Posted on 09/16/2014 2:42:15 AM PDT by SoFloFreeper
The United States government is sending thousands of military troops to the west African nation of Liberia as part of the Obama administration's Ebola virus-response strategy, the White House said late Monday night.
....'A general from U.S. Army Africa, the Army component of U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM), will lead this effort, which will involve an estimated 3,000 U.S. forces.'
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Isn’t it interesting how this thread brought out the hardcore Obamabot trolls? Very interesting indeed.
That's from a TIME article about the U.S. military response to the earthquake in Haiti. We sent 20,000 troops to assist in Haiti, 3300 of which were ashore.
- Sometimes it takes a catastrophe to demonstrate just how much more the U.S. military is able to do than simply kill the enemy. Only the U.S. can initially control flights into and out of the Port-au-Prince airport from aboard a nearby Coast Guard cutter, while waiting for an Air Force special-ops team to set up shop at the airport and step up operations to 24/7. Only U.S. warships have the capability to generate up to 400,000 gallons of fresh water a day from seawater. Only the U.S. military can send a spy drone from California to fly lazy orbits over Port-au-Prince snapping close to 1,000 pictures a day, which when compared with similar ones shot last summer, create a map of the hardest hit areas that can be instantly relayed to those working on the ground.
- Only the U.S. military has enough aluminum matting to boost the runway capacity of Port-au-Prince airport. Only the U.S. military has the surveillance capability to quickly assess additional Haitian airfields and seaports for use in rescue relief operations. Only the U.S. military has the wide variety of vessels and aircraft to utilize those fields and ports, including air-cushioned vehicles capable of ferrying 60 tons of supplies from ship to shore at 40 knots.
I realize this move is unpopular and, for good reason, we should always question Obama's motives, but this comes down to American Exceptionalism. If American does not contain Ebola, it ain't gettin' contained. The rest of the world dallied from March through August. Unfortunately, it's time to send in the folks who know what to do. Together with CDC and DoD, they'll get this under control.
I will be in constant prayer for God's protection upon them.
Thank you for the graphic, SoFlo...I am stealing it for my new tagline...;-)
Not the worst Federal Agency out there, that’s for sure. :)
Patience, Patience, Patience!!!!
1. The GOP needs firm control of both houses.
2. Impeach Holder first- low hanging fruit.
3. Then Impeach Zero.
Safer? Absolutely. Effective? No. Many in West Africa think Ebola is a hoax. That’s the level of ignorance with which we’re dealing. There is little hope that these countries can contain this outbreak on their own. As always, America has to come a-runnin’. It sucks, especially in this case, but there it is.
They haven't been the "lead dog." CDC and USAID have assumed that role overseas. The CDC has as its main mission the control and prevention of disease on a global basis. So what is different this time? I believe it is the political agenda of the Obama administration.
You keep confusing describing the Army’s biological research and medical capabilities, and them already being in Africa, with this decision to send in 3.000 line troops.?
They are not just "line troops." And according to the WP, Despite President Obama’s call for increased involvement of the U.S. military in the fight against the rapidly escalating Ebola epidemic in West Africa, the United States is hamstrung by a lack of military medical personnel with expertise dealing with the deadly virus, a top official in charge of coordinating the U.S. response said Tuesday.
There isn’t an existing cadre of people who have experience in treating this epidemic other than” the aid group Doctors Without Borders, said Nancy Lindborg of the U.S. Agency for International Development.
The Pentagon announced Monday that it would set up a 25-bed field hospital in Liberia to help provide medical care for health workers responding to the epidemic, prompting criticism from international aid groups and global health advocates who said the action was paltry compared with the need in the hardest-hit countries — Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.
Lindborg said Tuesday that the hospital is intended to provide health care for foreign workers, not Liberians. The goal of the hospital is to “provide assurance that there will be quality health care available for health workers” who have or might volunteer to go to any of the affected countries, she said.
The World Health Organization has said the outbreak is “increasing exponentially” in Liberia. In Montserrado County alone — where the capital, Monrovia, is located — there is a need for 1,000 treatment beds; only 240 exist.
The Defense Department has provided some equipment, supplies and staff in the region since the outbreak began months ago. But the expectation was that Obama’s remarks on Sunday would produce more substantive action and that the U.S. military, with its enormous logistical capacity, extensive air operations and highly trained medical corps, could address gaps in the response quickly.
But the United States does not have a workforce trained in the special protocols for Ebola, Lindborg said. WHO is currently training 500 new workers in Liberia, and the U.S. government is supporting that effort, she said.
“I would like to know, do they think the response to date by the U.S. government will make any difference in the course of events in the current epidemic?” said Joanne Liu, international president of Doctors Without Borders, which has been the aid group working most actively since the outbreak began months ago.
During the same news briefing Tuesday, a top Pentagon official declined to provide specifics about other military assets that could be deployed.
“We’re continuing to evaluate where to best support the overall effort,” said Michael Lumpkin, assistant secretary of defense for special operations/low-intensity conflicts.
I am not confusing anything. Making the military the lead dog in this effort makes no sense. They don't currently have the medical people trained to fight Ebola. The question that needs to be asked is why isn't CDC leading this effort rather than the military? And it appears the military is still unclear about its role.
I haven’t been able to find the source that says the CDC has replaced the Army as our most powerful force for outbreaks of this type globally.
I also didn’t see your source telling us that these 3,000 troops are not mostly regular GIs.
Perhaps if you would do less posting of meaningless irrelevant cut and pastes, you could focus better.
America, you elected this disease called 0bama. Twice.
Comeuppance is never pretty.
Also, to get back to the point.
What is with you and the Army, why do you keep wanting to pretend that working these Ebola breakouts is routine for them and that they do very much of the same work as the CDC in regards to this field, and in some areas, more than the CDC.
“USAMRIID is the only U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) laboratory equipped to study highly hazardous viruses at Biosafety Level 4 within positive pressure personnel suits.
USAMRIID employs both military and civilian scientists as well as highly specialized support personnel, in all about 800 people. In the 1950s and ‘60s, USAMRIID and its predecessor unit pioneered unique, state-of-the-art biocontainment facilities which it continues to maintain and upgrade. Investigators at its facilities frequently collaborate with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the World Health Organization, and major biomedical and academic centers worldwide.
USAMRIID was the first bio-facility of its type to research the Ames strain of anthrax, determined through genetic analysis to be the bacterium used in the 2001 anthrax attacks.”
Why are you trying to pretend that what the Army normally does, and has always done in fighting Ebola in Africa, doesn’t exist?
Good plan
I want that word to permeate society....it fits Team Obama perfectly.
African nations learned so well(sarc) how to contain AIDS this should be a piece of cake(more sarc)
When has the Army ever headed such an effort before? When was the Army given the lead mission of disease control?
CDC Mission Statement
CDC works 24/7 to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are chronic or acute, curable or preventable, human error or deliberate attack, CDC fights disease and supports communities and citizens to do the same.
CDC increases the health security of our nation. As the nation’s health protection agency, CDC saves lives and protects people from health threats. To accomplish our mission, CDC conducts critical science and provides health information that protects our nation against expensive and dangerous health threats, and responds when these arise. CDC's Role
CDC 24-7 logoDetecting and responding to new and emerging health threats
Tackling the biggest health problems causing death and disability for Americans
Putting science and advanced technology into action to prevent disease
Promoting healthy and safe behaviors, communities and environment
Developing leaders and training the public health workforce, including disease detectives
Taking the health pulse of our nation
CDC in the 21st Century
On the cutting edge of health security – confronting global disease threats through advanced computing and lab analysis of huge amounts of data to quickly find solutions.
Putting science into action – tracking disease and finding out what is making people sick and the most effective ways to prevent it.
Helping medical care – bringing new knowledge to individual health care and community health to save more lives and reduce waste.
Fighting diseases before they reach our borders – detecting and confronting new germs and diseases around the globe to increase our national security.
Nurturing public health - building on our significant contribution to have strong, well-resourced public health leaders and capabilities at national, state and local levels to protect Americans from health threats.
I also didn’t see your source telling us that these 3,000 troops are not mostly regular GIs.
How do you define "line troops" or regular GIs?
Perhaps if you would do less posting of meaningless irrelevant cut and pastes, you could focus better.
Meaningless and irrelevant because they run counter to your narrative about the role and the ability of the US military to counter this disease. There is no pool of trained military personnel to treat ebola.
Details of the mission: http://m.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/09/16/fact-sheet-us-response-ebola-epidemic-west-africa
Sounds like CDC is begging for help, which means the situation is dire.
The following is from that article:
But the Defense source said that military leaders were “cornered” by the White House with the response mission, and that USAID and CDC are “begging” for military help when they should be the “lead.” The source said the government is turning to DOD because the NGOs that agencies typically work with on the ground have fled.
They don't do the same work as CDC nor do they have the same level of expertise. I spent 8 years in the USN and another 28 years as an FSO. I have never seen the Army take the lead role in such situations.
I have no doubt the situation is dire. My problem is making the military the lead agency in the effort. The military can support the plan, but CDC should be directing the overall effort. It is their mission and basic reason for their existence. Something else is at play here, but knowing how Obama operates, it has do to with optics and a political agenda.
“Not a job for our military. This is the domain of World Health Organization.”
Protecting America from foreign threats, including biological ones is a job for our military. “WHO director general Margaret Chan said the vast nature of the outbreak....required a massive emergency response.” They failed to contain it.
“Hogwash. In those African countries, 500 people die of pneumonia for every one that dies from Ebola.”
Do you understand the logarithmic nature of the spread of an epidemic? Pneumonia is already in America and would be no problem if some Liberians came here with it. If you cant see that Ebola is different from that, I surely can’t help you.
“So how are a few thousand Americans going to make a difference?”
Do you guys read the news at all? http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/us-military-to-lead-ebola-fight/2014/09/15/69db3da0-3d32-11e4-b0ea-8141703bbf6f_story.html
http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-09-16/why-the-ebola-crisis-wont-end-without-military-intervention
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/13/world/africa/liberian-president-pleads-with-obama-for-assistance-in-combating-ebola.html?_r=0
Doctors Without Borders, MSF(frech medical org), state military intervention is required, and the president of Liberia is imploring Obama for help. Don’t let hatred of Obama cloud your mind to reality.
“The general will head a regional command based in Liberia that will help oversee and coordinate U.S. and international relief efforts while a new, separate regional staging base will help accelerate transportation of urgently needed equipment, supplies and personnel.
In addition, the Pentagon will send engineers to set up 17 treatment centers in Liberia — each with a 100-bed capacity — as well as medical personnel to train up to 500 health-care workers a week in the region. ...
Global health experts and international aid groups who have been urging the White House to dramatically scale up its response praised the plan as described. They have said charities and West African governments alone do not have the capacity to stem the epidemic.
The U.S. military, with its enormous logistical capability, extensive air operations, and highly skilled medical corps, could address gaps in the response quickly.”
” a secured air-bridge system must be initiated while commercial air travel continues to shut down. An air-bridge will be essential to continue uninterrupted transport of health-care workers, medical supplies, and food.”
“The American military is not trained for this mission. We have CDC to perform this function. “
Actually they ARE trained for command and control, and do have significant medical capabilities. They will be doing exactly what they are trained for. The CDC on the other hand is not equipped or trained to fulfill the roles the military is. But they are also helping. “CDC is rapidly sending more disease-control experts to the four nations currently reporting cases.” But the CDC actually sent people to learn from Doctors Without Borders who has more experience with Ebola outbreaks.
“And where is the rest of the world?”
In case you haven’t noticed over the last 200 years America is not only the beacon of freedom in the world, it is the country that always comes to the aid of others, whether it is earquakes, oppressive regimes or health care. You may not like it, but without our intervention the world would be a dark place ruled by the likes of Hitler, who we stopped.
“This is a grandstanding ploy by Obama.”
Oh please. Yeah that is why all these world health organization are pleading for help is to glorify Obama. Get real.
“Why on earth would we want to infect our military and have them come back here to infect their families and the rest of the US?”
You apparently dont have much faith in our military. I am sure they are just going over to lick the bodies of Ebola patients and just rush back here to infect their families and America. Makes perfect sense.
“What’s this “You people” crap?”
Shorthand to save naming the several individuals.
The bold that you think is so important in your post, also describes the United States Army.
In fact the Army appears to be at a level higher than CDC in it's work on some things, as you just skipped post 110.
You are ignoring the facts, that the Army has been doing this since the 1800s, that it has been involved in EVERY EBOLA OUTBREAK SINCE THE FIRST ONE IN 1976, THAT IT IS CURRENTLY IN AFRICA, DOING WHAT IT ALWAYS DOES.
And you seem to base this on having served in the Navy, well I served in the Army and I never saw this stuff either, I had to read about it, something that should do, you can start with reading my posts.
""USAMRIID is the only U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) laboratory equipped to study highly hazardous viruses at Biosafety Level 4 within positive pressure personnel suits.""
""USAMRIID was the first bio-facility of its type to research the Ames strain of anthrax, determined through genetic analysis to be the bacterium used in the 2001 anthrax attacks.""
""Scientists hopeful Army screening of 2,000 drugs will find treatment of SARS virus. They are being tested at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick, Md.""
""At the request of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a small team of scientists at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, Ft. Detrick, Md., has trained its microscopes on severe acute respiratory syndrome.
"This [research] does in fact fit into our overall mission in that although we have not had an outbreak in the military yet, if we were operating in an area where the SARS virus was in fact transmitting, this would be a significant military problem," said John Huggins. An expert in viral research and chief of the laboratory's viral therapeutics branch, Huggins' major concentration has been on screening drugs against viral agents, including Ebola, Marburg, smallpox and now SARS.
Scientists at the Army institute normally work to develop strategies for protecting military personnel against biological warfare threats and naturally occurring infectious diseases.
"Because SARS poses a global health problem for the military and civilians potentially, we were asked to participate in this effort also," he said. As of May 29, according to CDC, the virus had caused 750 deaths worldwide, although no SARS related deaths have been reported in the United States.
For years, the institute has been part of a government consortium of research facilities that includes the CDC, the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The Fort Detrick institute and CDC have existing collaborations on smallpox virus, Huggins said.""
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