XPost: soc.culture.china, soc.culture.singapore, soc.culture.indian   
   XPost: soc.culture.usa, soc.culture.japan, soc.culture.korean   
   XPost: soc.culture.iraq   
   From: acoustic@panix.com   
      
   I think a natural question might be: Is a gigantic battleship like the   
   USS Washington better or even necessary for the rescue?  And if so,   
   would there be enough room for battleships from the US, UK, Japan,   
   Russia, and China to all crowd into the Philippines today?   
      
     The US and UK have dispatched warships to the typhoon-ravaged   
     Philippines to help facilitate relief efforts. Japan is also set to   
     deploy troops to the country to aid affected areas gruesomely   
     described as a corpse-choked wasteland.   
      
     The US has deployed an aircraft carrier and several other naval   
     vessels to the Republic of the Philippines on Tuesday "to make best   
     speed" in order to provide humanitarian assistance and disaster   
     support, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said.   
      
     The nuclear-powered carrier USS George Washington, which carries   
     5,000 sailors and more than 80 aircraft, will be accompanied by the   
     cruisers USS Antietam and USS Cowpens, as well as the destroyer USS   
     Mustin.   
      
   I think the "to make best speed" narrative is not genuine.  I think   
   that rescue missions, especially during peacetime, should be properly   
   within the responsibility of the International Red Cross/Crescent.  If   
   anything, the UN should have the money to build whatever resource is   
   necessary to tackle this kind of humanitarian disaster.  The IRCC   
   should not be simply working in war zones like that in Syria,   
   especially when more devastating natural disasters are happening with   
   increasing frequency today.  Humanitarian disaster rescue missions   
   should be a truly international effort - instead of being a voluntary   
   act from select individual countries.   
      
   I remember the early phase post-Fukushima disaster also saw the   
   involvement of the US military.  But however heroic an effort it was,   
   it didn't do the job as it was require, as the problems arising from   
   the disaster were neither corrected nor contained.   
      
   When you have troops and battleships going into a natural disasters   
   area, you don't want a battleship that belongs to a country you are   
   diplomatically unfriendly to to also throw anchor nearby.  Our troops   
   may trust the UK and Japanese troops; but they may easily pull the   
   trigger on the PLA soldiers had they also be around.  So, the effort   
   of individual heroism by country necessarily contributes to a total   
   effort that is at the minimum subtractive, when e.g., good PLA   
   soldiers who are known for their morale and professionalism, aren't   
   able to also make a contribution.   
      
   Of course, a more cynical view is just that the simultaneous arrivals   
   of battleships from the US, UK, and Japan in the Philippines is mostly   
   a show of force, a joint declaration to reaffirm that "Asian Pivot   
   2013" means business, and that the alliance will unswervingly stand   
   together through thick and thin to confront that common enemy called   
   China!   
      
   Whether it is the former or the latter scenario, using battlegroup   
   carriers touted (just a few days ago) to be primed for technical   
   supremacy in battles (with China) and deploying troops is not such a   
   good rescue mission for the victims who are in dire need of all the   
   help they can get from under the merciless sky.   
      
   lo yeeOn   
      
   In article ,   
   Albert K Fung   wrote:   
   >Battlegroup USS George Washington ....   
   >   
   >On a port visit to HK, was ordered to leave by its Commander   
   >-in-Chief and set sail to Philippines full steam ahead. USNS   
   >Charles Drew, the battlegroup's supply ship, is already well   
   >on its way to the country, and will rendezvous with the rest   
   >of the battlegroup there. This norning:   
   >   
   >Escorted by submarines, cruisers and destroyers it set sail.   
   >   
   >At full speed, the battlegroup will be in Philippines within   
   >48 hours. Where, USS George Washington will be a the central   
   >flat top island for the collection, and distribution, of the   
   >wounded and sick, international aid packages, throughout the   
   >affected islands.   
   >   
   >The 3rd US Marine Expeditionary Force brigades, and the air   
   >wing of the battlegroup will provide heavy-duty-airlifting,   
   >and boots-on-the-ground, to complete the last-mile logistic   
   >for myriad international assistance from all over the world   
   >- food, medicine, water, etc.   
   >   
   >The first few US Marine brigades that arrived yesterday are   
   >now busy clearing the airfields of the affected areas. That   
   >will very rapidly begin to add order in clearing up congest   
   >-ion from supplies, that have been arriving from around the   
   >world but could not go anywhere.   
   >   
   >Millions and millions from the around the world, money, food   
   >and supplies, are now entering Philippines at frantic pace:   
   >Sweden: 20 Million Kronor, Denmark: 10 Million Kroner, Nor-   
   >way: 20 Million Kroner, UAE: 36 Million Dirham, UK: 6 Mill-   
   >ion Pound, Netherlands: 2 Million Euros, etc.   
   >   
   >Even China donated USD 100K ....   
   >   
   >Regards,   
   >   
   >Albert K. Fung   
   >Rancho del Canto, Paso Robles, California, USA.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)