Friday January 25, 2008, 9:59 pm
U $ $tate Department has no compa$$ion .. it'$ all ba$ed on monetary agenda$.

Friday January 25, 2008, 10:22 pm
sad when politics strangles compassion.

Saturday January 26, 2008, 3:30 am
I don't think government have the right to reject help offered to their people.
bush did the same thing to several Countries after hurricane Katrina.

Federal Refusal of Hurricane Aid Outrages Louisiana Governor
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/apr2007/2007-04-30-06.asp
Federal Refusal of Hurricane Aid Outrages Louisiana Governor

BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, April 30, 2007 (ENS) - Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco said today she is "disappointed and frustrated" by the refusal of the federal government to accept millions of dollars in aid and other assistance offered by U.S. allies in the aftermath of the 2005 hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

The Bush administration turned down multiple offers of aid and support from U.S. allies, according to more than 10,000 pages of cables, telegraphs and emails from U.S. diplomats obtained by a nonprofit watchdog group under the Freedom of Information Act.

Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, CREW, provided the documents to the "Washington Post," which reported their existence on Sunday.

"It is shocking to know that while thousands across Louisiana and the Gulf Coast were suffering from the greatest disaster in U.S. history, the federal government repeatedly refused to accept or wasted the aid our citizens so desperately needed," Governor Blanco said.


Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco speaks about hurricane preparedness to officials from the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. (Photo by Robert Kaufman courtesy FEMA)
According to the documents, the Bush administration turned down 54 of the 77 offers from three of its biggest allies - Canada, England and Israel.
"As our people were fighting for survival, governments around the world tried to help us, but our own federal government turned them away," the governor said. "This latest revelation of incompetence burns the wounds our people are desperately trying to heal."

Records show that allies offered $854 million in cash and contributions of oil that was to be sold for cash, but only $40 million has been used so far for disaster victims or reconstruction.

U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu, a Louisiana Democrat who serves as chairman of the Disaster Recovery Subcommittee of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said the committee will hold hearings this summer to fully investigate the matter.



Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana (Photo courtesy DLC)
Landrieu called the revelations "yet another example of the seemingly endless incompetence that has been the trademark of this administration's response to the hurricanes and the devastating failure of the federal levee system."
"We will ask the hard questions, and we will get to the bottom of how this administration could so foolishly turn away an outstretched hand in a time of such desperate need," the senator said.

The rejected offers included medical teams, search-and-rescue units, body bags, bottled water, food, fuel and trained rescue dogs from Poland, according to documents obtained by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics.

Also turned down or stalled by bureaucratic delays were offers of two cruise ships by the Greek government for use as medical facilities and to house workers and displaced residents to be used without charge. The federal government later paid $249 million to rent ships from Carnival Cruise Lines.

The United States didn't have a system to process so many simultaneous offers of assistance, and if another disaster of the scale of Katrina occurred, it still would be unable to accept most aid, said Melanie Sloan, executive director of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics.

Hurricane Katrina made landfall near New Orleans in the early morning hours of August 29, 2005. Offers of aid from outside the United States arrived steadily as the gravity of the hurricane damage became apparent.

Initially, President George W. Bush suggested to the international community that the United States did not need foreign assistance.

On a September 1, 2005 broadcast of Good Morning America, the president said that the country was prepared to handle all aid internally. "I do expect a lot of sympathy and perhaps some will send cash dollars," the President said of foreign governments. "But this country's going to rise up and take care of it."

But within 24 hours, the government's view had changed. Documents produced by by the State Department show that by September 2, the agency had directed all Chiefs of Mission to accept all international aid offers "in principle."

State Department documents show that foreign governments pledged over $360 million in monetary relief. This included large cash pledges from Kuwait, Qatar, and United Arab Emirates - $100 million each - as well as small, but significant offers of aid from impoverished countries such as Cambodia and Papua New Guinea.

At least 126 countries pledged relief in the form of cash, personnel or supplies. Monetary relief was quickly accepted, but other aid was often delayed or rejected.

"Bottom line – US cannot accept help of foreign medical professionals or foreign drugs for liability reasons. Only assistance of that type we are prepared to accept is forensics to deal with identification of human remains," wrote State Department official David Kostelancik, email to Michael J. Dodman of the U.S. Embassy in Prague, Czech Republic, September 7, 2005.

Foreign governments with the ability to transport their aid to the United States were even warned not to send their aid to the closest U.S. Air Base at Little Rock, Arkansas, for fear that it would not be able to handle the assistance.

The State Department was responsive to offers of aid, but was hamstrung by other federal agencies such as the U.S. Agency for International Development's Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance, USAID/OFDA, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA.

"For your information," one State Department official explained in an email obtained by CREW, "the way the process is working is that State submits to USAID/OFDA the offers of international assistance. OFDA then submits them to FEMA. Everyone is left waiting until FEMA makes a decision. Once FEMA makes a decision, they notify OFDA, which tells State, and the logistics process for the flights begins. Throughout the last week, as you have seen, it often takes quite some time for FEMA to make a decision about accepting aid. State’s role in the issue is really to act as a liaison between the foreign govts and OFDA and FEMA."

State Department documents show that:

Bangladesh offered $1 million in aid and a disaster management team. The monetary aid was accepted, but the disaster management team was ultimately turned down on September 14, 2005.


Pakistan offered doctors and paramedics, $1 million to the American Red Cross, tents, sheets and pillows. The monetary aid was accepted, but the material aid was ultimately turned down on September 14, 2005.


Honduras offered experts on flooding, sanitation and rescue personnel. This aid was turned down on October 6, 2005.


Peru offered to send doctors, food, blankets, bandages and clothing. The bandages were accepted on September 5, 2005, but delivery was delayed pending an assessment of needs. Although the bandages were delivered, on November 9, 2005, Peru was informed that the other aid was not needed.


The Netherlands offered a frigate carrying emergency assistance and a levee inspection team. The aid was accepted on September 6, 2005, and arrived on September 12, 2005.


Denmark offered blankets, shelters and first aid kits. The aid was delivered to Little Rock Air Force Base on September 9, 2005. Other aid, including water purification equipment, was turned down on September 10, 2005.


Israel offered medical equipment, tents, baby formula and electric generators. A relief flight containing some of this aid arrived in the United States on September 10, 2005. The electric generators were turned down on September 12, 2005.


Sweden offered telecommunications aid from Ericsson and a relief flight. While Sweden was ready to fly the materials over to the United States by September 4, 2005, miscommunication delayed the go-ahead on the flight until September 7, 2005. The equipment and transport were formally accepted on September 9, 2005, and the equipment was delivered September 13, 2005.


The Louisiana Governor Blanco today attempted to extend appreciation to all the would-be donors. "We are grateful for the generosity of businesses, faith-based organizations, nonprofits, foreign governments and individuals and ask that they continue to stand with us as we recover from these disasters."
China
Offered $5 million aid and rescue workers, including medical experts.

Cuba
Offered more than 1,000 doctors and over 26 tons of medical supplies. On 1 September 2005, Castro held one minute of silence for Hurricane Katrina's victims and then the Cuban parliament passed a resolution attacking President Bush and the American government.

EU (European Union)
The U.S.A. officially requested emergency assistance from the EU in the form of first aid kits, blankets, water trucks, and prepared meals which were soon delivered. The EU executive Commission's Civil Protection Mechanism is coordinating member states' offers, which included offers beyond that which was requested. Romania, not yet an EU member, is providing medical teams as part of the EU's assistance. BBC comments "The US may not really need baby food from Italy or divers from Belgium, but its call for European and international help shows that, after the divisions over Iraq, it has now realised that even superpowers need friends."

France
Provided tents, generators, and water purifying plants amongst other materials. A French NGO offered to send a team to repair phone lines and internet service and a French company offered to assist with water supply.

Germany
The German environment minister wrote an opinion piece on 30 August which blamed the American President's stance on global warming for increasing disaster effects. On 31 August and 1 September, the German government offered aid, including 25 tonnes of food, emergency shelter, and services for medicine, transportation, water treatment capabilities, and search and rescue.

India
Offered $5 million plus medicine, a medical team, and water purification systems.

Iran
Offered 20 million barrels of crude oil, although sanctions might inhibit delivery. BBC Reports.

Mexico
Sending $1 million, water, food, medical supplies, vehicles, and equipment. Much more was offered than was accepted. The Mexican army delivered supplies, crossing into American territory. BBC Reports.

Russia
Sent medical supplies, food, tents, blankets, drinking water, and portable electricity generators.

Spain
As part of the International Energy Agency's plan, Spain is providing 70,000 barrels a day of oil for 30 days along with food, batteries, medicine, and a Red Cross delegation.

UN (United Nations)
Despite the American government's disinterest in strong outcomes from the World Conference on Disaster Reduction in January 2005 and continuing attempts to tone down the outcomes from the 2005 World Summit in September 2005, the UN offered assistance which was accepted by the American government on 3 September 2005. The inter-agency teams comprise representatives from the World Food Programme (WFP), Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), World Health Organization (WHO), and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), as well as support teams from the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)/United Nations Disaster Assessment and Coordination (UNDAC) network.

Venezuela
Offered to send food, oil, water and aid workers plus soldiers to help tackle looting in New Orleans. Just before Hurricane Katrina, Venezuela's president had offered cheap gas to poor Americans and free eye surgery for Americans without health care access. No official reaction could be found to these offers.



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Saturday January 26, 2008, 3:41 am
U.S. Refused Most Offers of Aid for Hurricane Katrina - April 30, 2007 - The New York Sun
http://www.nysun.com/article/53433
U.S. Refused Most Offers of Aid for Hurricane Katrina
By JOHN SOLOMON and SPENCER S. HSU
The Washington Post
April 30, 2007



WASHINGTON — As the winds and water of Hurricane Katrina were receding, presidential confidante Karen Hughes sent a cable from her State Department office to American ambassadors worldwide.

Called "Echo-Chamber Message" — a p.r. term for talking points designed to be repeated again and again — the September 7, 2005, directive was unmistakable: Assure the scores of countries that had pledged or donated aid at the height of the disaster that their largesse had provided Americans "practical help and moral support" and "highlight the concrete benefits hurricane victims are receiving."

Many of the American diplomats who received the message, however, were beginning to witness a more embarrassing reality. They knew the U.S. government was turning down many allies' offers of manpower, supplies, and expertise worth untold millions of dollars. Eventually, America also would fail to collect most of the unprecedented outpouring of international cash assistance for Katrina's victims.

Allies offered $854 million in cash and oil that was to be sold for cash. But only $40 million has been used so far for disaster victims or reconstruction, according to U.S. officials and contractors. Most of the aid went uncollected, including $400 million worth of oil. Some offers were withdrawn or redirected to private groups such as the Red Cross. The rest has been delayed by red tape and bureaucratic limits on how it can be spent.

In addition, valuable supplies and services — such as cell-phone systems, medicine, and cruise ships — were delayed or declined because the government could not handle them. In some cases, supplies were wasted.

The struggle to apply foreign aid in the aftermath of the hurricane, which has cost U.S. taxpayers more than $125 billion so far, is another reminder of the federal government's difficulty leading the recovery. Reports of government waste and delays or denials of assistance have surfaced repeatedly since hurricanes Katrina and Rita struck in 2005.

Administration officials acknowledged in February 2006 that they were ill-prepared to coordinate and distribute foreign aid and that only about half the $126 million received had been put to use. Now, 20 months after Katrina, newly released documents and interviews make clear the magnitude of the troubles.

More than 10,000 pages of cables, telegraphs and e-mails from U.S. diplomats around the globe —released piecemeal since last fall under the Freedom of Information Act — provide a fuller account of problems that, at times, mystified generous allies and left U.S. representatives at a loss for an explanation. The documents were obtained by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a public interest group, which provided them to the Washington Post.

In one exchange, State Department officials anguished over whether to tell Italy that its shipments of medicine, gauze, and other medical supplies spoiled in the elements for weeks after Katrina's landfall on August 29, 2005, and were destroyed. "Tell them we blew it," one disgusted official wrote. But she hedged: "The flip side is just to dispose of it and not come clean. I could be persuaded."

In another instance, the Department of Homeland Security accepted an offer from Greece on September 3, 2005, to dispatch two cruise ships that could be used free as hotels or hospitals for displaced residents. The deal was rescinded September 15 after it became clear a ship would not arrive before October 10. The U.S. eventually paid $249 million to use Carnival Cruise Lines vessels.

And while television sets worldwide showed images of New Orleans residents begging to be rescued from rooftops as floodwaters rose, U.S. officials turned down countless offers of allied troops and search-and-rescue teams. The most common responses: "sent letter of thanks" and "will keep offer on hand," the new documents show.

Overall, America declined 54 of 77 recorded aid offers from three of its staunchest allies: Canada, Britain, and Israel, according to a 40-page State Department table of the offers that had been received as of January 2006.

"There is a lack of accountability in where the money comes in and where it goes," said Melanie Sloan, executive director of the public interest group, which called for an investigation into the fate of foreign aid offers. She added: "It's clear that they're trying to hide their ineptitude, incompetence, and malfeasance."

In a statement, State Department spokesman Tom Casey said the U.S. government sincerely appreciated support from around the world and Katrina had proved to be "a unique event in many ways."

"As we continue our planning for the future, we will draw on the lessons learned from this experience to ensure that we make the best use of any possible foreign assistance that might be offered," Mr. Casey said.

Representatives of foreign countries declined to criticize the U.S. response to their aid offers, though some redirected their gifts.

Of $454 million in cash that was pledged by more than 150 countries and foreign organizations, only $126 million from 40 donors was actually received. The biggest gifts were from the United Arab Emirates, $100 million; China and Bahrain, $5 million each; South Korea, $3.8 million, and Taiwan, $2 million.

Bader Bin Saeed, spokesman for the Emirates Embassy in Washington, said that in future disasters, "the UAE would not hesitate to help other countries, whether the U.S. or any other state, in humanitarian efforts."

Kuwait, which made the largest offer, pledged $100 million in cash and $400 million in oil. But the Kuwaitis eventually gave their money to two private groups.

Saturday January 26, 2008, 4:21 am
This title is misleading. Castro would accept help on his terms and total control and turning it into a political opportunity to promote Cuba. The last Hurricane Dennis he refused help for his people. America is still going to donate money to charities in Cuba.

"State department spokesman Sean McCormack said that would turn a humanitarian mission into a political one.

However, the United States will still make a donation to charitable organisations working in Cuba, he added. "

Saturday January 26, 2008, 9:43 am
"The United States recently rejected Havana's offer of medical help after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans in August."

"And, in July, Cuba thanked but turned down US offers of help following Hurricane Dennis."


Meanwhile the citizens of both countries are suffering and in need of help while those in power, play their power struggle games. Both should hang their heads in shame.
Noted with thanks, Chrissy.