Posted on 01/07/2005 3:15:57 PM PST by swilhelm73
Reader Ed McNamara pointed out that the U.S Navy's web site has some excellent, high-resolution photos of the relief work going on in Indonesia, beginning here. The sailors depicted are from the USS Abraham Lincoln, whose work in the province of Aceh we described over the weekend, here.
In the photo on the left, the devastated landscape of Aceh is seen from inside a U.S. Navy SH-60F Seahawk helicopter. On the right, Sumatrans gather under a helicopter that is about to drop off food and other supplies; the photo shows the flooding that still exists. Click to enlarge, and check out the Navy site for high-res versions.
UPDATE: Reader Patrick Charles makes a great point:
One of the ships helping is the U.S.S. Bonhomme Richard, an amphibious assault vessel carrying U.S. Marines. This is the same ship that [critical phrase deleted] Navy Petty Officer Third Class and darling of the anti-war left, Pablo Paredes, refused to board back in Decemeber because his ship was aiding in the "illegal" war in Irag. This sailor went AWOL back in December and staged a little media party in San Diego back in December. This is a wonderful irony. Yes it is. The Bonhomme Richard joined the effort in Sumatra today, and will depart for Sri Lanka later this week.
In one of the main Norwegian newspapers, the Americans are critized for handing out emergency aid willy nilly without first having organised studies on how and where aid might be best used.
I was flabbergasted. Apparently, scandinavian stupidity knows no ends.
Cheers.
Sometimes when you are in a rush to criticize you do not wait to engage your brain and end up sounding very stupid.
The problem is that in Norway, the sheeple doesnt think through the issues. They have a preconceived notion that the USA is a bad country. Newspaper story stating how incompetent America is in the Indonesian aid effort confirms their world view.
Job done..
The land in Sumatra was not only displaced laterally (by as much as 120 ft.), but the land dropped significantly in elevation. A considerable portion of the land in and around Banda Aceh may be permanentlty inundated by the sea -- and may be permanently uninhabitable.
(Even the Navy's caption attributes this to "tsunami" (rather than earthquake/earthshift) damage.)
Looking at pictures over the past few days, I began asking myself why wasn't the water receeding. This would explain it.
THAT is the American Experience. THAT is why our enemies and pseudo-friends will never understand nor defeat us. THAT unmitigated compassion for our Fellow Man is what separates Americans from all other cultures.
We don't have the market cornered on compassion . . . but we're the only country on Earth that has the means and the bounty and, most importantly, THE PEOPLE able to deliver life-sustaining aid quickly enough to actually save some lives.
We walk the walk.
The UN talks the talk.
Where do we continue to come up with wonderful people like those serving in our Armed Forces? The answer to that simple question explains why the U.S. of A. is the greatest country the world has ever known.
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