Villagers mob American aid helicopters

[rainbow4321]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/T/TSUNAMI_US_MILITARY?SITE=TXSAE&SECTION=INTERNATIONAL&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

Desperate, homeless villagers on the tsunami-ravaged island of Sumatra mobbed American helicopters carrying aid Saturday as the U.S. military launched its largest operation in the region since the Vietnam War, ferrying food and other emergency relief to survivors across the disaster zone. From dawn until sunset on New Year's Day, 12 Seahawk helicopters shuttled supplies and advance teams from offshore naval vessels while reconnaissance aircraft brought back stark images of wave-wrecked coastal landscapes and their hungry, traumatized inhabitants.

"They came from all directions, crawling under the craft, knocking on the pilot's door, pushing to get into the cabin," said Petty Officer First Class Brennan Zwack. "But when they saw we had no more food inside, they backed away, saying `Thank you, thank you.'"

"The mob decided how we distributed the food. There were so many hands outstretched I don't think any package touched the ground," added Zwack, of Sioux Falls, S.D.

U.S. military medical and damage assessment teams were also landed with helicopters flying in heavy winds, rain and low clouds. Supplies had to be dropped from craft hovering over some water-logged areas where landing proved impossible.

[freeplessinseattle]

1. well, yeah, they've been effing STARVING for nearly a week!! WTF??

I thought we were supposed to have this kick-ass military but it takes them this long to figure out first that they'll need helicopters, bring them in, and finally get their asses out there? if they were Americans I'll bet they would have found a way much sooner. that's fucked up.

[cali]

3. Sorry, the logistics of getting

aid there are not as simple as snapping your fingers and presto..... You have to get the aircraft carriers close enough. You have to organize relief efforts. You realize that the U.S. forces are the amoung the first providers of aid there, or are you suggesting that the various NCOs are also dilly dallying?

[freeplessinseattle]

6. 6 days is more than snapping fingers, and yes, the US is still the greates

but to an inexperienced putz like myself it seems that delivering aid and talking about it seem to be slow going with the US lately. didn't mean to insult the US, of course, but 6 days does seem excessive,maybe 3 or 4, but 6? so many would have died one or two more days with no water. It's not our obligation, but it breaks my heart

[KSAtheist]

14. Aircraft carriers can only go about 34 mph.

They can't teleport.

[rainbow4321]

7. Don't count on it...

Back when the Houston area was flooded and there were people stranded on their house roofs for over 24 hrs with the water UP to their roofs...there were media helicopters flying all over the place showing these people but no rescue or military helicopters in site. I remember thinking at the time "WTF", also..it all looked like a third world country kind of thing. Kinda scarier now with all of shrub's terror shit going on...one massive attack and we better not be holding our breaths waiting to be rescued or have supplies/foods delivered to us, either..especially if it falls on shrub's vacation time.

[Be Brave]

8. Aaaaah, yes but...

never forget that the president can make a phone call, scramble the military, and bomb a country just like that. Before you know it, we are all shocked and awed, man!

[Nothing Without Hope]

2. Remarkably well-behaved for a "mob"

"They came from all directions, crawling under the craft, knocking on the pilot's door, pushing to get into the cabin," said Petty Officer First Class Brennan Zwack. "But when they saw we had no more food inside, they backed away, saying `Thank you, thank you.'"

Under those desperate conditions, it must have been difficult to back away and let the helicopter go. I wouldn't call this group of people a mob, because they still have their humanity despite everything.

[Skittles]

9. this is the way people behave when their children are starving

I hope the aid will be plentiful from now on

[Nothing Without Hope]

12. I hope so, too.

I am still bothered by calling them a "mob." It makes them sounds like inhuman animals, and they are not. As you say, they acted in a way that has the best chance of getting food for their children.

I want one for one of the things that come out of this tragedy to be a wider comprehension that people are human beings everywhere, whatever they look like or believe in.

[readmylips]

4. Sadly, CNN labeled the survives 'pack of wild dogs'...

that really struck my heart. Bunch of rich bastard reporters just doing a PR job for bush.

[Be Brave]

5. Did they really say that??? Unbelievable and disgusting!

[rainbow4321]

10. CNN did a " sorry we are only covering the white people"

disclaimer the other night...while they kept showing on camera inteviews with Western tourists returning to their countries' airports. They blamed it on a logistics thing, that it was easier to get a hold of these people than it was the locals. The anchors gave more excuses for their actions than shrub has given in the past 4 yrs for his---and that is a shitload of excuses.

[Pithy Cherub]

11. Impeccable manners from grateful people

even under these conditions. Truly outstanding in their grace!

[daleo]

13. Off topic, but I wonder when and what the military knew of the tsunami

Not just the U.S. military, others as well, although the U.S. has by far the biggest presence in the world's oceans.

Consider how many ships of all sorts are engaged in passive sonar detection - I can't help think that this earthquake and undersea displacement must have been pretty damn loud. Also, consider the hydrophones placed throughout the oceans of the world that are always listening to detect submarine activity, etc. I imagine there are buoys throughout the world as well that report on ocean levels, etc. Finally, consider the spy satellites whose main function is to observe the earth for unusual events (e.g. nuclear detonations).

If there is a scandal about detection, it may well be the secrecy that the military forces of the world maintained, rather than warning the populations about to be devastated. Speculation on my part, though.

[bin.dare]

15. let me add to your paranoia ...

http://www.rense.com/political/weapons/earthqk.htm

Human Engineered Earthquakes
by Ray Bilger

"One source, Dr. Peter Beter, has stated that, by 1977, the Russians had placed fission-fusion-fission Superbombs in certain deep undersea trenches around the Phillipines. The source believes that the Phillipines are in the position of a 'keystone' within the giant Pacific Tectonic Plate. Russia had already been setting off lower yield undersea weapons in other areas around the Pacific Ocean causing strong earthquakes."