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Chris Gillette is journalist who has been covering disasters for over 30 years -- Katrina, Haiti, etc.
"I was stunned as I walked through the darkened and humid arrivals terminal at San Juan's International Airport two days after Hurricane Maria blasted its way across Puerto Rico."
"It was quiet. No military air traffic control units on the tarmac directing planeloads of aid supplies, no bustling command centre sending convoys of trucks to hard-hit areas. No mountains of relief goods stacked and ready to be deployed where needed."
"Where," I asked, "is the cavalry?" ''This is it," the FEMA guy replied, pointing to several dozen people milling about.
Hospital ship is due to arrive tomorrow and another Navy ship has been dispatched.
I understand General Buchanan has arrived along with thousands of troops and things are ramping up.
It's about damn time.
Hate to tell you, but "Operation Katrina" (the name of the anti-Trumpers operation to make Maria President Trump's "Katrina") has failed.
We now know that the U.S. Navy had ships stationed off shore with equipment and supplies even before Maria made landfall on the island.
We also know that the USS Comfort would have been of little help, as it is not designed for relief efforts, but for military operations in combat situations. The ships that were stationed offshore have hospital facilities, and also well decks (for equipment and supplies) and helicopter decks.
We also know that the biggest problem with Puerto Rico is their own failure ...trucks not being unloaded because of their union workers.
Puerto Rico also forced the U.S. military out some years ago, resulting of the shuttering of the base we once had there. Thus we had no land base of operation to aid in this disaster.
Know your facts so you don't continue to make a fool of yourself.
Trump is right, that the governance in Puerto Rico is to blame for the poor infrastructure, but it was a bit boorish to kick them while they’re down. The mayor started it, though.
Anyway, I asked my DIL, who is from PR, who was right, the Mayor of San Juan or the Governor. She said her friends sided more with the mayor. However, my DILs 30-something friends skew Democrat.
She also said that her father and brothers had to wait 24 hours to buy $10. worth of gas each. The gas station ran out, so they had to wait for a delivery. Her family has generators and is sharing electricity with some neighbors. They even had a gas tank on their farm, but it will run out soon. They also have a cistern but the water won’t last forever either. They are being careful to make things last.
Trump is right, that the governance in Puerto Rico is to blame for the poor infrastructure, but it was a bit boorish to kick them while they’re down. The mayor started it, though.
Anyway, I asked my DIL, who is from PR, who was right, the Mayor of San Juan or the Governor. She said her friends sided more with the mayor. However, my DILs 30-something friends skew Democrat.
She also said that her father and brothers had to wait 24 hours to buy $10. worth of gas each. The gas station ran out, so they had to wait for a delivery. Her family has generators and is sharing electricity with some neighbors. They even had a gas tank on their farm, but it will run out soon. They also have a cistern but the water won’t last forever either. They are being careful to make things last.
Think this is a humanitarian huge, humanitarian crisis, politics should not play here. Trump, as usual, made it his goal to put someone in a vulnerable situation down. Bully, that he is.
Think this is a humanitarian huge, humanitarian crisis, politics should not play here. Trump, as usual, made it his goal to put someone in a vulnerable situation down. Bully, that he is.
I get what you are saying, and I agree he can be a bit harsh, but I think he says things as he sees them, and the truth hurts. It is the truth that needs to be said to Puerto Rico. It is that we are going to help you as best we can, but you need to fix some issues about the way your country is being run, because it isn’t working.
If these helicopters were all sitting on go, why were they not flying fuel to hospitals?
Where were the boots on the ground?
Why did General Buchanan, who Trump finally appointed after considerable pressure, announce that there were not nearly enough troops, vehicles, and equipment sent to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico.
If these helicopters were all sitting on go, why were they not flying fuel to hospitals?
Where were the boots on the ground?
Why did General Buchanan, who Trump finally appointed after considerable pressure, announce that there were not nearly enough troops, vehicles, and equipment sent to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico.
This facts of the situation pin a lie to the lips of those who keep posting in defense of Trump.
Its been half-assed from day-1.
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