbeurocracy........

And who spearheaded the push for this nonsensical DHS nightmare? Are you such a die-hard partisan you can't see fault EVERYWHERE in this debacle?

The size of the disaster was larger than the entire island of england.

That's why we have a FEMA in the first place, to get things done during national disasters. Their job is to coordinate relief, and they failed. In fact, everyone failed. Institutions and individuals both. :shk:

My blood boils at the lies and disinformation surrounding this disaster.

Likewise, fanboi, though I'm sure we disagree on the particulars regarding whom exactly is lying and disseminating disinfo.

FEMA had a great number of resources that went to waste, everything from water to homes! Right now, more than ten thousands modular homes are rotting in AK fields, because FEMA failed to distribute them to needy families.

:shk:

If you're going to defend someone's or something's honor, check to make sure there was honor to begin with, before you saddle up. You're defending the indefensible monstrosity that resulted from the incestuous marriage between business and politics. Devil's advocate doesn't even begin to describe it...

Originally posted by truthseeka
Bet it doesn't boil your blood that FEMA prevented food from going in. Or that they jammed police communications when the cops were trying to help the people.

No, you must love that. Anything to lick boots, I guess. I also notice you like that they took care of the "looters," but praised the survival tactics of the "finders.

" Funny how those words are "colored," isn't it.

Just noticed these "racist" remarks and I will take exception.

The denial of food to hungry people is just "evil", but was being done by the LOCAL governments.

Many NO cops were the looters....documented..fact!

The COPs, had no communications becuase the money to buy sat phones was diverted into local pockets...........FACT

ALL looters in such a disaster stealing plasma TV's needed to be taken out. Thoses looking for food are not looters, they are "survivors".

Your attempt to paint me as a "racist" are offensive, and had I seen it earlier I would have demanded an appology. Now it is just typical on your part............stupid race baiting lunacy............

Just a note............I personally delivered FODD and MEDICINE on my own as a citizen of the united states to the victims and have been directly involved in directing the rescue and clean-up.

Where the hell were YOU????????????

Originally posted by thermopolis

Originally posted by truthseeka
Bet it doesn't boil your blood that FEMA prevented food from going in. Or that they jammed police communications when the cops were trying to help the people.

No, you must love that. Anything to lick boots, I guess. I also notice you like that they took care of the "looters," but praised the survival tactics of the "finders.

" Funny how those words are "colored," isn't it.

Just noticed these "racist" remarks and I will take exception.

The denial of food to hungry people is just "evil", but was being done by the LOCAL governments.

Many NO cops were the looters....documented..fact!

The COPs, had no communications becuase the money to buy sat phones was diverted into local pockets...........FACT

ALL looters in such a disaster stealing plasma TV's needed to be taken out. Thoses looking for food are not looters, they are "survivors".

Your attempt to paint me as a "racist" are offensive, and had I seen it earlier I would have demanded an appology. Now it is just typical on your part............stupid race baiting lunacy............

Just a note............I personally delivered FODD and MEDICINE on my own as a citizen of the united states to the victims and have been directly involved in directing the rescue and clean-up.

Where the hell were YOU????????????

Here in Texas. Volunteering to help Katrina survivors who fled to my state because their own state wouldn't do squat for them.

I didn't call YOU a racist, but if the shoe fits, you're most welcome to wear it. I was pointing out how the media called the black people looters and the white people finders. But, like you said, they were "surviving...", even though black people who stole mattresses so their family wouldn't have to sleep on the sidewalk were still looters. Gotcha; makes sense to me.

See, I talked to the people who were THERE. THEY were the ones telling me that the govt blew up the levees. THEY were the ones telling me how they were stuck in the Dome and had to use bathrooms with feces all over the place. THEY were the ones telling me that FEMA intentionally screwed things up.

Then, when I read articles saying the same thing, I conclude that FEMA intentionally did this. So don't give me some bull# about being racist, because let me tell ya, this wouldn't have happened to a predominately white area. THEY also told me this too.

Originally posted by truthseeka

See, I talked to the people who were THERE. THEY were the ones telling me that the govt blew up the levees. THEY were the ones telling me how they were stuck in the Dome and had to use bathrooms with feces all over the place. THEY were the ones telling me that FEMA intentionally screwed things up.

Then, when I read articles saying the same thing, I conclude that FEMA intentionally did this. So don't give me some bull# about being racist, because let me tell ya, this wouldn't have happened to a predominately white area. THEY also told me this too.

Thank you for proving my point about those who "talk" and those who "do". I am truely sorry you are in Texas.................

You are right about such filth not happening in white areas......

I am also sorry you can't see how "slanted" your perspective is.......

Again I am very, truely, sorry you are in MY Texas......

Originally posted by thermopolis

Originally posted by truthseeka

See, I talked to the people who were THERE. THEY were the ones telling me that the govt blew up the levees. THEY were the ones telling me how they were stuck in the Dome and had to use bathrooms with feces all over the place. THEY were the ones telling me that FEMA intentionally screwed things up.

Then, when I read articles saying the same thing, I conclude that FEMA intentionally did this. So don't give me some bull# about being racist, because let me tell ya, this wouldn't have happened to a predominately white area. THEY also told me this too.

Thank you for proving my point about those who "talk" and those who "do". I am truely sorry you are in Texas.................

You are right about such filth not happening in white areas......

I am also sorry you can't see how "slanted" your perspective is.......

Again I am very, truely, sorry you are in MY Texas......

Did you read all of my post?

Ah, forget it. I'll leave you to your pipe dreaming.