We immediately released 300,000 dollars to Indonesia quake victims? I'm underwhelmed!

[thunder rising]

$300K is the amount that Indonesia would offer us. This is pretty pathetic.
It's also conspicuous that everything we have that is rescue related is so tied to the military that nobody wants it from US.

Japan, Switzerland, and Germany are sending rescue teams that are not dressed in fatigues.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5j5U0myR4zBL99WMZ4BAI6BWicERw

[Warpy]

1. I think choppers to do the heavy lifting and take the injured

to cities where the hospitals didn't collapse might be appreciated, military or not.

In a disaster, you don't really care what color uniform someone is wearing if he's there to help.

[thunder rising]

2. it's not the uniforms (forgive me) it's the weapons and general distrust of the US Military

that come with them.

[cherokeeprogressive]

5. I was unaware that rescuers from the U.S. Military took weapons on rescue missions... n/t

[Obamanaut]

6. If a person is being dragged out from under a collapsed building,

do you really think that person cares if the rescuer is military or civilian, or even from what country? Really?

[nadinbrzezinski]

7. They take weapons on rescue missions? That is news to me

By the way, here is a clue to you... those rescue teams are many a times flown by their nation's air lift command... that means C-130s or equivalent.

You think those crews just put on a fancy uniform and catch a civilian plane?

You still need the heavy lift capacity of those air lift commands to carry your crap... oh and airports are sometimes closed to civilian traffic

:banghead:

[anonymous171]

3. I know, it should be much less. nt

[cherokeeprogressive]

4. What bullshit. While I agree that we should send more, I disagree with the rest of your post.

"It's also conspicuous that everything we have that is rescue related is so tied to the military that nobody wants it from US."

One either needs assistance or they don't. If you don't want someone from the U.S. Military digging you out of your future tomb, then you don't really need assistance.

So you'd resist the helping hand of someone wearing fatigues, right? Is that what you're saying?

[Thothmes]

8. While I sympathize with the survivors in Indonesia

what are we doing for American Samoa?

[nadinbrzezinski]

10. FEMA is in country

bases in Guam, Hawaii and California are there for support of teams that are either on the ground now, or on the way.

It has been declared a major disaster area as well.

Cliff's notes purely.

[deaniac21]

9. Damn, you'd think the NFL would give more than that.

[EFerrari]

11. That's probably what they had on hand. That's how it generally works. n/t

[Barack_America]

12. How many effin times do we have to go over the distinction between IMMEDIATE aid...

...and the final aid packages?

Gah!