Posted on 01/17/2010 8:09:47 PM PST by Saije
Desperate Haitians scrambled Sunday to find food and water and guarded their meager possessions against the advance of looters as the U.S. and other nations struggled to jump-start a sluggish relief effort.
Even as Navy and Coast Guard ships arrived offshore, a round-the-clock airlift intensified and additional dignitaries appeared, the frantic victims of last Tuesday's 7.0-magnitude earthquake were growing more fearful as they pleaded for help and security in a lawless city.
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"We need the Haitian forces to protect us," said Cledanor Sully, owner of a small Port-au-Prince hotel called the Seven Stars. Sully sleeps in a park across the street from his damaged -- but still standing -- hotel, fearful that looters will make off with mattresses and dressers. "We're all scared. We need the United Nations and we need the United States Marines."
Indeed, all over Port-au-Prince, signs begging for help from the Marines have been sprouting. In front of one crushed office building, a typical sign read: "Welcome the U.S. Marine. We need some help. Dead bodies inside." Another read: "U.S. Marines SOS. We need help."
At this point, though, it's unlikely that there will be a large U.S. military presence in Port-au-Prince. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said this weekend that there will be up to 10,000 U.S. forces in Haiti and off its coast by Monday, but only a fraction of them will be on the ground.
"The bulk of them will be on ships," he said.
The troops that have been deployed to Haiti have been slow in arriving. Military officials blame delays in getting troops to Port-au-Prince in part on the city's small, overburdened airport. "It's a huge traffic issue," said Capt. John Kirby, spokesman for the military joint task force.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
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U.S. Marines, No better friend, no worse enemy.
Haiti is like the Bates Hotel. We check in and we can’t check out. Obama knows. This is going to be a permanent disaster for us. Fools Rush In. He has no exit strategy.
0bama promised to help
0bama messed up-things are spinning out of control
0bama sends in George and Bill to take the hits
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