Honore: U.S. military should have reached Haiti sooner

CNN ^ | 1/16/2010 | Staff

[Red in Blue PA]

Washington (CNN) -- The retired general who took charge of relief efforts in New Orleans, Louisiana, after Hurricane Katrina said Thursday that the U.S. military should have arrived in earthquake-devastated Haiti 24 hours earlier.

"The good Samaritans who moved early on the first day are to be applauded. They made a difference," said Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, a CNN contributor.

"What we've got to do now is get the heavy equipment in. I thought the U.S. military could have been there a day earlier. They're on the ground now, and they have a brigade en route, and that's going to make a big difference," he said.

Honore, best known for his management of the recovery efforts after the hurricane that killed about 2,000 people on the Gulf Coast, said "time is of the essence" in helping quake survivors.

..

Regarding the airport, he said, "You need to put the right commander there who's going to be a battle captain and keep those aircraft flowing. You come in, you drop off what you have, you put the sick and wounded on and then move out. No one is standing any time on the airfield. You can be in and out in a half hour."

Speaking at the House Democratic Caucus Retreat later Thursday, Obama acknowledged the scrutiny focused on U.S. response.

"This is a time when the world looks to us and they say -- given our capacity, given our unique capacity to project power around the world -- that we have to project that not just for our own interests but for the interests of the world as a whole," he said. "And my national security team understands that I will not put up with any excuses for us not doing the very best in this time of tragedy."

[Red in Blue PA]

I agree with Honore and have said this from Day 1.

[Sacajaweau]

Obama says: "I will not put up with not doing our very best"

What is this...8th grade??

Our Military...even in training are far superior than Obama...Because they want to win!!!

[Bad Jack Bauer]

How about somebody showing some appreciation that we show up at all?

[henry_reardon]

yup, it’s because barack obama hates black people

[zeaal]

Send Honore.

[Red in Blue PA]

If you are expecting a pat on the back, you are missing the point. Tens of thousands are dead and millions of others desperately need help, and you want a word of thanks.

Some people just don’t get it.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

And regarding this debate ...

Roger Ebert to Rush Limbaugh: ‘You Should Be Horse-Whipped’
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2429754/posts
[For Criticizing Obama]

[Red in Blue PA]

Agree. He kicked serious arse after Katrina.

The guy should be sent down.

[Red in Blue PA]

Why make comments like that during a time like this? It only serves to make Conservatives look bad. Very bad.

[fullchroma]

Obama’s fault.

[cubreporter]

Have him take it up with the Commander in Chief. HE’S the one that makes the calls. NEXT!!!! :)

[Red in Blue PA]

Rememer how stupid lefist looked when they made those claims about Bush? You look that way now.

[freedumb2003]

>>yup, it’s because barack obama hates black people<<

That can’t be repeated too many times. The response to Katrina was much much faster.

But the TOTUS-reader will get yet another bye — from kanye and the MSM.

[freedumb2003]

>>Why make comments like that during a time like this? It only serves to make Conservatives look bad. Very bad.<<

It illustrates a VERY important point.

[Bad Jack Bauer]

If you are expecting a pat on the back, you are missing the point. Tens of thousands are dead and millions of others desperately need help, and you want a word of thanks.

No. I do not want a pat on the back. But I do wish people would recognize that in the end, the great majority of the rescue and recovery and rebuilding efforts will be done by the US. Where is everyone else? Who had the most equipment on the ground first? America will do what it has always done, help and render aid. No need to pay us back or praise us, but for Heaven's sake, the criticism does get tiresome.

[fullchroma]

yup, it’s because barack obama hates black people,

You can't say that. He doesn't hate the light-skinned ones.

[Red in Blue PA]

Agree with all of your points, but they can be worried about later.

[fullchroma]

I was being attempting to sarcastically evoke those “Bush’s fault” Katrina days. Sorry if it wasn’t clear.

[LZ_Bayonet]

Obama says: "I will not put up with not doing our very best".

Well even CNN reports that your people have clearly already failed* Obama, as thousands have likely died because of the delay caused by the failure of your administration. You said you wouldn't put up with it, so who are you going to fire?

*Interesting that even the liberal CNN reporters on the ground were so upset that they could no longer cover up the failure in Obama's reponse.

[Parmy]

We get there when we can. They are fortunate we go at all. The place is a mess. Haiti has been raped from day one. There is no infrastructure to move anything anywhere.

When we get done pouring millions to billions into Haiti, which will go to the same crooks, the place will be the same as it was before the earthquake.