[exDemMom]

Ouch. I’ll bet that none of those historic buildings in Marrakesh or the rest of Morocco are reinforced.

People who live in zones where major earthquakes are rare tend not to prepare for them.

The earthquake that struck the DC area 12 years ago was only 5.8 and it did hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. Imagine what the toll would have been had it been as strong as the Morocco earthquake.

Thoughts and prayers for the people of Morocco.

[verum ago]

Thoughts and prayers for the people of Morocco.

They are our oldest friends. While formal diplomatic recognition didn’t happen until a treaty in 1786 (which was delayed by a series of snafus, to the point George Washington himself apologized for the delay), the Moroccan Sultan unilaterally declared American vessels to be under his protection in December, 1777, with American traders granted the same protections and rights as those from nations which Morocco had full relations. That de facto recognition came before even that of France.

And unlike Britain, France, and the handful of other countries that formally recognized the US prior to Morocco (many of whom no longer exist), there’s never been a break in US-Morocco diplomatic relations.

The Moroccans were the first to stand with us (unofficially), and officially have done so the longest, having never turned their backs. I hope we remember this in their hour of need. Such things should matter, at least in my book…