To whomever was looking for has+ Canada+ responded+ with+ it’s+ military+ to+ the+ tsunami, yes, Canada did.
The DART team is in Sri Lanka. They were probably the last rapid response team to get to the region, arriving Monday. Canadians were not happy, as usual Ottawa dithered. But they are there and doing what they do, working on the southeast coast of the country.
10 Myths of Disaster Relief
Most of us responded in empathy and sympathy to the Southeast Asian disaster.
And I believe most of us want to respond wisely.
Here are 10 myths about international aid. Please note the word international. Giving would be different if something happened in your community.
1. Americans can help by collecting blankets, shoes and clothing. Yes or no?
2. Helping the living always has priority over burying the dead. Yes or no?
3. The United States must airlift food and medicines to the disaster site. Yes or no?
4. If I send cash, my help won’t get there. Yes or no?
5. Once someone survives the immediate disaster, he or she is safe. Yes or no?
6. Developing countries depend on foreign expertise. Yes or no?
7. Relief needs are so intense that almost anyone can fly to the scene to offer help. Yes or no?
8. Survivors feel lucky to be alive. Yes or no?
9. Insurance and governments can cover losses. Yes or no?
10. People are helpless in the face of natural disasters. Yes or no?
How did you do?
Head over to Siempre Mire Arrriba and find out.
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Bene, before you jump all over the DART team and the Canadian government, the Beeb has reported that the Brits are still trying to figure out how to best place troops and contribute to a really, really big rebuilding effort. As of last week, they still only had recon teams on the ground.
My neighbor is a former member of the Dart team involved in logistics. It is so hard to move that many jeeps, troops, and supplies for a long term mission plus the task of getting that many supply ships and planes together (at a time where other nations are moving troops and people as well). He was saying that thousands of pages of documents have to followed or it just becomes a disaster. The Americans were able to have troops there because they have carriers in the area. Canada and other nations do not.
Not only that is that the governments are trying to figure out how to coordinate their efforts plus with litterally thousands of releif agencies that are all on the ground, often with conflicting goals.
Not a lot of fun.
No, I can’t think that it is.
I’m jumping less on DART then I am on the federal person who vetoed the first transport.
We have to have checks and balances in place or the military would just go do. But who ever made that decision the first time (non-military) didn’t make things any easier.
I know in the midst of the mess, the logistics are next to impossible. I can’t speak to other countries, but from what I know of mine, someone in the position to do so made DART’s job harder.
You are being more fair than I am.
I’m not questioning intent.
I am questioning civilian/military chain of command in Canada. Not in the field.
I’ll shut up now.:^)