“I obviously did a mistake”
No kidding, Mr. Egeland, UN undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs. After calling the U.S.”stingy” in its initial aid offering, Mr. Egeland has developed a new appreciation for the U.S. government and the U.S. military with its ability to go where others cannot, and do what others cannot on a scale that others find hard to imagine.
No kidding, Mr. Egeland, UN undersecretary-general for humanitarian affairs. After calling the U.S.”stingy” in its initial aid offering, Mr. Egeland has developed a new appreciation for the U.S. government and the U.S. military with its ability to go where others cannot, and do what others cannot on a scale that others find hard to imagine.
But in the interest of honest reporting, let us note that we were saved from “doing a mistake” only by our loose deadline. We were about to excoriate the Vatican newspaper for criticizing the IDF for a “decision to deny emergency help to disaster victims” in Sri Lanka and its call for “a radical and dramatic change of perspective” among people “too often preoccupied with making war.” In fact, the paper was itself criticizing Sri Lanka for rejecting Israel’s offer of help.
So, here’s the real scoop:
Israel’s disaster relief operations have been proven in places as diverse as Greece, Turkey, Honduras, Nicaragua, India and New Guinea. Immediately after the tsunami, Israel was on the move. Four Hadassah physicians, specializing in rescue operations, trauma and pediatrics, were among the first to reach Sri Lanka. The Israeli government sent 82 tons of relief supplies, including medicine, water, food, blankets, tents, nylon sheeting and electric generators, and another shipment with 10,000 blankets, 3680 liters of mineral water, 12 tons of food, 17.5 tons of baby food, and over nine tons of medicine. Magen David Adom – denied membership in the International Red Cross by anti-Israel elements – coordinated with the IRC anyhow and sent assistance. The private Israeli relief organization Latet sent a jumbo jet with 18 metric tons of supplies to Sri Lanka. The Fast Israeli Rescue and Search Team (FIRST), which has conducted more than 2,800 search and rescue missions in Israel and around the world, headed for India. Thailand got private teams plus assistance from the Israeli Ministry of Health, Magen David Adom and ZAKA. Israel’s contribution is, per capita, the highest in the world.
The U.S. military marshaled a wide variety of assets in the Pacific, including two Marine/Navy Amphibious Ready Groups, the Navy’s U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln Carrier Task Force and twelve ships from a maritime pre-position squadron – with water purification equipment and emergency food and medical supplies. American military spy satellites gathered information for damage assessments and disaster relief. Helicopters and hovercraft are making deliveries in remote regions. In all, more than 6,500 sailors and Marines are hard at work doing what needs to be done. Some day someone will calculate the cost and in retrospect we won’t look stingy.
In the larger picture, the U.S. government provided $2.4 billion in food, cash and humanitarian relief in 2004 – 40 percent of the world’s total in relief aid. The Assn. of Fundraising Professionals says health and human service organizations (domestic and international) received more than $39 BILLION in 2003 from private individuals.
There is always more that can be done and should be done, but in the face of unthinkable tragedy, we are proud of the United States and proud of Israel.