Sri Lanka rejects Israel rescuers

BBC ^

[JeffersonRepublic.com]

Israel has cancelled plans to send a 150-person rescue mission to Sri Lanka after the devastated island objected to the military composition of the team.

The delegation - including 60 soldiers - had been due to set off on Tuesday to help after Sunday's tsunami disaster.

Instead, a smaller team will escort a convoy carrying emergency supplies, Israeli officials said.

Sri Lanka restored diplomatic ties with Israel in 2000, despite objections from the island's Muslim minority.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

I have a problem giving too, but mostly cause I am getting so cynical about the money getting to the people, not some corrupt government or worse, the UN.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

My understanding of this "mystery" business is that awful things happen and God's hand is in how we come together and show love and compassion in our tragedy. Beyond that I am lost in understanding. I guess my spirituality is pretty simplistic. All the good stuff is God. All the bad stuff is evil.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

I was thinking the very same thing today!

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

Good point.

I am ready to offer aid if we can insist they get their act together in any country we give aid to.

What the h...l are we giving my tax money to anti-semites, terrorist states and countries who constantly bad mouth us, and organizations that wheel and deal with bloody dictators?

I am furious today cause I found out how much I will pay in taxes this year and I am supporting the f.....****g UN !

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Thomas Jefferson et al. remarked in a few places that to apply the taxes of a citizen to something they object to was reprehensible. We should definitely be able to target our taxes (not specifically, but generally, e.g., military 40%, education 10%, NEA GOOSE EGG, public radio GOOSE EGG...).

[montag813]

Good point. I'm willing to bet that all countries hit by this disaster will reject Israeli help.

80% of the inhabitants of affected areas are Muslim. Perhaps someone upstairs trying to send a message.

[montag813]

Well, I'll just tear up the check I was gonna sent to the relief fund.

Why should you send anything at all? these stupid countries have plenty of cash, thanks to outsourcing of American jobs, and they IGNORED decades-long pleas from the USGS to install a rudimentary tsunami-warning system such as what protects Hawaii, CA, and even Guam. they only had themselves to blame.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

Thank God there is someone else in this country who feels ravaged by not being able to have a da...ed thing to say about how my taxes get spent!

[montag813]

Basically, and I agree with her, most of these Muslim governments are corrupt and hate us yet we go all out to help these people and places but would any of them lift a hand to help us in a similar situation? I think not.

They would be celebrating in the streets at film of dead American bodies washing ashore. Just as they all did after 9/11 and the recent shuttle disaster.

[Recovering Ex-hippie]

I don't know about anyone "upstairs" sending a message, but I'd like to send one to our government...
"NO MULLAH TO THE MULLAHS !!!!"

[FITZ]

Your condeming a whole people to suffer more because of what their disfunctional government did.

The problem is --- when it's a disfunctional corrupt government involved --- guess who gets their hands on any "help" that gets sent. When corrupt governments are involved, it's not likely any money you send will make it to the people anyhow.

[SuziQ]

What a STOOPID decision! The soldiers could probably do the work of two civilians with their strength and training!

[Syncro]

That's so true unfortunately.

I mentioned on another thread that the UN should turn Kofi and his son upside down and shake them and send the Billions that falls out of their pockets that they stole over to the disaster area.

[FITZ]

Yes --- I would also not trust the UN with my money. Unfortunately charity has to be wisely and very carefully chosen --- many groups have their own agendas.

[lainde]

Disgusted BTTT

[NYFriend]

I could be wrong too. It's just a guess. In Sri Lanka, they are Theravada Buddhist, which is a more non-theocentric branch of Buddhism. It's interesting in that it doesn't really deny the existence of God, but takes a "don't count on any help" approach. In most Asian countries, the practice a different form which, depending on the sect, picks up gods, or other spirits, which are thought to offer help, but in kind of a more internal or mental way. No Red Sea stuff. The Mahayana branch has many sects which borrow from local religions, like Hinduism or Shinto, and keep some of those beliefs. Not that any of this is important to the discussion.

[NYFriend]

Oh yeah, whereas we can argue over whether Islam is a religion of peace, the Theravadas in Sri Lanka are a religion of peace. It doesn't mean you can't has some bad apples, but the organized body would never tolerate any aggression. You won't find many Buddhist terrorist.

[snopercod]

bump

[snopercod]

Sri Lanka rejects Israel relief delegation

[unbalanced but fair]

I just read the statistics on Sri Lanka and they are only 7% Muslim and actually 8% Christian while the rest are Buddhists and Hindu. India also has practically no Muslims. The only country heavily Muslim in the affected region is Indonesia. Sri Lanka has had a working relationship with Israel, buying arms and training their miitary. I'm surprised they declined this aid. But then it didn't say they turned down all the aid, only the number of forces were reduced.