GUEST COMMENT ONE
OleManRiver January 14th, 2010 10:10 pm
Okay, I've read through all the postings here so far, and while several mention Cuba for historical comparison, nobody seems to wonder whether they have announced an intention to send in their vaunted medical corps the way they did immediately after Katrina AND WERE TURNED AWAY.
I've been watching all the news available, including World Focus (which DID have a piece this evening on the imperialist history of Haiti and the slave revolt and the reparations), but not a word on potential Cuban aid to Haiti. My bet is that one reason the U.S. is sending in big military ships is to keep the Cubans out.
Of course it's all for our "caring" for our needy neighbors to the south, whom we will not abandon, and besides, them damned Cubans don't speak French!
Won't surprise me one bit if our presence there compounds the disaster. No large-vessel functioning port, an airport with a single functioning strip, roads in the city intended for foot traffic and half of them clogged by fallen debris. No water. No electricity. Hospitals rubble. Why hasn't Nestle arranged an air drop of their fancy bottled water?
Before this is over Haitians will be blamed by the likes of Pat Robertson for cannibalism. But Christian NGO Humanitarian Mercenaries were able to save some. (CUT, to appealing-looking white couple talking to the camera about their experience helping those poor people...)
To paraphrase from Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, "Hell, the stench'l probably kill ya."
UNITY PROGRESS
Well according to the official Cuban news (granma.cu) there were about 350 Cuban medical people already in Haiti when the quake struck and more will be sent but how many had apparently not been decided as of late Wednesday or early Thursday.
How many medics and how many countries they are in I don't know but it is fairly well known that Cuba has medical people in many third world countries.
It's so nice to see that other small countries like Iceland and Sweden have flown in assistance very quickly.
GUEST COMMENT TWO
nobodyknown January 14th, 2010 10:28 pm
Cuba sent in medical aid YESTERDAY. It was one of the countries mentioned on Rachael Maddow. China had it's team mobilized within two hours, (don't know if they've actually arrived yet), and even Venezuela beat the US, being second only to the Dominican Republic.....
You are right, this will be used as a political chess game by the time things are finished with, but hopefully the people of Haiti will get the required relief...
BTW, if my memory serves me, the entire Mogadishu issue started when the fine CHRISTIAN people refused to feed the hungry children in Somalia unless they converted from their native religion, even though they had ample food in their compound. The christian compound was stormed and the food taken and the missionaries then asked for US support....
UNITY PROGRESS
I saw that China arrived in 24 hours or less; it's definitely not your grandfather's China anymore.
GUEST COMMENT THREE
DJM January 15th, 2010 2:23 am
I would like to point out what I felt was a very subtle piece of propaganda which I heard numerous times in the coverage of Haiti's trouble..... "Even China is sending a contingent." It was the word "EVEN" that caught my attention, as if it is such a surprise that they would. Yes, the American coverage managed to put a little seed of doubt about China's desire or ability to do something humanitarian (after their own earth quake disaster such a short time ago,I would expect them to understand what is needed). Maybe the talking heads on CBS didn't even realize how condescending it sounded, but my ears have become very sensitized.
The above was in response to this article.
-----------------------
Comments are very appreciated. Comments are moderated but all comments will be approved except for those that do not belong on Unity-Progress. For example, comments that contain any commercial advertising and ones that contain objectionable hatred will not be approved. Many comments that appear will receive a return comment by Unity-Progress.
The email address for Unity-Progress is
unity.progress.mail at gmail.
Use this address for all communications, including requests for link exchange if you have a good economics or political site.
No comments:
Post a Comment