Thanks for your reply, Michael.
I think you mistconstrue the intentions of this discussion.
The point is that everytime there is a disaster outside the US, the US is among the first and largest aid suppliers.
When the Russian NUCLEAR PLANT blew, we offered help.
When disaster strikes in the US, we are not offered help by anyone.
We are not whining about not receiving help. We never have.
We are making a rebuttal to those who would say we were STINGY and SLOW about responding.
President Bush started off (limited by law to what he could offer until approriations and bills were passed) with $35mill then went to $350 Mill as the scope of the disaster revealed itself. NOWHERE is measured in all this the cost of turning the USS Abraham Lincoln AROUND, AGAIN. Sending the MARINE CORPS in on foot to start getting supplies to the people over there.
These men and women are foregoing seeing their wives, their children, their families, their homes, to WADE THROUGH CHOLERA INFESTED WATER, among DEAD BLOATED CORPSES, inhaling the SMOKE FROM BURNING BODIES.
US forces have done this time, and time, again.
The ABE LINCOLN was asked to stay past assignment in DESERT STORM I. In OPERATION FREEDOM, the ABE LINCOLN was asked to stay and support the takeover of BAGHDAD completely ALONE.
There was one of the largest DUST STORMS going on in the Mideast, and all other air, water, ground forces were paralyzed. The pilots, crews, shipmates on the Lincoln worked 24/7 during that time. The pilots had to land and take off in almost ZERO VISIBILITY, fierce sandstorms pelting their aircraft the entire time, and each time they returned from a mission, the ship was FARTHER AWAY, running as fast as it could to stay beyond the edge of the storm. Were the storm to have overtaken the ship, the pilots would have had to ditch, and would likely have died. They did this for 8 MONTHS.
They were on a 3 MONTH TOUR of DUTY, and had to stay 8 MONTHS (let this soak in some more), working 24/7.
This time, same thing. (The crew considers the LINCOLN to be cursed in this manner, I know) They were going home. Had to turn around. HOW LONG WILL THEY HAVE TO STAY? No one knows.
How much cost in time away from family must these men and women endure? How much did it cost the US to turn the LINCOLN around and prepare for this rescue mission?
First, there was no thought given to what the cost might be in money. The first thought was the cost in lives if we didn't.
Second, that will never be part of the NATIONAL DONATION or PRIVATE DONATION money being discussed.
I can only speculate, but the cost to turn that carrier group around, have them stay for the rescue mission (no matter how long it takes), the cost of the manpower, the supplies, laying new runways, the deaths that will be incurred by the NAVY and MARINE forces, will never be able to be measured, and is likely larger than any one country has pledged so far.
Remember, the leaders of these tropical island paradises and child prostitution rings were given warnings of a tsunami force wave, but did not pass it on to the public, for fear of PROFIT LOSS.
All I can say is, they are DAMN LUCKY most of the UNITED STATES is CHRISTIAN.
We are RARELY offered help.