7 replies to this topic

[jextract]

We keep trying to be the good guys, but sometimes I think we need to tell the rest of the world (including some of our own mainstream media but excluding our allies, of course) to kiss our collective asses.

http://www.sftt.org/...3.4574367016919

[mvillanueva]

(...... but excluding our allies, of course) to kiss our collective asses.

http://www.sftt.org/...3.4574367016919

Yes, but what about the French?

[nextariel]

Makes you want to rethink helping those in need.

[BradfordNC]

Yes, but what about the French?

oh yes, the french.

yes yes, it's a humanitarian effort, and not a war, but i'm sure it still applies to our french "allies"



Going to war without the french is like going hunting without an accordian.

all your realy doing is leaving behind a lot of useless & noisey baggage

[jextract]

(...... but excluding our allies, of course) to kiss our collective asses.

http://www.sftt.org/...3.4574367016919

Yes, but what about the French?

"Embrassez mon âne."

[AliKat]

Well, it gets worse. The French and the Germans are there, but we are determined to ram ourselves down the Indonesians throats. Especially on the medical front, there is an attitude that NO ONE can help these people except for US Military Medicine. Someone do some research on the USNS Mercy; how much she is costing per day, and which of these countries has asked for her help and just exactly what she is going to be able to do when she gets there. Now we have the nerve to insist the NGO's tell us what they are doing about vector control because we don't trust when they say they have it under control (and what are we going to do if they tell us "nothing"). I have been working almost everynight since the 27th of Dec (12-14 hours) all for people who are not interested in our medical help.

Did I mention I agree with the guy from the Lincoln?

The views expressed here are not necessarily those of my "management"

[drbill]

Jamie- The article was an interesting read and probably has a reasonable amount of truth in it. However, its wording suggests the writer had "issues" well before this experience that may have colored his view of the events. Of course if the quotes about the "china," etc., are true they represent at best a rather insensitive attempt at humor, at worst some irresponsible arrogance.

In my experience there are those who are really sincere in their attempts to provide assistance, and they deserve much credit for doing so out of their sense of common humanity. Then there are those who are hangers on or provide assistance in large part to gain a moral superiority, PR or other personal benefit.

The use of the military in relief situations has a long history. I think the author needs to understand that such missions are (or at least can be) instruments of national policy as much as the military preparedness issue. This disaster outweighs the impact of many "wars" including Iraq.

It would be interesting to hear from sailors with a more objective point of view to confirm this individual's observations.

Dr. Bill

[Sophia]

Ed Stanton makes some valid points. Many back up things I've heard/read elsewhere. I even heard one reporter speculate that maybe the space he took up on the helicopter could have been better served by relief supplies. Didn't stop him from going.

I also think he's right about the Muslim countries. I remember a 60 minute report after 9/11 but while Saddam was in power. They were in Iraq talking to 'The Man on the Street". He was going on and on about how we're always against the muslims, one of his examples was Bosnia. The reporter said, "But we were defending the Muslims". The reply was, "Not in the papers I read."

About the U.N., you must remember that these are the people that stole the silver in the U.N. cafeteria when the cafeteria workers went on strike.