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Why No “Berlin Airlift” for Puerto Rico?
Canada Free Press ^ | 10/04/17 | Michael Fumento

Posted on 10/04/2017 10:35:37 AM PDT by Sean_Anthony

Michael Fumento image By Michael Fumento —— Bio and Archives October 4, 2017

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In June 1948, Soviet forces blockaded rail, road, and water access to Allied-controlled areas of Berlin. Within two days the US and UK air forces had begun a supply chain from bases in in western Germany, maintaining it until May the following year. In all, the Berlin Airlift delivered 2.4 million tons of food and supplies under hostile conditions to about 2.5 million people, including all their food, gasoline, and coal for heating and electricity generating.

Yet Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory with 3.4 million souls, two weeks after being body-slammed by the fiercest hurricane to hit the island in 90 years, is receiving little aid. This is apparently primarily because of a bottleneck at the island’s sole container port, San Juan. There is disagreement over the causes of that bottleneck, but fact is it can be bypassed.


TOPICS: Government; Military/Veterans; Politics; Society
KEYWORDS: berlinairlift; helicopters; puertorico; runways
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I guess the choke point still is and always will be local distribution
1 posted on 10/04/2017 10:35:38 AM PDT by Sean_Anthony
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To: Sean_Anthony

They can barely handle the logistics of dealing with what they already have in-country and waiting to be unloaded. Tell this malcontent to STFU.


2 posted on 10/04/2017 10:38:19 AM PDT by Gargantua (The wheel is spinnin' and it can't slow down... ;^)
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To: Sean_Anthony

Because Puerto Rico has large modern ports and ships can carry a whole lot more stuff?


3 posted on 10/04/2017 10:38:56 AM PDT by 2banana (My common ground with terrorists - they want to die for islam and we want to kill them)
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To: Sean_Anthony

In Germany 1948, the socialists/fascists had been defeated and was under occupation. The US Army effectively ran their government and it could quickly set-up and run a distribution operation without any interference

In Puerto Rico, the socialists/fascist politicians are in full control


4 posted on 10/04/2017 10:39:17 AM PDT by PGR88
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To: Sean_Anthony

Since the unions are holding the citizens hostage; airlifting is useless unless you plan on carpet bombing the island with relief materials.


5 posted on 10/04/2017 10:40:36 AM PDT by yuleeyahoo (Those are my principles, and if you do not like them...well I have others. - Groucho Marx)
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To: Sean_Anthony

Because Berlin was an isolate city. A city.

Puerto Rico is ab island ‘nation’ the side of Delaware.


6 posted on 10/04/2017 10:40:41 AM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
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To: Sean_Anthony

Where are the Puerto Rican truck drivers?


7 posted on 10/04/2017 10:40:45 AM PDT by Chgogal (Sessions recused himself for shaking an Ambassador's hand. Shameful!)
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To: Sean_Anthony

Because the packages would be collected by thugs and the people that needed them wouldn’t get them, perhaps?


8 posted on 10/04/2017 10:40:57 AM PDT by mairdie
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To: Sean_Anthony

Puerto Rico is best reprovisioned by sea! Berlin was not... (not to mention the fact that our military airlift capacity is far smaller today).


9 posted on 10/04/2017 10:41:40 AM PDT by ExSES (the "bottom-line")
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To: Sean_Anthony

Right. They have all the necessary supplies. It’s all sitting on the docks, some of it rotting. Why airlift? How about getting the mayor to handle the distribution better!


10 posted on 10/04/2017 10:42:27 AM PDT by Obadiah
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To: Gargantua

Why is this article even published? I think it is because the media have decided that Puerto Rico is supposed to be Trump’s Katrina. The media are pushing the meme that Trump personally has failed to deliver aid to this American possession.

Remember the facts don’t matter to the liberals. All that matters is making their political statement.


11 posted on 10/04/2017 10:42:30 AM PDT by Dilbert San Diego
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To: Chgogal

NYC......................


12 posted on 10/04/2017 10:42:37 AM PDT by Red Badger (Road Rage lasts 5 minutes. Road Rash lasts 5 months!.....................)
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To: Sean_Anthony

Because it ain’t Berlin.


13 posted on 10/04/2017 10:43:32 AM PDT by Salvavida (The Missouri citizen's militia sends its regards.)
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To: Sean_Anthony

Ask the Teamsters if they’ll haul the stuff?


14 posted on 10/04/2017 10:45:57 AM PDT by WKUHilltopper (WKU 2016 Boca Raton Bowl Champions)
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To: Sean_Anthony

Logistics, Logistics, Logistics!!!!

I remember years ago when they had those LiveAid concerts to raise money to get food and supplies to some countries in Africa. The supplies got there and then sat on the dock. It never occurred to these people they needed trucks and drivers to get the stuff inland. As a consequence some of those in power that were corrupt took control of some of those supplies and resold them somewhere else. So that ended up being a mixed bag.

Same here in PR, except the news reports are the Teamster drivers are on strike in a National Emergency.

Sorry the driver for the Red Ball Express are just not available anymore. The PR needs to step up.


15 posted on 10/04/2017 10:46:15 AM PDT by Captain Peter Blood
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To: Red Badger
I don't go there either. ; )
16 posted on 10/04/2017 10:47:42 AM PDT by Chgogal (Sessions recused himself for shaking an Ambassador's hand. Shameful!)
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To: Sean_Anthony

Misinformed mews outlet. Plenty of volume arriving in PR.

Issue remains destruction and distribution.

Far ahead of where they were with Katrina 10 days later.


17 posted on 10/04/2017 10:47:53 AM PDT by xzins (Retired US Army chaplain. Support our troops by praying for their victory.)
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To: Red Badger

Ignore my post.

All the PR drivers are in NYC? Lucky for them.


18 posted on 10/04/2017 10:49:01 AM PDT by Chgogal (Sessions recused himself for shaking an Ambassador's hand. Shameful!)
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To: Captain Peter Blood

We’ve got logistics coming out of our ears - General Colt.


19 posted on 10/04/2017 10:49:01 AM PDT by wally_bert (I didn't get where I am today by selling ice cream tasting of bookends, pumice stone & West Germany)
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To: ExSES

The military does not have the airlift capacity that was available in 1945. Many things are being postponed to free up planes for the Puerto Rico disaster. We are doing everything we can. Local distribution is the problem. Between blocked roads and lack of drivers, stuff is not going out like it could.


20 posted on 10/04/2017 10:49:56 AM PDT by Himyar (Comes A Stillness)
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