Haitian Politics

Previously I had blogged about international complaints concerning the United States' humanitarian efforts in Haiti.  Yesterday, John Bolton hit back hard in an article he wrote for the New York Post.
Read more.

The motto for United States humanitarian relief efforts around the world, most recently in Haiti, should be “damned if you do, and damned if you don’t.” However much or little America contributes, someone complains, from those who think we unfairly have to shoulder a disproportionate share of the world’s disaster relief to those who think our response smacks of imperialism.

Anti-American Sentiment Strong While Helping Haitians

There has been a strong backlash against the US for stepping up and taking the lead for the Haitian aid. Oh, it's not coming from the Haitians, as this Time article reports:

On Monday, the U.S. is sending troops in to help restore order — and far from resenting the intervention, many Haitians are anxious for the American colossus to arrive quickly and to completely take over the running of their country.

Au Contraire!  It's  France and Brazil that are angry about USA's organizational skills, and now Italians that are getting air time complaining about the use of military as humanitarians.  Do a search for "haiti military takeover" and you'll be shocked at the many news references you get.  Ex-Haitian government officials are getting into the act, even as the UN states that military is needed for security escorts.  The French have such an anti-American attitude that their news organizations are using "domination" and "occupation" to describe our organization of aid relief.  It's gotten so bad that President Sarkozy of France had to make a statement against the anti-American blabbermouths.  What's the basis for this argument?

Some French officials had accused the US of sidelining the French effort, including a minister who angrily accused the US of "occupying Haiti" after a French plane carrying a field hospital was turned back from the airport, the Telegraph reports.

Seems the plane was diverted to Dominican Republic. 

The Anchoress has been calling for a strong, public leader for Haitian aid on the US side for a while now. Maybe communication from a front and center international leader could have prevented, or at least nullified this anti-American backlash. 

Haiti Updates

Pastor Harrison has updated his blog, Mercy Journey, with a slew of articles. 

We were taking a brief break drinking water to recoup from the exhausting and draining heat when a nurse ran to call us back to pastoral care duty. She said: "The sitution has turned chaotic and dangerous! Please come and calm them! Some are jumping from the second story building fearful that another tremor might kill them!

He also talks about the Medical Mission Team that's on the ground and gives details you won't find in the nightly news.

A team of helicopters, financed by a generous individual had been and continues to fly in victims of the quake. Port au Prince is some 50 miles distant, across the Haitian Border. I write this morning at 8:30 a.m. from the veranda of a large vacant home, which now houses forty or fifty medical professionals, including the LCMS team. The hospital runs on two shifts, and performs about 40 surgeries per shift. About one third of the procedures have been amputations.

The Anchoress has been following Ed who's been posting from his home in Haiti.

We are using our last gallon of gas in the generator as I type. The UN is still not here. A few Christian doctors are here for a couple of days. Though it has been 8 days since the earthquake, it has all been one looooong… day for us. Thank you so much for the prayers and please keep praying.