Unbelievable

Retired general: U.S. aid effort too slow

By Ken Dilanian, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — The U.S. relief effort for Haiti started too slowly and cautiously, says a retired general who led the military relief effort on the Gulf Coast after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

"The next morning after the earthquake, as a military man of 37 years service, I assumed … there would be airplanes delivering aid, not troops, but aid," said retired Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, who coordinated military operations after disaster struck the U.S. Gulf Coast in 2005. "What we saw instead was discussion about, 'Well we've got to send an assessment team in to see what the needs are.' And anytime I hear that, my head turns red."

The problem, Honore told USA TODAY, is that the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, instead of the military, take the lead in international disaster response.

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"I was a little frustrated to hear that USAID was the lead agency," he said. "I respect them, but they're not a rapid deployment unit."

USAID immediately dispatched an assessment team and search-and-rescue teams, but there has still not been widespread distribution of food or water, three days after the Haiti earthquake.

Kliphnote: This is Unbelievable! No matter what we do someone complains. I thought Obama acted quickly. I don't know what more the US could do. No matter what the US does it is never enough. We were there in less than two days.

The people and government of Haiti should have enough food and water to last three days. Until help can arrive. I know not much you can do to prepare for an earthquake and the damage and deaths.

Maybe this will be the opportunity for Haiti to turn itself around. I hope.

I have enough food and water (and ammo) for over three days. Because you never know when disaster will hit. And I can't and don't expect help from the government any time soon. You have to look out for yourself.