Sad.  We can't take care of ourselves anymore.    Shit.  

Thanks Vito.  

Quoted: Sad.  We can't take care of ourselves anymore.    Shit.   Thanks Vito.

We can take of those who try.  A lot of these people are exactly like those in these socialist countries waiting for handouts.  

Quoted: Quoted: Sad.  We can't take care of ourselves anymore.    Shit.   Thanks Vito.   The Royal Navy has two ships in the Carribean with crews trained for Hurricane Relief (they help out with Hurricanes that hit the islands in the carribean each year) and we have people and equipment standing by over here ready to fly out. The offer was made the day after the hurricane, we are still waiting to be invited to come and help… ANdy

Andy,
I don't think the infrastructure could have handled it to be quite honest. The briefing from the 3 star involved said there was only one MSR in and out of the city. It took a couple of days to get the airports, Air Force bases, and Naval Air Stations in the area up and operating.

I am not trying to be ungrateful, it is just like in the early 90s when the military bases were closed.  Fitzsimmons sp?  military hospital in Denver was closed.  We never know when we need those hospital beds.  Just like Boy Scouts, Be Prepared.    

We need to be prepared.  Especially after 9/11, I would think there would be a stockpile of emergency gear for a city sized tragedy.  

Don't get me wrong, I don't think the Government should "save us."  But, when the U.S. Government asks the EU and NATO for help...  That just chaps my ass.

I would love it if you Brits would help.  I don't know why your kind offer hasen't been accepted.  

Quoted: True, but you would have had some helos with medical teams and technical people who could have helped along the coast. It's not much true, but it's a help.  When you ask if you can help, being told, "thanks, but no thanks, we can take care of ourselves" tends to hurt your friends who want to show solidarity and do what they can. Andy

I don't think that's the message that's been sent. The US State Department received over 60 offers of help and has turned down zero. In fact, they are being reviewed to see if there is some value added, ie something that can be offered that we can not do ourselves.

Quoted: Quoted: Sad.  We can't take care of ourselves anymore.    Shit.   Thanks Vito.   The Royal Navy has two ships in the Carribean with crews trained for Hurricane Relief (they help out with Hurricanes that hit the islands in the carribean each year) and we have people and equipment standing by over here ready to fly out. The offer was made the day after the hurricane, we are still waiting to be invited to come and help… ANdy

The US gov't is probably trying to avoid the embarassment of having foreign aid workers shot by our "high class citizens".

Jim

Quoted: I am not trying to be ungrateful, it is just like in the early 90s when the military bases were closed.  Fitzsimmons sp?  military hospital in Denver was closed.  We never know when we need those hospital beds.  Just like Boy Scouts, Be Prepared.     We need to be prepared.  Especially after 9/11, I would think there would be a stockpile of emergency gear for a city sized tragedy.

My guess is that supplies for large-scale injuries to people and search/rescue are concentrated where those kinds of attacks would occur--East and West coast, mainly.  I'll bet the attack response planning that centered on the NOLA area was based on an attack on infrastructure, i.e. damage to the ports, shipping, and transportation.

Jim

Quoted: True, but you would have had some helos with medical teams and technical people who could have helped along the coast. It's not much true, but it's a help.  When you ask if you can help, being told, "thanks, but no thanks, we can take care of ourselves" tends to hurt your friends who want to show solidarity and do what they can. Andy

It is a tough call Andy.  The SPODs/APODs are very full right now - about 100 medium and heavy lift helos from JFCOM alone.  That doesn't count Nat'l Guard, Coast Guard, and a few from PACOM (USN helos from San Diego).  TRANSCOM has a couple heavy lift ships in the area.  JFCOM sourced  4 amphibs, a CVN, an AOE, 3 or 4 minesweepers and a salvage ship.  It is pretty crowded there.

Also, based on some of what happened with the early arrivals, I don't think that we could have guaranteed the safety of your birds, at least in New Orleans.  As bad as saying "no thanks" looks, it would have been worse to have your boys shot at by some of our better armed thugs.  Another consideration may have been that we didn't want to use up your goods when there may be more storms in the offing.

Hey Andy, it's the thought that counts the most. And it is appreciated very much here.

Sorry to say this Andy, but you've been Duped

Mark