U.S. in 'battle mode' following quake (CNN)

[stevedeshazer]

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The United States is moving into "battle mode" following Monday's magnitude 8.7 earthquake in southern Asia, alerting U.S. posts in the region and contacting aid workers, a State Department spokesman said.

"We're applying what we've learned from the previous earthquake, so that we can be prepared to be responsive quickly and in a meaningful way," said spokesman Adam Ereli.

He said U.S. officials are "in battle mode to be in a position where we can act."

The United States has contacted aid organizations to try to get an assessment of the damage, particularly compared to the December 26 quake and tsunamis that left more than 300,000 people dead or missing.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/03/28/us.indonesia.quake/
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BATTLE mode? :wtf:

We're at war with the Earth? I guess I knew that. Terra alert.

[kedrys]

1. "We won't be caught again....

...in the act of not giving a sh*t about all them poor brown people!"

Jackasses. :grr:

[nadinbrzezinski]

2. Having worked as an Aide Worker

every yaer, round this time of the year, we went on tactical alert.

Remember many of these organizations are paramilitaries

[stevedeshazer]

3. Didn't know about the tactical alert thing

Paramilitary, yes.

[nadinbrzezinski]

5. I was a medic in Tijuana with the Red Cross

and Spring Break always led to a tac alert, due to the dearies going down there to get drunk

So the language does not shock me...

I must say though, it is also part of the militarization of the society... but that is a whole different ball of wax

[RaleighNCDUer]

4. Terra alert.

That's just bad. (LOL)

[Coastie for Truth]

6. "Battle Mode" does not necessarily mean "Aggressive Military"

Out here in the tsunami, earthquake, and forest fire country we have a system called "Incident Command System" - "Standard Emergency Management System" for all kinds of disasters--> http://www.911dispatch.com/ics/ics_main.html (a very good description with a lot of links) and
http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/is195.asp
as part of our "Standardized Emergency Management System" http://www.oes.ca.gov/Operational/OESHome.nsf/978596171691962788256b350061870e

Used by Police, Fire, Ems, Red Cross, Salvation Army, Amateur Radio Emergency Service, CERT, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Urban Search and Rescue, Moutain Emergency Search and Rescue, Civil Air Patrol, Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxilliary, etc. The SEMS-ICS is scalable and extensable from a kitchen fire to a Richter 9.5 Loma Prieta Earthquake in downtown San Francisco to a Tsunami with 170,000 dead.

[stevedeshazer]

7. Thanks for the info

The phrase just sounded strange to my civilian ears.

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. And it is used across the world

as an Incident Commander during more than one mess I know exactly how the sucker works

It includes things service specific, such as HAZMAT and Hostage situations. The ICS is used regularly and I'd hazard has saved lives, as it is far better than a bunch of headless chickens running every which way

[AuntiBush]

9. Bad Choice of Words for an Impending Disaster.

CNN's Lou Dobbs just accidently corrected himself, while ranting in favor of Social Security stating "Privatization," quickly nodding his head wrongly. As if to self-correct himself, he quickly changed the wording to "Personal," then "Private" accounts.

A commerical followed. And he's now putting down the Protestors of Privatization from AARP and AFLCIO. And I'm out of my mind to even have this on.

[nadinbrzezinski]

12. For the people being put on alert this is not a bad choice

as those are orders being sent. Now for a news network to use them, absoltuely reflects the further militarization of society.

[SpiralHawk]

10. They are rushing Bush to the National Nap Center

So he can be in position for his usual for response to crisis, and cuddle up with his blankey and Teddy Bear.

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. Is that a new or an old blankie?

[stevedeshazer]

13. LOL!!

[Festivito]

14. Blissfully dreaming: all earthquakes are alike... :-}

Nap on autopilot *, as I wonder what mistakes he'll make next. At least he keeps Rove busy, away from destroying US with more policy.

Planning vacations is, is hard work. That being said, all naps are on the table.

[Algorem]

15. they must have something we can do 'em out of