General overseeing Puerto Rico relief: 'This is the worst I've ever seen'

[highplainsdem]

Source: The Hill

The Department of Defense's primary military liaison with FEMA said Puerto Rico experienced the worst damage he's ever seen.

“Sometimes we don’t know what’s going to happen until the storm actually hits," Lt. Gen. Jeffrey S. Buchanan said in an interview published on Saturday with PBS NewsHour's Monica Villamizar.

"And this is the worst I’ve ever seen."

Buchanan surveyed the damage on the island this weekend. He said during the interview he's neither a Republican or a Democrat; he is a soldier and is there to help people.

-snip-

Read more: http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/353337-general-overseeing-puerto-rico-relief-this-is-the-worst-ive-ever-seen

[ananda]

1. Everybody who has eyes to see and ears to hear ..

.. has known this for over a week.

[SharonAnn]

13. tRump didn't assign an army general nor authorize troops until now.

That's wehre the problem lay (and still lies). The important thing in a disaster like this is to get started with relief immediately, not wait 1 days or so. Then you are so far behind the job is even more difficult.

[SHRED]

2. They knew

“Sometimes we don’t know what’s going to happen until the storm actually hits,"


That's a bullshit line.
They have weather models, science, experience, and they had to know buildings would not hold up.

[n2doc]

5. There were predictions before Maria hit that it was going to be very bad

People knew about PR's horrible infrastructure. They had the example of Irma to go by. There are no excuses.

'Sometimes' they might not know. But not this time.

[SunSeeker]

11. Exactly. Category 5 storm says it all. There is no Category 6.

[kimbutgar]

3. Wait I thought everything was going fantastic!

[riversedge]

14. That is part of the PR propanda compaign the Homeland Security and WH will be shoving to the

media and public for next few weeks.

Link to tweet

[msongs]

4. thank you for having actual content in your post nt

[BigmanPigman]

7. Yes, I think that deserves another "thank you".

[groundloop]

6. but but but.... according to 45* everything was going swimmingly

The dumb ass currently occupying the White House waited far too long to begin a rescue/recovery effort, we should have had troops, ships, transports, etc. etc. pre-staged in Florida ready to go.

[Grammy23]

8. He always has to try to make himself look good. He can never admit the truth.

The real story is that Puerto Rico got a devastating blow and that even our best efforts were inadequate to the task. It is not admitting defeat, as he would see it. Just being honest with the American people that this disaster is going to take a long time for recovery and that we need to double our efforts. Our best minds on logistics need to be Recruited to use evey method we know and to invent things, if necessary. If rules are in place that are impeding the recovery, say that and then rescind them, at least temporarily, so we can get relief to the people of PR ASAP. But for heaven's sake, think of someone besides yourself, jackass. This is not about YOU. This is meant for trump, in case there is doubt!

[roamer65]

9. Given the lessons of Katrina, they should have had a lot of relief in place ready to go.

There is no excuse for this neglect. None.

[TexasBushwhacker]

12. Yup. Maria hit on Wednesday. We knew it would by the Saturday before n/t

[SunSeeker]

10. K & R for exposure.