Tsunami, Powell: U.S. aid will be 'billions'

[ltdiver 3]

I was listening to NPR radio yesterday morning, where they were interviewing a man from Sri Lanka. A native there. He said that they had a saying there that everyone knew..."When you feel the earth tremble, run for the mountains".

He adhered to this saying and thus saved his life. He couldn't understand why others didn't....especially when the tide swept out and people ran out to pick up the stranded fish on the beach! He knew better than this, and believed that it was common knowledge to be wary of this happening.

It is all so very sad.

We picked up the seismic activity in CO and NY. E-mails were flying back and forth from here to down there. Where did it get stuck? THIS needs to get fixed!

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[Skyrad 0]

I was in Sri Lanka last year and have spent a decent amount of time in the developing world (Third world) unfortunatly the vast majority don't have a computer to recive an e mail. Along the coast of Sri Lanka its pretty basic to say the least. But I agree this needs to be fixed, unfortunately I think this story will be out of the news alot faster than if it had been the eastern seaborad of the US that had been taken out.

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[ltdiver 3]

There were people in the know (from e-mail communication with the U.S.). Would it have been possible for them to alert the police and have trucks with bull horns drive up and down the beach?

I mean, when we have a bomb scare....or something else that needs and area cleared, that's how we alert the masses of the area.

Just a thought. And for this tragedy, too late. However, for the future?

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[PhreeZone 15]

Here is a thought.... same thing could happen to FL or the entire eastern seaboard of the US, do the residents there know what their system is? The Emergency Broadcast system is the primary means of communication. Your screwed if you are not listening to a TV or radio though.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[likearock 1]

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Doubtful Sri Lanka is not a Muslim country what possible motive would they have? Sounds like Xenophobic lies to me.

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-israel01.html

Perhaps there's a different kind of "xenophobic lies" at play here.

Wayne

[billvon 2,435]

> Would it have been possible for them to alert the police and
>have trucks with bull horns drive up and down the beach?

It would be here. But I think you may be overestimating the number of police trucks, bullhorns and truck-accessible roads in third world countries. If the police in Niger tried to warn everyone of an incoming meteor, for example, it would have taken the police days to just drive through all the towns they were "in charge" of - if their motorcycle worked, and they had gas for it etc. (Using Niger as an example just because I was there.) And they still wouldn't have been able to warn the nomadic tribes.

[PhreeZone 15]

Current numbers are looking good.

Japan $500 million
US $350 million
UK $96 Million.

The US military is already saying this will probally be the largest airlift operation since the Berlin Airlift and could excede that rapidly.

Yesterday is history
And tomorrow is a mystery

Parachutemanuals.com

[Michele 1]

Thanks, Wayne. And thanks, Ori.

Well, irrespective of if Sri Lanka is a muslim country, it sounds like what I heard was true. I hope they get that resolved quickly, and can get the aid they need, from where-ever it's offered.


Ciels-
Michele

~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek
While our hearts lie bleeding?~

[ltdiver 3]

Understood, Bill. Thanks for the first hand account of what you know of 3rd world communication.

I just heard a wonderful report this evening. About a young British girl who, when she saw the receding tide notified her mother what she had learned in school about this.

They alerted the people on the beach...plus the resort complex they were staying at. Everyone fled upland and over 100 people were saved.

Then there is the story of the gypsies (who are looked down on by the locals there). They had their training handed down to them from their forefathers about this same thing. They passed it on and over 180 people from one village was saved.

News travels fast. One person can tell a group and that group tells more and lives are saved.

And these are just 2 stories that I heard tonight. I'm sure more will surface. A little bit of goodness spread in all this tragedy.

ltdiver

Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon

[skycat 0]

On the news there was a story of this one young woman who was on the beach when the wave started to hit and grabbed a little 3 year old girl who was next to her. She lost her grip on her when they hit some debris but luckly the little girl got tangled in the debris so she was able to get a hold of her again as they were swept out to sea. She told the little girl to hang on to her tight, and they ended up tredding water for several hours before being picked up by some fishermen. The little girl's 1 year old brother is still missing, but she is very very lucky due to the kindness of a stranger who could have run and maybe escaped.

I know not quite with the topic, but I found it a very touching story.

Fly it like you stole it!

[Skyrad 0]

They took aid but just declined the medics according to the article. It doesn't say why. If this is true then maybe there were perfectly good reasons. India also has refused some aid as they can handle it on there own. Nothing to do with anything else. Piss poor journalism.

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[likearock 1]

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They took aid but just declined the medics according to the article. It doesn't say why. If this is true then maybe there were perfectly good reasons. India also has refused some aid as they can handle it on there own. Nothing to do with anything else. Piss poor journalism.

How Nixonian to blame it on the journalists. If Sri Lanka wasn't forthcoming in providing an explanation who's fault is that?

At any rate, this BBC article may be more to your liking. For one thing, it points out that Sri Lanka has established diplomatic ties with Israel. It still not clear what the real reason was for the refusal though.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4130599.stm


Sri Lanka rejects Israel rescuers

Israel has cancelled plans to send a 150-person rescue mission to Sri Lanka after the devastated island objected to the military composition of the team.

The delegation - including 60 soldiers - had been due to set off on Tuesday to help after Sunday's tsunami disaster.

Instead, a smaller team will escort a convoy carrying emergency supplies, Israeli officials said.

Sri Lanka restored diplomatic ties with Israel in 2000, despite objections from the island's Muslim minority.

Neither side has officially explained the change of plan, although some reports say the objection came from Sri Lanka's military.

Sri Lanka Ambassador Diffa Digeratna is quoted by Jerusalem Post as saying that the change was due to the "the lack of accommodations in Colombo".

Israel's army had planned to send staff to set up field hospitals, including internal medicine and paediatric clinics, an Israeli army spokesman said.

Other Israeli agencies have sent emergency relief to Sri Lanka and other tsunami-hit countries.

Humanitarian organisation Latet sent a jumbo jet carrying 18 metric tons of supplies to Colombo, medical teams have been dispatched to Thailand and help offered to India, Haaretz reported.

A rescue-and-recovery team from the Jewish ultra-Orthodox organisation Zaka left for the region on Monday with equipment used for identifying bodies, as well as body bags.

Israel's foreign ministry has set up a situation room for relatives to track down hundreds of Israelis on holiday in the tsunami zone, who have not yet made contact.

No one from the country has yet been confirmed dead in the disaster.

[Skyrad 0]

How interesting!

When an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy.
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

[ThighMan 5]

In times of need the world loves the U.S. We give and give. Then when they don't "Need" us, they hate us. What a corck of $HIT......
Patrick

Airborne
Blue Skies, No Wind
Feet and Knees Together

[mikkey 0]

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In times of need the world loves the U.S. We give and give. Then when they don't "Need" us, they hate us. What a corck of $HIT......
Patrick

Your post is a corck of shit... and BTW most other countries are giving more by capita then the US. However, the help is appreciated, especially the assistance of the US Navy with its helicopters.

---------------------------------------------------------
When people look like ants - pull. When ants look like people - pray.

[skydyvr 0]

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Quote

In times of need the world loves the U.S. We give and give. Then when they don't "Need" us, they hate us. What a corck of $HIT......
Patrick

Your post is a corck of shit... and BTW most other countries are giving more by capita then the US. However, the help is appreciated, especially the assistance of the US Navy with its helicopters.

Actually, it is your post that is full of shit - just the usual mikkey "screw the USA" post.

USA --> 5% of world's population
USA --> 40% of annual global foreign aid dollars

. . =(_8^(1)

[falxori 0]

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At any rate, this BBC article may be more to your liking. For one thing, it points out that Sri Lanka has established diplomatic ties with Israel. It still not clear what the real reason was for the refusal though.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/...dle_east/4130599.stm


Sri Lanka rejects Israel rescuers

Israel has cancelled plans to send a 150-person rescue mission to Sri Lanka after the devastated island objected to the military composition of the team.

they've been avoiding the reasons here too, but as far as we know it was because the doctors and rescue people were from the israeli army.
anyway, it was cleared after a few hours, medical supplies were sent and civilian search and rescue teams were allowed to look for the israeli civilians (with some assistance from the local army too).

too bad that politics harm humanitarian efforts but sometimes crisis is the best time to make new friends...

O

"Carpe diem, quam minimum credula postero."

[Ron 7]

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Your post is a corck of shit... and BTW most other countries are giving more by capita then the US.

Maybe, but we give more than the next closest country by almost double in real dollars.

So while we may not give as much per capita...We give almost twice as much as anyone else...And thats just in dollars from the Government, it does not include individual contributions, or military aid (Those choppers you talked about, ya know we have to pay to fly those right?)

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[jerryzflies 0]

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Quote

Your post is a corck of shit... and BTW most other countries are giving more by capita then the US.

Maybe, but we give more than the next closest country by almost double in real dollars.

So while we may not give as much per capita...We give almost twice as much as anyone else...And thats just in dollars from the Government, it does not include individual contributions, or military aid (Those choppers you talked about, ya know we have to pay to fly those right?)

If you want comparisons in absolute terms, we spend more on "defense" than the next EIGHT countries combined. That budget could be cut in half and we'd still be the most belligerent nation in world history.

If you can't fix it with a hammer, the problem's electrical.

[Ron 7]

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If you want comparisons in absolute terms, we spend more on "defense" than the next EIGHT countries combined.

So what? The question was"aid" not defense.
You have a beef about denfense? Start another thread to bash the US.

I love how people try to chnage the subject when they can't defend a position.

The US gives almost double the money than any other nation to help.

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[jerryzflies 0]

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Quote

If you want comparisons in absolute terms, we spend more on "defense" than the next EIGHT countries combined.

So what? The question was"aid" not defense.
You have a beef about denfense? Start another thread to bash the US.

I love how people try to chnage the subject when they can't defend a position.

The US gives almost double the money than any other nation to help.

Just putting things in context. Comparison of aid with defense spending illustrates national priorities. Per capita compariusons take out size of population from the equation. I'm sure if the topic was greenhouse gas output you'd prefer a per-capita comparison because that makes the US look better.

I'm sure you know about the widow's mite.

If you can't fix it with a hammer, the problem's electrical.

[Ron 7]

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Just putting things in context. Comparison of aid with defense spending illustrates national priorities

I think the priorities are just fine the way they are. We spend more on defense than aid...So what? We don't want to be invaded...I tend to agree with that. But we still spend MUCH more on foreign aid than any other country. OK fine also.

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Per capita compariusons take out size of population from the equation.

They also take out total good done. Sure you could have a small country give 40% of its GNP, but it might be one billion dollars total. The US gave 15.8 Billion just last year. What does more good, 1 Billion or 15.8?

Who's business is it how much you gave to charity last year? Thats your call, not mine anyway. So what IF you could give more? It's your money and your right to spend it how you want...I find it funny that the US out gives everyone else by almost DOUBLE and that people still bitch.

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I'm sure if the topic was greenhouse gas output you'd prefer a per-capita comparison because that makes the US look better.

No, I really don't care. If the US (And I know it is) is one of the largest producers, then it/we should work on it. We should not just use some bullshit numbers trick like you do with the GNP%

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334

[TomAiello 25]

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...most other countries are giving more by capita...

Does anyone have any statistics on private giving? A lot of individuals, groups, and corporations are giving too. I wonder what the per capita aid numbers would look like if you added in the amounts given privately by the citizens of each nation?

I sort of prefer human-to-human aid, over the government variety, and nobody seems to be noticing that kind of aid.

-- Tom Aiello

[email protected]
SnakeRiverBASE.com

[shropshire 0]

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Maybe, but we give more than the next closest country by almost double in real dollars.

Be careful Ron - with the current state of your $ .... that might not be saying too much


All: I still think that the competion ellement of the generous giving is WAY out of hand (we gave more that you did - ). I do find it really very heart warming that SO many people have dug deep into their pockets (stories of kiddies selling christmas prezzies etc.. - great!) - but we all still have a long way to go yet .... afterall, most of us will be having 3 squares today .... people over there wont.... makes you think doesn't it?

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

[Ron 7]

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Be careful Ron - with the current state of your $ .... that might not be saying too much

Well OK we still gave more even with the crappy dollar

"No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." -- Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334