USA! USA! USA!

Steyr

Well done to the Aid effort the US is doing at the moment in Haiti i think its absolutely brilliant to see, if it wasnt for their Military prowess id say damn all would have been done by now, i dont see anybody else sending their hospital ships or Aircraft Carrriers or C-17's dropping aid ( Yes other Nations have Carriers and Hospital Ships and C-17's too ), the rest of the world has done sweet fcuk all compared to what America has done yet there will always be someone ready to bash them.

Well done indeed.

Karoma

Indeed. Operation PR has been a success.

TheRealist

Pity they couldn't do the same for d'oul Hurricane Katrina...

Canis Lupus

Karoma wrote: »

Indeed. Operation PR has been a success.

Until they start shooting the locals.

Steyr

Canis Lupus wrote: »

Until they start shooting the locals.

Oh you mean the locals with the Machete's, ya nice bunch..

dlofnep

They have done good here. Can't say much more really. Haiti isn't something we should use as a political stunt, or a means to attack another country's credibility. The US are doing good work here, and deserve a pat on the back for it.

Karoma

dlofnep: We do have every right to ask why they have done so much good here. Seriously, why care more about Haiti than the other nations that America has either been complacent about, or actively involved in ****ing up? It's a political stunt.

Steyr wrote: »

Oh you mean the locals with the Machete's, ya nice bunch..

Man, they're just desperate people trying to make ends meet in desperate times.

fontinalis

Canis Lupus wrote: »

Until they start shooting the locals.

I don't think they wnet there for the sport.
Haitis troubles are no where near over if there is a great emergency response, it was one of the worse places in the world before this and it's gonna take an awful lot to set it any where near to the right path.

Paddycrumlinman

The great old US of A never, let me stress never do anything off their own backs...

They will come out of it better off..... and smelling like roses via the Media.

Have you ever seen some of the people in the Military.... By Jesus, Retards is all's I can say...

Fair play for the help for sure but they will gain some how....

fontinalis

Paddycrumlinman wrote: »

The great old US of A never, let me stress never do anything off their own backs...

They will come out of it better off..... and smelling like roses via the Media.

Have you ever seen some of the people in the Military.... By Jesus, Retards is all's I can say...

Fair play for the help for sure but they will gain some how....

And if they didn't help there would be something else to say.

Captain_Generic

Woo, squirtin their justice juice all over the place! USA!

Mrmoe

Steyr wrote: »

Well done to the Aid effort the US is doing at the moment in Haiti i think its absolutely brilliant to see, if it wasnt for their Military prowess id say damn all would have been done by now, i dont see anybody else sending their hospital ships or Aircraft Carrriers or C-17's dropping aid ( Yes other Nations have Carriers and Hospital Ships and C-17's too ), the rest of the world has done sweet fcuk all compared to what America has done yet there will always be someone ready to bash them.

Well done indeed.

I would imagine the reason the USA can help more is because of the close proximity to the US mainland compared to other countries. To say that the rest of the world has done sweet fcuk all is an exageration I would think.

admiralofthefleet

Paddycrumlinman wrote: »

The great old US of A never, let me stress never do anything off their own backs...

They will come out of it better off..... and smelling like roses via the Media.

Have you ever seen some of the people in the Military.... By Jesus, Retards is all's I can say...

Fair play for the help for sure but they will gain some how....

a military base on haiti in preparation for a future invasion of cuba?

Mr Magnolia

Steyr wrote: »

Well done to the Aid effort the US is doing at the moment in Haiti i think its absolutely brilliant to see, if it wasnt for their Military prowess id say damn all would have been done by now, i dont see anybody else sending their hospital ships or Aircraft Carrriers or C-17's dropping aid ( Yes other Nations have Carriers and Hospital Ships and C-17's too ), the rest of the world has done sweet fcuk all compared to what America has done yet there will always be someone ready to bash them.

Well done indeed.

I don't know what news you've been looking at but aid has been sent from all around the world.

dlofnep

Karoma wrote: »

dlofnep: We do have every right to ask why they have done so much good here. Seriously, why care more about Haiti than the other nations that America has either been complacent about, or actively involved in ****ing up? It's a political stunt.



Man, they're just desperate people trying to make ends meet in desperate times.

Sometimes, you just gotta give people their dues. I love to bash the US as much as the next guy - but I'm not going to bash anyone for helping Haiti.

I would unite with anyone to do right, and with nobody to do wrong.

Paddycrumlinman

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

a military base on haiti in preparation for a future invasion of cuba?

It will be something and its not for the good of the US health either.

Karoma

dlofnep wrote: »

Sometimes, you just gotta give people their dues. I love to bash the US as much as the next guy - but I'm not going to bash anyone for helping Haiti.

I would unite with anyone to do right, and with nobody to do wrong.

They've done good. No doubt about it. The question I have is why? You cannot answer that either. What is a a good deed with a bad motive..?

Poccington

They're damned if they do and they're damned if they don't.


No matter what America does, somebody will complain about it.

Poccington

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

a military base on haiti in preparation for a future invasion of cuba?

They're not going to invade Cuba.

Mark200

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

I don't know what news you've been looking at but aid has been sent from all around the world.

Not to a comparable extent to the US.

It's pretty good to see their military being used to save lives rather than to take them. Obviously Haiti are their neighbours (by 700 miles) so they're at a far better position than other developed countries to help, but they could have very easily done very little.

HalloweenJack

Mrmoe wrote: »

I would imagine the reason the USA can help more is because of the close proximity to the US mainland compared to other countries.

Let's see their response if something similar were to happen in Cuba.

dlofnep

Karoma wrote: »

They've done good. No doubt about it. The question I have is why? You cannot answer that either. What is a a good deed with a bad motive..?

Why? To help people who are unfortunate.

Let's hear your theory. I'm open-minded.

pljudge321

Seeing as Haiti is essentially an ex-colony of the United States they kind of owe them.

fontinalis

Karoma wrote: »

They've done good. No doubt about it. The question I have is why? You cannot answer that either. What is a a good deed with a bad motive..?

Where's the bad motive, do you know? The US was the first into Bada Aceh, the worse hit area after the tsunami, what was the bad motive there?

Hazys

Give credit where credit is due.


To say other countries have done fcuk all, is a bit unfair but in comparison to the US no other country has come close to the help they have given.

fontinalis

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Let's see their response if something similar were to happen in Cuba.

Well they sent aid to Iran ater an earthquale a efw years ago so I'm sure they'd send aid to Cuba. Bet you can't wait for Karen Colemans show this weekend.

HalloweenJack

fontinalis wrote: »

Well they sent aid to Iran ater an earthquale a efw years ago so I'm sure they'd send aid to Cuba.

Was that before or after ~Ahmadinejad became president?

fontinalis wrote:

Bet you can't wait for Karen Colemans show this weekend.

Who? (seriously, I googled her and still can't place her)

fontinalis

HalloweenJack wrote: »

Was that before or after ~Ahmadinejad became president?

Who? (seriously, I googled her and still can't place her)

During, honestly don't know what kind of point you're making.
It's the type of moronic logic going on in this thread that gives fuels to the morons on Fox that everyone is out to get the US.

Steyr

pljudge321 wrote: »

Seeing as Haiti is essentially an ex-colony of the United States they kind of owe them.

Cough **Have you forgotten France?**

HalloweenJack

fontinalis wrote: »

During, honestly don't know what kind of point you're making.

The anti-Iranian rhetoric has been upped since Ahmadinejad took over. This is partly to do with what he said about Israel.

I'll say fair play to them but I think everyone's going to be cynical about the way they go on.

jumpguy

Karoma wrote: »

dlofnep: We do have every right to ask why they have done so much good here. Seriously, why care more about Haiti than the other nations that America has either been complacent about, or actively involved in ****ing up? It's a political stunt.

Who cares? They're saving lives and are the only crowd out there properly helping them. It's great that politics encourage this kind of behaviour. I guess it'd be great if they did nothing, we'd all be patting the Americans on the back and saying "well done, it's good to see you're not at those political stunts anymore".

MaybeLogic

I don't have time to leave a proper reply.
I'll just leave this link. Interesting reading.

http://www.answers.com/topic/u-s-military-involvement-in-haiti

rossie1977

Mark200 wrote: »

Not to a comparable extent to the US.

It's pretty good to see their military being used to save lives rather than to take them. Obviously Haiti are their neighbours (by 700 miles) so they're at a far better position than other developed countries to help, but they could have very easily done very little.

sweden have given $18m in aid (country of 9 million), USA have given $100m (country of 300+ million)

haiti is one of the world's leading traffickers of cocaine, at least that avenue is now closed

fontinalis

MaybeLogic wrote: »

I don't have time to leave a proper reply.
I'll just leave this link. Interesting reading.

http://www.answers.com/topic/u-s-military-involvement-in-haiti

What's the point of that? I'd love to know how America should be helping.

Overheal

admiralofthefleet wrote: »

a military base on haiti in preparation for a future invasion of cuba?

You mean, like, Guantanamo Bay?


:rolleyes:

Karoma wrote:

The question I have is why? You cannot answer that either. What is a a good deed with a bad motive..?

I asked myself the same thing. We've discussed this exact issue in US Politics already. Victor as far as Im concerned, has the good, Pragmatic answer:

http://boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055800707

Certainly I find PR to be a boost, but there are other reasons not as transparent.

"Having a destabilised country on the USA's doorstep that would permit criminality, drug trafficking and, say, terrorism to go unchecked is not in the interest of the USA. Do you want an Afghanistan in the Caribbean? Do you want a half million refugees in Florida? Do you want Cuba or Venezuela to make Haiti into a client state?" - Victor

Furthermore its not WWII anymore. The Armed Forces have since been equipped and trained to deal with a very different mission; that much I thought was clearly shown in the Middle East. They aren't there just pointing and shooting. They're also [The USMC, Army, USAF and US Navy] perhaps some the world's largest Distributors of Aid. If not The largest.

vinylbomb

pljudge321 wrote: »

Seeing as Haiti is essentially an ex-colony of the United States they kind of owe them.

Haiti is an ex-colony for France.

The US did occupy it for about 20 years in the early 20th century.

cowen4life

Havent read all the comments here but it is unfair to say that America are the only ones sending in aid/troops. Israel were the first to send in troops. I am currently in Mexico and people here are very concerned. Mexico,Cuba and countries like that have all sent aid. The media lets you see what they want you to see.

fontinalis

cowen4life wrote: »

Havent read all the comments here but it is unfair to say that America are the only ones sending in aid/troops. Israel were the first to send in troops. I am currently in Mexico and people here are very concerned. Mexico,Cuba and countries like that have all sent aid. The media lets you see what they want you to see.

So it's a media conspiracy now, I'd say the US has the most troops.

Mark200

rossie1977 wrote: »

sweden have given $18m in aid (country of 9 million), USA have given $100m (country of 300+ million)

haiti is one of the world's leading traffickers of cocaine, at least that avenue is now closed

You're counting in cash alone, completely ignoring everything that was mentioned in the first post.

Also, Obama got the help of GWB and Clinton to encourage people to donate to private charities - who knows how much that helped to raise.

Overheal

cowen4life wrote: »

Havent read all the comments here but it is unfair to say that America are the only ones sending in aid/troops. Israel were the first to send in troops. I am currently in Mexico and people here are very concerned. Mexico,Cuba and countries like that have all sent aid. The media lets you see what they want you to see.

In the Media, people hate Israel even more than they hate the US.

Frankly Im not surprised positive light on Israel is being minimized. I wasn't even aware of their activity there. Thats not to say I've been reading many articles though, so thats hardly implying a Conspiracy or anything.

But it should also be noted the UN has been there since early on. These are not purely US efforts by any stretch.

Also, Obama got the help of GWB and Clinton to encourage people to donate to private charities - who knows how much that helped to raise.

That was an eerie sight and I think the first time since stepping down that GWB has gotten in front of the National Spotlight. Certainly it helped the numbers, I would say across the whole spectrum.

fontinalis

Mark200 wrote: »

You're counting in cash alone, completely ignoring everything that was mentioned in the first post.

Also, Obama got the help of GWB and Clinton to encourage people to donate to private charities - who knows how much that helped to raise.

It's just amazing how people will use a tragedy to make a cheap political point, like Rush Limbaugh. If US aid was only making it there now guess what they would be complaining about.
If this is the type of logic prevailing in Ireland get used to the recession.

OutlawPete

jumpguy wrote: »

Who cares? They're saving lives and are the only crowd out there properly helping them.

Precisely.

Who cares why they are doing it.

PR or not, they need what the USA are doing for them.

rossie1977

Mark200 wrote: »

You're counting in cash alone, completely ignoring everything that was mentioned in the first post.

Also, Obama got the help of GWB and Clinton to encourage people to donate to private charities - who knows how much that helped to raise.

breakdown is here http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tMozJlQiN8ftSj0s8tLx31g&output=html

west101

Fair play to the USA, someone had to do it.
Ive read in the indo today that Saudi Arabia and Kuwait didnt send a penny, two of the richest countries in the world.

fontinalis

west101 wrote: »

Fair play to the USA, someone had to do it.
Ive read in the indo today that Saudi Arabia and Kuwait didnt send a penny, two of the richest countries in the world.

Wouldn't surprise me about those two hell holes.

OutlawPete

west101 wrote: »

Fair play to the USA, someone had to do it.
Ive read in the indo today that Saudi Arabia and Kuwait didnt send a penny, two of the richest countries in the world.

Maybe the Bush family threw in Saudi Arabia's share.

schween

Do the US have a bigger presence in the Carribean? It may explain why they can send so many troops/ships/hospitals etc.

The EU has committed €412 million and many countries including France & Spain have sent doctors, firefighters, troops etc. The US has committed €80 million so far as well as troops/food/medical equipment etc.

I'm not saying the US doesn't deserve credit, just don't talk nonsense. The world isn't doing "sweet fcuk all".

Also take a look at this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8468211.stm

Manic Moran

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

I don't know what news you've been looking at but aid has been sent from all around the world.

True. But the scale is a bit different. Ireland sent aid. Donating the aid is pretty useless if it can't get to where it's needed, though. USS Carl Vinson alone is distributing that aid by using twice as many helicopters as the entire Irish Air Corps has. USNS Comfort has a thousand hospital beds, I'm not sure there's a hospital in all of Ireland which is as well equipped. Again, all very well sending aid, but how about the 950 medical staff to administer that aid? The Irish budget couldn't afford a ship like Comfort to begin with. The US military response has been bigger than the entire Irish defence forces, and most foreign aid does not provide the ability for the distribution of such aid in quite the same manner as a brigade of US Marines.

Have you ever seen some of the people in the Military.... By Jesus, Retards is all's I can say...

Believe me, I've seen some retards on civilian streets as well. At least military retards are capable enough to hold down a pretty tough job.

NTM

fontinalis

schween wrote: »

Do the US have a bigger presence in the Carribean? It may explain why they can send so many troops/ships/hospitals etc.

The EU has committed €412 million and many countries including France & Spain have sent doctors, firefighters, troops etc. The US has committed €80 million so far as well as troops/food/medical equipment etc.

I'm not saying the US doesn't deserve credit, just don't talk nonsense. The world isn't doing "sweet fcuk all".

Also take a look at this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8468211.stm

Didn't the EU promise over 500 million, in this case the proximity to the US means that they can get things there quicker so that's why attention is focused on them.

Overheal

Manic Moran wrote: »

True. But the scale is a bit different. Ireland sent aid. Donating the aid is pretty useless if it can't get to where it's needed, though. USS Carl Vinson alone is distributing that aid by using twice as many helicopters as the entire Irish Air Corps has. USNS Comfort has a thousand hospital beds, I'm not sure there's a hospital in all of Ireland which is as well equipped. Again, all very well sending aid, but how about the 950 medical staff to administer that aid? The Irish budget couldn't afford a ship like Comfort to begin with. The US military response has been bigger than the entire Irish defence forces, and most foreign aid does not provide the ability for the distribution of such aid in quite the same manner as a brigade of US Marines.

Sheesh dont need to turn it into a contest..

Didn't the EU promise over 500 million, in this case the proximity to the US means that they can get things there quicker so that's why attention is focused on them.

This wont be over quickly. After things settle down aid distribution will need to scale back down to sustainable levels for a long term recovery that could potentially last years: there'll be plenty of credit to go around.

Karoma

"Having a destabilised country on the USA's doorstep that would permit criminality, drug trafficking and, say, terrorism to go unchecked is not in the interest of the USA. Do you want an Afghanistan in the Caribbean? Do you want a half million refugees in Florida? Do you want Cuba or Venezuela to make Haiti into a client state?" - Victor

Eh, Mexico is quite unstable. Haiti hasn't exactly been the most stable of countries in years. Americas involvement there has done more harm than good. America actively encourages and supports destabilising Cuba. <Insert "South American" country> - same can be said here. America only does what is in America's best interests.
Relief efforts / aid after disaster: where is America each time a hurricane hits other countries around them, example: Haiti's poverty-stricken neighbour: they get lashed out of it with storms and hurricanes and suffer lots of damage and considerable loss of life on a regular basis: we see nothing from America. Is it that America is willing to give a proper dig out once and doesn't want to really help out more than that?


As to the 'At least America is doing something while the world waits' rhetoric: bollox to that. It's an international effort. America can respond quicker and with less expense (Do you know how much it costs to sail a carrier from Europe over to there?)