Posted on 01/15/2010 4:39:58 PM PST by kristinn
We watched Friday as aircraft arrived nonstop, carrying massive amounts of food, water and U.S. military personnel along with it.
Some 20,000 large water containers arrived today and 80,000 more are on the USS Carl Vinson off the coast of Haiti, along with 600,000 daily food rations which are continually flowing in.
But all this effort and all these supplies moving does not mean Haitians are getting the large supplies of food and water that they need. Instead, most of the supplies are sitting idle at the airport.
The widespread distribution of desperately needed supplies to Haiti's earthquake victims won't happen until tomorrow.
Stuck In the Pipeline Lt. Gen. Ken Keen, who is overseeing the operation, says he wishes things were moving faster but there are procedures that must be followed.
"Security is the issue" he said, "What has to happen from a planning and a coordination part has to happen with the United Nations, the government of Haiti and all the relief organizations."
We went around to various aid organizations asking the same question: why aren't these supplies getting to the people who need them?
Security Is Key We were told this is a layered effort. First, the government of Haiti must choose distribution points, the World Food program then works up a distribution plan and then U.N. forces in Haiti provide security with the help of the U.S. military to get the food out. The bottom line: it's not going to happen until tomorrow.
Meanwhile, the people wait.
After a day of asking questions, we have an idea why there is such a wait for supplies. But the Haitians don't, they have no communications.
"We have no idea why we are waiting," said one person.
(Excerpt) Read more at abcnews.go.com ...
"I am furious. We have been here for four days, and haven't seen anything: no food, no water, no tents," said Jean Claude Hillaire. "I am so hungry. And want to know why these people have no aid. Why is nothing coming? We've had nothing from the US, nothing from the international community. We feel angry and abandoned: 20,000 people are sleeping in this park, and no one is helping us. We are yelling for help. I can take you down the road, for the next mile into the port. There are hundreds of bodies lying in the street. The world needs to see this suffering, and see this death, and tell its leaders that something must be done to help, right now."
"I'm especially angry with Barack Obama. The people of this country, Haiti were the first black people who put a mark on liberty. We now need help from the first black president. We don't need it in four, five or 20 days. We need it today, right now."
It didn't take four days during the Katrina aftermath for the media to turn on President Bush. Yet here it is four days after the Haiti quake and the aid is stacked up at the airport because Obama has failed to take charge of the situation, muscle aside the U.N. bureaucracy and the hapless Haiti government and get the aid to the Haitians.
At least one Haitian can see that the job isn't getting done and will speak the truth. You won't hear that from Brian Williams, Katie Couric or Diane Sawyer.
What government?
The Haitians gained independence — but they have never had liberty.
I have to say I don’t understand why both Bush and Obama let these natural disasters turn into PR disasters as well. If I was President I’d make a big show of rolling up my sleeves and lending a hand at least in symbolic way.
Obama wants to "coordinate" with all these levels of nonfunctional garbage. He is letting his multilateral dog crap hinder the mission. Typical socialist asshole.
ABC is not telling you the truth.
“Security”.
Know what they are referring to ?
Wonder what will happen to those who pick up the food and then leave the distribution area
“If I was President I’d make a big show of rolling up my sleeves and lending a hand at least in symbolic way.”
I’m sure Obama will do just that, as soon as he can book a tee time.
Sadly - loads of “conservatives” here are doing the lib media’s bidding about this tragedy and hyping it up with the stories. Send aid and help but Haiti is not a state of the USA.
I see the say “compassion” that allowed Muslims to invade the UK and Europe that will destroy Europe. In 2012, on election night when Obama carries FL - remember this post. The media is overplaying this story and people here are even falling for it.
I’m sure Kanye West will explain this dichotomy the next time he commandeers the microphone.
I’d like to know why the supplies are not being distributed from the airport expeditiously.
Simple enough-Air drops................
Obama has failed..The buck stops at Obama...this is his Katrina. Does not matter who is in charge.
Does not matter why they are not getting the food and water..fact is they are not getting them.
F- FAILED F-
Lord please be with and sustain these people until supplies can get to them.
What a mess. We need Oprah and Obama and Gibbs to fly over there and hold a press conference.
Perhaps President Soetoro doesn’t like dark-skinned people.
Zero does not identify with blacks, he only uses the fact that his skin is dark to get their votes. He identifies with Muslims.
And the general is a wimp. The situation is desperate, you unload the stuff, pick some distribution points and go do it when people are starving, hurt, and sick. To hell with protocol.
Obama, unlike Bush, has something to say on TV just about every day regarding how much he's doing. Unfortunately, both are/were hampered by the lack of an indigenous infrastructure for local delivery of services and goods. In Louisiana, the state and city officials responded miserably. The same situation exists in Haiti.
God blessed every country in its own way. Here,in America,we did not sit back but worked with our gift. We took what was given and rather than ask for more we built on our gift.
All i have heard from Haiti is wheres the help and the piling of dead bodies in the streets to protest the slowness of aid.
I am not stating the earthquake was in any way wrath or something they brought upon themselves. The aftermath however is something different. Years of aid,stolen and wasted. Now when tragedy strikes all they can do is complain they’re not being helped enough.
I find it difficult to have overmuch compassion for they who don’t,wont and have never helped themselves. They must take responsibility for their own government as we finally seem to be doing here. Only then will they become what they can be and stop being the basket case of the caribbean.
Stupid headline addition.
Witnesses reported gangs of young men armed with machetes stalking through the capital. As the security situation continued to deteriorate, UN peacekeepers warned aid workers they needed to travel with guards.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.