Russia Ready to Send Rescuers to Katrina Disaster Area

[ECH1969]

The Russian Emergencies Ministry has offered the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency help in conducting search-and-rescue operations after Hurricane Katrina hit the American Gulf Coast and surged northward, RIA Novosti reports.

Two Russian Ilyshin cargo planes with rescue workers, search helicopters and special equipment for off-line operations in disaster areas are on standby at the Ramenskoe aerodrome outside Moscow ready to leave for the United States.

Ministry employees are also ready to participate in the search for and rescue of hurricane victims, including any Russian citizens that may be in the Gulf region.

The Ministry has also offered to send a Russian expert to the rescue headquarters near New Orleans.

http://www.mosnews.com/news/2005/08/31/katrinahelp.shtml

[Vincardog]

1. WAy to go Russia/ Bring them on

[growlypants]

2. i hope that prick Bush accepts their help.

[CottonBear]

3. Thank you Russia. n/t

[lebkuchen]

4. I'd love it if France would offer.

What's more nouveau French than New Orleans or Baton Rouge?

[JPZenger]

6. Offers from other countries

"Venezuela has offered their Medical Airlift Command for the evacuation of peoples trapped in these devastated regions; Holland has offered the resources of their Public Works Ministry (and who are the acknowledged World Experts for below sea level water evacuation procedures); Russia has offered over 100,000 temporary living structures, along with Military Personal to assist their American counterparts; Iran has offered 1 Billion US Dollars in immediate assistance and guaranteed 5,000,000 barrels of oil at $35.00 US Dollars; China has offered their Military Rescue Forces (Who are acknowledged as one of the best in the world for rescuing peoples in flood ravaged areas.)

All of these offers, and more, the Leaders of the United States have declined, and for the their previously stated reason: “The United States Government and its People Respectfully Decline your offer of assistance and refer you to our previous State Department Bulletin (NCO:13788) in which we had stated that this remains an internal action.”

http://www.whatdoesitmean.com/index813.htm

---
P.S. - France does now have substantial military forces fighting with the U.S. in Afghanistan, including fighter jets. The Germans and many other countries have had troops on the ground in Afghanistan for years.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

9. "All of these offers...the Leaders of the United States have declined"

How infuriating!!!

There are people in this country who have not yet recovered from the devastating storms of 2003 and 2004. But will Dumbyass admit that he's driven this country into the ground with his frivolous war? No, not even if it means that those who suffer most from his incompetence may now die.

Impeach that asshole NOW!

[pippin]

12. Who actually declined?

Anyone know who these "leaders of the United States" were who declined? "An internal action?" So its o.k. if ther U.S. meddles in the affairs of other countries but not o.k. for Americans in distress to get any help???

[earth mom]

16. Thanks for posting this.

Did everybody notice this line:

Iran has offered 1 Billion US Dollars in immediate assistance and guaranteed 5,000,000 barrels of oil at $35.00 US Dollars

Yeah, that's right they want to HELP. NOT NUKE THE U.S.

How do you explain that one Duhbya?!

[LisaM]

20. No offense, but that website you linked to seems inflammatory

Do you have a different source for these offers?

[Monkey see Monkey Do]

21. "Sorcha Faal" aka David Booth is a nutjob

After the Planet X fiasco he changed names & suddenly aquired a horde of Russian intelligence sources.

[demo dutch]

19. Yeah since they settled there, at least they picked the highest ground

[lebkuchen]

26. Has the lowest ground always been that low?

Or did man have anything to do with that?

[nodehopper]

30. France did offer.

there was a thread about it on DU this morning.

[woodsprite]

5. Does Bush have to accept?

Can't Blanco accept the offer for her own people? Especially since Bushbot isn't doing anything constructive?

[OneBlueSky]

7. for many, it's already too late . . . one image that has tortured me . . .

is that of people who kept moving higher and higher into their homes until they found themselves stranded in their enclosed, windowless attics . . . with the temperatures in the 90s and higher in NO, it's probable that many of these folks have literally cooked to death by now . . . horribly tragic, but very likely, imo . . .

[ConcernedCanuk]

8. Easy fer them to say - they don't have thousands in Iraq!!.

.
.
.

And I read sumwhere that the WH was advised that this year's hurricane season was gonna be the worst in recorded history

in MARCH . .

so don let the WH give ya that "well we didn't know" crap

and way to go Russia

:thumbsup:

the US could USE a few experts

[woodsprite]

13. Well, if somebody already advised * of that,

I'm not surprised he didn't listen. Ain't nobody can tell him what to think, do, etc. He is Gawd.

Edited to add: Oh, yeah. Except Rove.

[northzax]

10. good, I hope we take it all

frankly. not that I think we particularly need it, but it's a good gesture to show that we are still part of the global community, and especially if we take assistance from places like Venezuela, it shows that we aren't too proud to recognize our neighbors' compassion and humanity.

if nothing else, it's a good geopoltical move and a good way to start good relations with governments. not that this means shit to the idiots in charge.

[Mizmoon]

11. I'm not sure we need it

I assume it will take at least a day if not longer for them to get there, right? That's how long it will take for us to converge all of our rescue stuff on the scene. This is a huge country and we have lots of resources - the sad part is that it's not on the scene at the moment.

[Mel]

14. I think the help offer from Holland

would be most wise to take it seems like the smart thing to do for New Orleans. If it were up to me I'd damn sure take that help!

I think it would be a real eye opener for some of the people in this country to realize that people from other countries don't hate us for our freedom.

[daleo]

15. Bush won't take help, I think

Acceptance of a gift implies a reciprocal obligation at a future date (i.e. if I accept your gift, I have to treat you decently later, by the standards of most civilized people). Bush wants to keep his options open for bashing, attacking and insulting countries at a later date.

[pacifictiger]

17. I'm reminded of the time of the Kirsk

submarine disaster - when Russia/Yeltsin was too proud to admit they did not have the smarts/resources for a quick rescue and refused help from outside sources.
Bush has that same disconnect - and most resources are elsewhere in the world attending to his "dream empire." Don't expect the offer to be graciously accepted - that would be a sign of weakness!

[OhioBlue]

18. thank you for this post!!!

I hope without much expectation that this will get coverage for all the bitchers about "where is the global community when we need help" even tho we have more resources than pretty much any other country.

[54anickel]

22. No, no, no - Bush says to send cash for the "armies of compassion"

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050831-3.html

At this stage in the recovery efforts, it's important for those who want to contribute, to contribute cash. You can contribute cash to a charity of your choice, but make sure you designate that gift for hurricane relief. You can call 1-800-HELPNOW, or you can get on the Red Cross web page, RedCross.org. The Red Cross needs our help. I urge our fellow citizens to contribute.

[SoCalDem]

27. and one of the organizations listed at FEMA is Pat Robertson's

scammy "faith-based" rip-off aid scheme..

[maxsolomon]

23. there you go, whiners

other countries are offering help. it took 1 day after the scope of the disaster became apparent.

[matt819]

24. I think that's great

I would also like to see the Chinese, Koreans, South Africa, and Egypt offer aid to the US. The message that would send, in oh so many ways!

[Sgent]

25. The US

should accept the offer from Holland without question.

Some of the others could be useful -- especially if they already have assets in the Carribbean which could be used.

[struggle4progress]

28. kick

[NorthernSpy]

29. Yes! Thank you, Russians!

Your offer of help is very gracious and very welcome. We are in no position to turn it down, whatever that clown in the Whitehouse might have told you. Please do come.

[slay]

31. Let them - it's brutally obvious that our government has no clue what it's

doing. Either that or they've decided not to help, I honestly can't tell. :shrug: