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| Southeast Asia |
| US military aid role a first in Indonesia (Loony Alert - Read Down) |
| 2005-01-02 |
| American navy helicopters and transport planes have begun ferrying aid supplies to Aceh province six days after a tsunami slammed into the coast killing tens of thousands of people. In a groundbreaking piece of diplomacy, US soldiers will for the first time touch down on Indonesian soil in an operational capacity. Australian military aircraft have been involved in relief work in Aceh since mid-week, joining small Malaysian, Singaporean and New Zealand contingents. The aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln is off the north shore of Sumatra where upwards of 80,000 people are believed to have died. "I can confirm that 10 US navy Seahawk helicopters will begin humanitarian operations in Aceh province today," said USAid's Michael Bok. "The helicopters were in Medan on Friday. A joint coordinating meeting between American, Australian and Indonesian military organisations was held at that time to coordinate our efforts." |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #7 I will not be surprised to hear about chants of "Death to America!" and RPG's and AK-47's being fired by pitiful victims of the tsunami at US forces trying to help. Also see "A senior UN official said that the aid operation had been hindered by the fact that foreigners' access to Aceh had been severely restricted for many years because of insurgency in the area. An Australian military officer who arrived with relief supplies at Banda Aceh yesterday said that relations with the Indonesian army had been "difficult" because of Australia's support for East Timor's struggle for independence from Jakarta." Also "boxes of food are piling up at airports with no means of reaching the people" "Indonesia's President ...'We can bring in the aid but we need manpower to distribute it.'" "it was difficult to find people prepared to drive supply lorries because they fear they might be attacked." "[British] Charities are frustrated by the fact that the Indonesian Embassy is closed until Tuesday [Jan. 4] and volunteers cannot get the necessary visas to travel." Dec 26 - Mother Nature deals a crushing blow to coastal inhabitants Jan 2 - Human stupidity finishes off the survivors of Dec 26 |
| Posted by: Hupailet Grereting6218 2005-01-02 8:10:36 AM |
| #6 I will not be surprised to hear about chants of "Death to America!" and RPG's and AK-47's being fired by pitiful victims of the tsunami at US forces trying to help. Also see "A senior UN official said that the aid operation had been hindered by the fact that foreigners' access to Aceh had been severely restricted for many years because of insurgency in the area. An Australian military officer who arrived with relief supplies at Banda Aceh yesterday said that relations with the Indonesian army had been "difficult" because of Australia's support for East Timor's struggle for independence from Jakarta." Also "boxes of food are piling up at airports with no means of reaching the people" "Indonesia's President ...'We can bring in the aid but we need manpower to distribute it.'" "it was difficult to find people prepared to drive supply lorries because they fear they might be attacked." "[British] Charities are frustrated by the fact that the Indonesian Embassy is closed until Tuesday [Jan. 4] and volunteers cannot get the necessary visas to travel." Dec 26 - Mother Nature deals a crushing blow to coastal inhabitants Jan 2 - Human stupidity finishes off the survivors of Dec 26 |
| Posted by: Hupailet Grereting6218 2005-01-02 8:10:36 AM |
| #5 This is naturally our first move in asserting a military hegemony over the Islamic peoples in the Far East. Soon we'll have complete control over their economies, and an endless supply of cheap consumer goods for the American markets, like, um, coconuts. What a bunch of maroons. |
| Posted by: Asedwich 2005-01-02 6:25:47 PM |
| #4 "The presence of foreign troops on Indonesian soil is a sensitive issue. The nation with the largest Muslim population on earth... ...public criticism of both the new government and the US has grown." I dare say it's not an issue to the afflicted right now. The rest be damned. |
| Posted by: Tom 2005-01-02 2:36:35 PM |
| #3 So let the wealthy arab nations provide them with the help they need. Uh, guys? Anybody? Where's that outpouring of milk of human kindness for suffering fellow Muslims? I thought so. |
| Posted by: Weird Al 2005-01-02 2:08:23 PM |
| #2 "Praise God, they are coming to help us," said Munajar, a Banda Aceh clerk who like many Indonesians uses only one name. "We have been waiting for the international community to assist us and now they have come." How come people in Florida never day things like this after 4 serial hurricanes? The educational system in Indonesia must be very impressive for people to be able to remain so articulate and retain their composure. |
| Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2005-01-02 7:27:41 AM |
| #1 The Islamic Defenders Front. Right. Perhaps they'll do in Aceh what the Eastern Province Governor did in Saudi when Gulf Shield began, pack up the mutawas (religious police) and the other idiots likely to cause trouble and ship 'em out to some other area - and keep them there muzzled - while the real work is done. Personally, I would enjoy seeing Almascaty and friends when they get a glimpse of the wymyns in the US Armed Forces... prolly scare the shit out of 'em. Cheesedicks. |
| Posted by: .com 2005-01-02 7:26:27 AM |
