One of my embedded friends in Chicago sent this note to me:
"The other really annoying thing I have noticed is that numerous sources (radio djs, newspapers, editorials, etc.) all keep mentioning that the 'US was criticized for not giving enough foreign aid, especially during the recent tsunami; now that we need aid, why isn't the international community offering us help?' I've even heard the same thing from people in my office."
Being a smart guy, he did a basic Google News search to find the truth:
"The first Google news result from an appropriate search shows 'So far 94 countries and international organizations have offered aid.' In addition to planes and helicopters, 'Canada is also sending three naval ships and a Coast guard vessel packed with supplies and 1,000 military personnel to the disaster area.'"
As I've noted, even countries who the U.S. is bullying around have offered/donated aid. Even Cuba, for Christ's sake. They're offering doctors! Castro's being awfully gracious here. I hope the government takes him up on his offer:
"'Forty-eight hours have passed, and we have not received any response to our offer,' he noted. 'We will wait patiently for as long as it takes,' he added.
"'If no response arrives, or if Cuba’s cooperation were not necessary, it would not be any cause for discouragement among our ranks,' he added."
"'Very much on the contrary, we would be satisfied that we had fulfilled our duty, and extremely happy to know that not one more U.S. citizen out of those who suffered the painful and treacherous blow of Hurricane Katrina would die without medical attention, if that were to be the cause for our doctors’ absence,' he affirmed."
; "The Blogger")
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; "A honeycomb")