Laura Bush slams junta on "inept" storm response

[BayGBM]

http://www.theage.com.au/news/world/laura-bush-hits-out-at-juntas-inept-response/2008/05/06/1209839647819.html

http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2008/05/06/mrs_bush_raps_junta_on_storm_response/

Mrs. Bush raps junta on storm response
By Dan Eggen, Washington Post  |  May 6, 2008

WASHINGTON - Laura Bush condemned the military government in Burma yesterday for its "inept" response to a deadly weekend cyclone, marking an unusual foray by the president's spouse into a high-profile foreign policy crisis.

Appearing at a White House news conference, Laura Bush said the military junta in Burma is preventing the United States and other nations from providing help after Tropical Cyclone Nargis, and also alleged that the country's rulers purposely declined to warn people of the impending danger.

"Although they were aware of the threat, Burma's state-run media failed to issue a timely warning to citizens in the storm's path," she said. "The response to this cyclone is just the most recent example of the junta's failures to meet its people's basic needs."

Bush also urged the Burmese regime to cancel plans for a referendum later this week, which she said would "give false legitimacy to their continued rule."

The remarks underscore the first lady's uncommon emergence as the administration's most visible spokesperson on Burma, which is ruled by a junta that is widely criticized as one of the world's most oppressive and corrupt regimes. The news conference marked the first time that she presided at the White House briefing room, which is generally used for official pronouncements by President Bush or his senior aides.

Laura Bush told reporters that her deep interest in Burma was sparked by reading the works of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who is under house arrest and has spent 12 of the last 18 years in some form of confinement. She said the president would sign legislation today awarding Suu Kyi the Congressional Gold Medal.

Bush said awarding Suu Kyi the gold medal will "let the people of Burma know that the United States is standing with them."

White House and State Department officials said the US Embassy in Burma has authorized an emergency release of $250,000 for humanitarian aid, but further efforts have been stymied by the refusal of the military junta to allow outside access to the country. US State Department spokesman Tom Casey said that a disaster response team was "standing by and ready to go into Burma" but that "the Burmese government has not given them permission to go into the country."

The European Union has pledged $3 million in aid for Burma. Bush said the United States was preparing to offer "substantial" assistance, but officials have not settled on an amount

[BayGBM]

Is she for real? 

[240 is Back]

she should have gotten on TV after katrina and asked whey it took 72 hours for a single bottled water from the govt to arrive in the affected region.

Hell, you had CNN camera crews there in 2 hours.  You had walmart sending in their trucks with water for people.  And there was no fema response for 3 days.

[War-Horse]

she should have gotten on TV after katrina and asked whey it took 72 hours for a single bottled water from the govt to arrive in the affected region.

Hell, you had CNN camera crews there in 2 hours.  You had walmart sending in their trucks with water for people.  And there was no fema response for 3 days.

Not enough republican voters there, id imagine.     Im still pissed when i think of that.

[Decker]

This is off topic so forgive me, but if Hillary Clinton had killed her ex-boyfriend, does anyone think the liberal media would let us forget that?

http://www.snopes.com/politics/bush/laura.asp

"Details in a 1963 accident report say that Laura Bush, then 17, ran a stop sign in the Texas crash that killed a friend in another car. The report, adding information to previous reports of the crash, was released to The Associated Press on Wednesday."
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/e1698.htm

[BayGBM]

no way possible to put W at that podium.

i wonder why..............


NT

Ouch!  So true.  No official member of the administration could have gone there.  Well, maybe someone from the State Department? 

[War-Horse]

This is off topic so forgive me, but if Hillary Clinton had killed her ex-boyfriend, does anyone think the liberal media would let us forget that?

http://www.snopes.com/politics/bush/laura.asp

"Details in a 1963 accident report say that Laura Bush, then 17, ran a stop sign in the Texas crash that killed a friend in another car. The report, adding information to previous reports of the crash, was released to The Associated Press on Wednesday."
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/e1698.htm

Politics is a dirty business.

[Hugo Chavez]

Is she for real? 

LOLOLOL... that's some funny shit, but they've been doing this over and over and over...  I like it when they demand fair elections in other countries   Doublespeak douchebags to the end. 

On a side note, WTF Laura?  She doesn't even look human   Evil fucks you up I guess.

[24KT]

LOLOLOL... that's some funny shit, but they've been doing this over and over and over...  I like it when they demand fair elections in other countries   Doublespeak douchebags to the end. 

On a side note, WTF Laura?  She doesn't even look human   Evil fucks you up I guess.

She has her husbands eyes. 

[CARTEL]

she should have gotten on TV after katrina and asked whey it took 72 hours for a single bottled water from the govt to arrive in the affected region.

Hell, you had CNN camera crews there in 2 hours.  You had walmart sending in their trucks with water for people.  And there was no fema response for 3 days.

Local Gov. is supposed to handle the first 2 to 3 days. That is where the failure happened.

[240 is Back]

Local Gov. is supposed to handle the first 2 to 3 days. That is where the failure happened.

Federal supercedes when local govt fails.

The CNN cameras showed a complete local breakdown and zero infrastructure ability.
Is the federal govt supposed to do nothing for 3 days?

Because that is what they did!!  Even as CNN showed the world the chaos, "Brownie" didn't act and neither did Bush.  They waited until the media went apeshit and said "Why is no one acting"?

Then, they ordered help.


In many natural disasters, the local govt is wiped out.  When it's brought to attention of federal (by CNN) snf federal doesn't act, it's a problem.  I know that when a hurricane hit Fl (charlie) and we lost power for 7 days, FEMA and nat'l guard were there THE NEXT DAY, blocking off the county line and yes, stacking bodies on the pier, as port charlott, FL, was under 2-4 feet of water.  The local police were at home with their fmailies, at most guarding their street on the preplanned disaster plan (cops watch their own blocks, it's organized).

FEMA and army men were in my town in 24 hours and they were there THICK.   They gave us ice, cases of water, etc.  Sure it was on a smaller scale than katrina - but there was none of this "wait 2-3 days" stuff you're saying.

[BayGBM]

US declines Swedish aid - for now
The United States has declined water sanitation aid from Sweden in the wake of the deadly Hurricane Katrina, saying it was currently unable to accept foreign aid packages, the Swedish Rescue Services Agency said on Sunday.

Sweden had offered to send medical and technical aid to the hurricane-ravaged southern United States, and had been planning to send a military cargo plane filled with water sanitation equipment as well as five water sanitation experts on Sunday morning.

Early Sunday however, Swedish authorities received word that the US logistically could not immediately accept the aid.

"The planned... flight to the US with aid equipment from the Rescue Services Agency will not take place on Sunday," the agency said in a statement.
http://www.thelocal.se/2018/20050904/


Most Katrina Aid From Overseas Went Unclaimed
By John Solomon and Spencer S. Hsu
Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, April 29, 2007; A01

As the winds and water of Hurricane Katrina were receding, presidential confidante Karen Hughes sent a cable from her State Department office to U.S. ambassadors worldwide.

Titled "Echo-Chamber Message" -- a public relations term for talking points designed to be repeated again and again -- the Sept. 7, 2005, directive was unmistakable: Assure the scores of countries that had pledged or donated aid at the height of the disaster that their largesse had provided Americans "practical help and moral support" and "highlight the concrete benefits hurricane victims are receiving."

Many of the U.S. diplomats who received the message, however, were beginning to witness a more embarrassing reality. They knew the U.S. government was turning down many allies' offers of manpower, supplies and expertise worth untold millions of dollars. Eventually the United States also would fail to collect most of the unprecedented outpouring of international cash assistance for Katrina's victims.

Allies offered $854 million in cash and in oil that was to be sold for cash. But only $40 million has been used so far for disaster victims or reconstruction, according to U.S. officials and contractors. Most of the aid went uncollected, including $400 million worth of oil. Some offers were withdrawn or redirected to private groups such as the Red Cross. The rest has been delayed by red tape and bureaucratic limits on how it can be spent...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/28/AR2007042801113_pf.html


U.S. declines some foreign offers of hurricane aid
The United States has accepted help from about 40 countries for the victims of Hurricane Katrina - fewer than half of those that offered - including high-speed water pumps, food, cruise ships and more than $400 million in cash, U.S. officials said yesterday.

Although no offer has been rejected officially, proposals from Cuba and other countries to send doctors or nurses have not been accepted because there is enough U.S. medical personnel to deal with the crisis for now, the State Department said...
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-135895814.html

[CQ]

This is off topic so forgive me, but if Hillary Clinton had killed her ex-boyfriend, does anyone think the liberal media would let us forget that?

http://www.snopes.com/politics/bush/laura.asp

"Details in a 1963 accident report say that Laura Bush, then 17, ran a stop sign in the Texas crash that killed a friend in another car. The report, adding information to previous reports of the crash, was released to The Associated Press on Wednesday."
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/e1698.htm

I always wonder why this is rarely mentioned.

We have to hear all about minor crap from other presidential/candidates wives - but here we have a first lady who offed someone [and it gets no worse than killing someone] and it is rarely mentioned.

[Tre]

This is off topic so forgive me, but if Hillary Clinton had killed her ex-boyfriend, does anyone think the liberal media would let us forget that?

http://www.snopes.com/politics/bush/laura.asp

"Details in a 1963 accident report say that Laura Bush, then 17, ran a stop sign in the Texas crash that killed a friend in another car. The report, adding information to previous reports of the crash, was released to The Associated Press on Wednesday."
http://www.usatoday.com/news/opinion/e1698.htm

The Clintons prefer plane crashes, but yes, the media worked quickly to bury both of those stories. 

[Tre]

...Laura Bush said the military junta in Burma is preventing the United States and other nations from providing help after Tropical Cyclone Nargis...

How the hell??

We're the UNITED FUCKING STATES and if we want to come into your country, then goddamnit, we're going to do it!

In other words, we don't want to be in Burma...

[CARTEL]

Federal supercedes when local govt fails.

The CNN cameras showed a complete local breakdown and zero infrastructure ability.
Is the federal govt supposed to do nothing for 3 days?

Because that is what they did!!  Even as CNN showed the world the chaos, "Brownie" didn't act and neither did Bush.  They waited until the media went apeshit and said "Why is no one acting"?

Then, they ordered help.


In many natural disasters, the local govt is wiped out.  When it's brought to attention of federal (by CNN) snf federal doesn't act, it's a problem.  I know that when a hurricane hit Fl (charlie) and we lost power for 7 days, FEMA and nat'l guard were there THE NEXT DAY, blocking off the county line and yes, stacking bodies on the pier, as port charlott, FL, was under 2-4 feet of water.  The local police were at home with their fmailies, at most guarding their street on the preplanned disaster plan (cops watch their own blocks, it's organized).

FEMA and army men were in my town in 24 hours and they were there THICK.   They gave us ice, cases of water, etc.  Sure it was on a smaller scale than katrina - but there was none of this "wait 2-3 days" stuff you're saying.

Sucks for you and the rest of the cities without a good emergency plan. And shouldn't everybody be stocked up in case of an emergency?

Heaven for bid us Americans show some self-reliance anymore.