Posted on 01/16/2010 6:06:39 AM PST by kristinn
ABOARD THE USS CARL VINSON — Helicopters sit ready to go from this US aircraft carrier off Haiti, but there's a problem: after a day of frantic aid runs there is simply nothing left to deliver.
Aboard the warship some 3,500 US military personnel have been coordinating the flights of 19 US helicopters carrying aid since early morning.
SNIP
In less than 12 hours, helicopters from the USS Carl Vinson made some 20 trips to scout the ravaged landscape and deliver items that were originally intended for the ship's crew.
Among the supplies dropped off were thousands of bottles of water and energy drinks, 8,000 sheets and hundreds of camp beds.
Dozens of hospital beds have been arranged on board the ship to accomadate those injured in the quake, including a US citizen evacuated from the US embassy in Port-au-Prince.
SNIP
The relief work also faces logistical and coordination challenges, according to Rear Admiral Ted Branch, the most senior military official aboard the USS Carl Vinson.
"We have lift, we have communications, we have some command and control, but we don't have much relief supplies to offer," said Branch, who commands the battle group led by the nuclear-powered Carl Vinson.
"We have no supplies at the airport that we have access to. There are other supplies there that are under the control of other agencies, other organizations and we haven't yet coordinated together to make those supplies available for anyone to deliver," he added.
SNIP
The commander noted that some supplies remain at the airport, and could easily be delivered by US helicopters.
"The problem is, some people are perhaps not ready to release their stuff to the most efficient transportation makers and want to deliver supplies themselves."
(Excerpt) Read more at google.com ...
So what’s the plan?
Let the supplies sit until enough people die that the looting ends?
Sorry - you are correct - according to some reports on Fox. Orgs needing credit (like Word Vision), diplomatic efforts etc are all clogging up the relief efforts as well as the only airport. Apparently the sea ports are in ruins as well.
With a population of just over 10 million, it is quite possible that 1/10th of all Haitians are already dead or dying.
Packaged sheets are easier to transport. They are flat and easy to handle. The odds are that nobody is going to send them sheets that are not packaged but it does not hurt to be specific in what they want. Which is not a bag full of sheets.
The problem is that the merchant fleet is not there where our military fleet is.
He's spent his entire career "Voting 'Present' ".
What do you expect?
I don’t know what their plan is. But it won’t do any good to put all of their supplies in the hands of gangs. Which are not the same thing as individual looters.
Obama “lucked out” because such a disaster didn’t happen in the US . It would immediately demonstrate his incompetence.
Considering where this tragedy took place the highest in command (Obama) should have forseen this is a logistics nightmare which needed an appointed central bureaucracy who’s staff would organize and coordinate the considerable US resouces which would come into play in such a disorganized situation .
For all its flexibilty sending that Nimitz class carrier to Haiti was a “statement”. What its commander is complaining about is to be expected because in these situations it happens every time. The trouble is because of the Vincent’s draft its probably berthed off shore and has to be serviced by lighters or other smaller cargo craft which would transfer the supplies comming from air through the crowded Port Of Prince airfield
Large cargo aircraft require specialized pilots who (and if depending upon the aircraft) can do a trickbag landing on the The Vincent off loading needed humanitarian supplies and here’s the harder part then take off .
During the cold war, 50-60’s we had stores (warehouses) of foodstuffs and water set aside for emergencies (atomic attack) also I believe there was a hospital ship fully equipted, on standby, which could be immediately deployed not gear up and take days to be deployed.
If and when the socialists (who play CYA and blame Bush) get run out of office perhaps the new members of the House will conduct some serious hearings and make some intelligent recomendations.
http://www.theusmat.com/
I read that the prison collapsed and, in addition to Haiti’s usual gangs, they now have 4000 escaped prisoners roaming the streets. I’m sure the situation with distribution of the supplies is almost beyond control now.
Disease will be right on their heels. This is going to get much worse.
“There is no reason why the US merchant fleet cannot deliver aid. “
The aid is already there; sitting at the airport.
It just needs to be delivered into neighborhoods at a more rapid rate.
It would seem helicopters could get it where needed.
The number of casualties is not going to change the realities on the ground for the relief efforts.
The problem is that the US Navy would deliver it to where it was needed, fairly and honestly. The folks in control of the supplies can’t have that. The folks controlling the distribution haven’t arranged for their cut yet.
Obama’s earthquake.
“the UN and everyone else wanted to hold meetings”
The committees they formed are probably still meeting weekly.
Hey..Its the Vinson not “Vincent”, yea I know named after Speaker; Carl Vinson, son of F.M. Vinson Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Yup, but from what I saw of the interview, the brass hat in charge was clueless.
God bless the crew of the Carl Vinson. It must be maddening knowing that they could be helping more people but instead bureaucrats and selfishness are stopping them.
Agreed.
Maybe Hillary can bust some (heads) when she hits the airport today. This is one occasion when being a (head)-busting (alpha female) will come in handy.
She does want to APPEAR to want to render aid, but I think there's a larger agenda at work. My guess is that this will be a manufactured humanitarian crisis resulting in millions of future Democrat refugees with which to solidify control of Florida, brought to you by the death cult at the UN.
“The sheets are for dead bodies and they have to be in their original packaging?”
Ok, knowing me as i do,,,i can’t believe im saying this. But while you are clearly correct, id let the poor SOBs get laid to rest in a new sheet. Maybe not 600 thread count egyptian,, but a new sheet. Poor miserable SOBs,, victims of leftism even more than they are of the quake.
“The Obama folks are still trying to figure out how to bring the Hatians up to Boston in time to vote.”
That’s it! That’s what thunder-thighs is doing, distributing MA absentee ballots to the Haitians!
I was in Albania during the Kosovo crisis and it was amazing to watch the U.S. choppers in action delivering supplies, etc. We worked with NATO troops, and there’s no comparison in the equipment, comport, or skill with the American troops. It truly makes you proud to see them in action.
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