Posted on 02/09/2009 8:46:40 PM PST by naturalman1975
US President Barack Obama has phoned Kevin Rudd to offer his condolences over the bushfires and offer US help in fighting the blazes.
"The president offered his prayers to the people of Australia and his condolences to the victims," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.
"The president asked if the US could provide assistance to the government and people of Australia to assist with the fire."
The call came as a contingent of senior US fire personnel prepared to fly to Australia to help battle the killer bushfires.
About 35 American firefighting operation chiefs, aviation managers, planning section chiefs and specialists in land rehabilitation are waiting for final orders to help bolster the effort to control the blazes.
"Australia and New Zealand have been wonderful neighbours and provided help in our time of need and we are happy to return that help," US National Interagency Fire Centre spokesman Don Smurthwaite told AAP.
Australia, New Zealand and US firefighting agencies have a close working relationship and have participated in exchange programs in recent years.
A team of 44 Australian and New Zealand fire personnel were stationed in northern California last August to help quell fires that ravaged the region.
In recent days Australian and US government officials held informal discussions about calling on American fire personnel.
A formal request for assistance is believed to be imminent.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...
How is Bushbama going to help?
If Barek Obama is helping you who need the help
This seems to have come really late
Obama did something right?
Well over 24 hours after messages of support from the Queen, and the Prime Ministers of the UK and NZ.
A lot of Australians have been wondering at how long it’s taken. We know it would not have taken anywhere near this long under the previous administration.
It’s symbolic - but symbols matter. For all Democrat talk about wanting better relationships with American allies - well, it seems to some of us they mean ‘better relationships with France and Germany - screw the nations that actually stand up with us like the UK and Australia’. We wonder why they feel such closeness to those.
One of John Howard’s first statements after September 11 was: “There is no point, in a situation like this, being an 80% ally.”
How about Kentucky first.
he is more interested in giving interviews to Arabiya Television
I think Bozo's minions must be reading FR regularly, it was just a few hours ago a FReeper posted that Bozo hadn't offered help or a Prayer to the Aussies yet, although other world leaders had, now all of a sudden Bozo pipes up with an offer of help. Just a trifle suspicious, don't you think?
a day late and a dollar short
Actually, I think he has to wait until a aide tells him what to do and how to act, that is why he falls apart in unscripted interviews.
“How about Kentucky first.”
Really those people were totally ignored by the media and Washington!
I can’t knock that message, but still, watch your back with this one OZ. No, I mean seriously. Watch your back.
God Bless Australia.
He completely ignored Kentucky. I don’t recall him offering any sympathy or “prayers” to those folks. Infact I think he was watching a ballet or symphony or something at the Kennedy Center, or riding around in his “spiffy” new ride.
But the slime media berated President Bush for WORKING from Crawford during Katrina and Condi for buying shoes.
President Bush would have flown down there to see it first hand and talk with the people affected. I hate Obama!
“He completely ignored Kentucky. I don’t recall him offering any sympathy or “prayers” to those folks. Infact I think he was watching a ballet or symphony or something at the Kennedy Center, or riding around in his “spiffy” new ride.
But the slime media berated President Bush for WORKING from Crawford during Katrina and Condi for buying shoes.
President Bush would have flown down there to see it first hand and talk with the people affected.”
<<<Sadly, you are spot on(
It’s payback for only 29.9% of the democrats in Kentucky voting for him in the primary and 41.2% of voters voting for him in the general election....
You and your fellow countrymen and women are in our prayers, naturalman.
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