Posted on 01/12/2005 11:19:43 PM PST by kattracks
ABOARD THE USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN — The aircraft carrier leading the U.S. military's tsunami relief effort steamed out of Indonesian waters yesterday after the country declined to let the ship's fighter pilots use its airspace for training missions — part of a broad effort by Indonesia to reassert control over its territory.
The USS Abraham Lincoln's diversion, which was not expected to affect aid flights, came as the White House asked the Indonesian government to explain why it appears to be demanding that the U.S. military and other foreign troops providing disaster relief leave the country by the end of March.[snip]
The Indonesian government said foreign troops would be out of the country by March 31. "A three-month period is enough, even sooner the better," Indonesian Vice President Jusuf Kalla said Tuesday.
U.S. Marines have scaled back plans to send hundreds of troops ashore to build roads and clear rubble. The two sides reached a compromise in which the Americans agreed not to set up a base camp on Indonesia or carry weapons.
Instead, the Marines — about 2,000 of whom were diverted to tsunami relief from duty in Iraq — will keep a "minimal footprint" in the country, with most returning to ships at night, said Col. Tom Greenwood, commander of the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit.[snip]
Under Navy rules, pilots of carrier-based warplanes cannot go longer than 14 days without flying, or their skills are considered to have degraded too far and they have to undergo extensive retraining.
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
Unfortunately, pinging the admins upon seeing posts they disagree with, is happening way too often on FR lately. It's getting to be a turnoff.
Am not for shipping them evil and stooping to their level.
Otherwise, right, enough is enough.
Let them face the stark consequences of their evil, idiotic values.
I'm taking that attitude as well. Americans need help right now.
Mostly true.
However, we also are being tested by God.
God's standard is to do good to those who despitefully use us.
We are doing so. We have done so. We would be wise to do so again.
It is God's standard and we are answerable to Him. We will be blessed any time we rise to His standard--blessed by Him.
However, even He has limits. It appears to me that in this situation, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH.
God is also a gentleman. He doesn't usually force Himself where He's not wanted. I don't think He expects us to.
Let em sink in their own cesspool We did our more or less best.
Excellent link and thanks. Keep the tinfoil handy. And keep making sense.
The only way this would be a "reasonable request" would be if we not only pulled the military workers out, but also all other workers--and oh, yes, the money. I think it's fine to refuse aid from anyone, but if they do, they shouldn't whine about the conditions from the tsunami.
I do think you are dead wrong about thanks--not thanking someone for the good they do is like a slap in the face.
Folks, we've just been slapped. Do we stick around for more?
Excellent reference. Thanks.
True.
However, we have to deal with leaders of nations.
And, the citizens to greater or lesser degree support and sustain those leaders in one way or another. Let them learn.
Ummm. It's time to 'shake the dust from our shoes' and leave.
The stupid thing was giving a billion dollars to countries that either don't need or don't want help.
Of course it's "good will." What a crock.
Under the circumstances I wouldn't blame them. Indonesia might feel very vulnerable with foreigners being there to take care of their needs. I think its more psychological than political. Don't take it personally. Get our troops out of there and put the USS Lincoln out into international waters. We can still help by being a staging point to deliver aid.
As hard as it is for a benevolent nation like ourselves to pack up & leave these people - this is exactly what we should do. We tried to do the right thing - our conscience is clear. Until these people rise up & destroy the government that holds them in tyranny, nothing can change. We can't do it for them.
I have an uneasy feeling with our troops over there, we need to get them out of there - out of harm's way - before something else happens over there. I'm afraid this is the calm before the storm. Something terrible is going to happen over there - we need to get away quick. We need to pray that Bush wakes up & gets our good people out of there. That place is a portal to hell.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1319895/posts
Yokota C-130s continue to fly aid to tsunami victims
Air Force News ^ | 1/10/2005 | Master Sgt. Val Gempis
If we give them a dime, it's a dime too much. I'd divert every penny from Indonesia to Sri Lanka or one of the other countries.
I once suggested to powers that be
that we should use edible inks to print on squares of edible grain cereal type stuff USA GIFT or some such--mixed into the food stuffs in a way that wouldn't settle out . . .
to emphasize the source of the benefit in a way that incountry forces could not paint over.
There's plenty good to be said for doing good humbly without fanfare or looking for thanks or repayment. That's God's standard.
However, in this situation, it's fitting, even crucial that the Islamic idiots have a standard to compare their evil masters against.
I suspect that in days to months, we will have a worse disaster on our shores. Our aid really will be more needed here.
It will be interesting to see the response of the rest of the world, then.
God will be watching.
I
STRONGLY AND FIERCLY
agree with you.
Absolutely. It's a pretty good index to the amount of aid a country will need. For instance, in the US, where a killer quake might kill 50 people, we don't need much (if any) aid, because all of our own first responders, aid workers, social institutions, etc., are still intact, regardless of property damage. As the casualty numbers go up, though, entire societal systems start breaking down and the aid required goes up dramatically, maybe even exponentially.
I strongly AGREE with you and have from the beginning of this story.
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