U.S. troops hand out meals as Haiti relief effort takes shape

[Turborama]

Source: CNN International

U.S. helicopters carrying food hovered above the ground in one area of the battered Haitian capital on Saturday, flinging out boxes to the anxious crowd. It was a chaotic scene as hundreds of Haitians without food and water for four days swarmed toward the boxes, ignoring the wind and dust kicked up from the helicopters' blades.

A http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x423694">similar scene erupted Friday when a food convoy with the World Food Programme was forced to leave an area after men in the crowd starting pushing and shoving their way to the trucks.

Elsewhere, people stood in long, orderly lines for food, http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x423727">according to a CNN crew, although anxiety about whether there was enough to go around permeated the wait.

In Petionville, a suburb of Port-au-Prince, U.S. troops handed out about 2,500 meals Saturday, before they ran out. Seventy soldiers arrived with the Army's 82nd Airborne Division in Petionville to set up a distribution base and a landing zone for helicopters. They began handing out meals about 2 p.m.

Read more: http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/01/16/haiti.international.aid/

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Videos at the links above.

From ABC...

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/17/2794135.htm?section=world">Desperate Haitans swamp aid efforts

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/01/17/2794066.htm">Violence descends on shattered Haiti

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[CaliforniaPeggy]

1. So much effort to get a grip on the chaos.

And when people are starving, it's hard for them to wait.

[wordpix]

2. 3 million people need to be fed

:cry:

If you've ever hosted a party, you know how hard that would be.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

3. I have hosted parties...

But not for 3 million...:scared:

[pleah]

4. So, what is going on with the other countries that have sent aid or

is the news filtered just for the US? Just wondering.

[Turborama]

6. The second link above is a report on Bolivian UN peacekeepers handing out hot meals

There are reports on other countries' contributions further into the article. I could be wrong but I think the US are the only country that has sent in helicopters.

I know what you mean about US news being filtered, though. CNN International, BBC World & Al Jazeera English should be broadcast in the US, not just the rest of the world.

[pleah]

8. Thanks. I hadn't read the entire article

When I posted. Next time I will read first then post. ;)

[Captain Hilts]

7. We have 5000 there and another 5K on the way. nt

[kayla9170]

5. Good to Hear!!

[Bacchus39]

9. bump!! n/t

s

[SsevenN]

10. But..

I was told in a different thread that this is all just an evil USA scheme to occupy the country!

I mean, have you heard Hugo? We we just WAITING for an excuse to send in the troops!

OPEN YOUR EYES PEOPLE, this is the time and place where the USA will finally corner and monopolise the mango market!

No more blood for mangos!