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Thu 8 Sep, 2005 10:06 pm
Quote:Hardly 48 hours ago I once again explicitly offered the United States to send a medical force with the necessary means to offer emergency assistance to the tens of thousands of Americans trapped in the flooded areas and the ruins Katrina left behind.
It was clear to us that those who faced the greatest danger were these huge numbers of poor, desperate people, many elderly citizens with health situations, pregnant women, mothers and children among them, all in urgent need of medical care.
In such a situation, regardless of how rich a country may be, the number of scientists it has or how great its technical breakthroughs have been, what it needs are young, well-trained and experienced professionals, who have done medical work in similar circumstances, and who, with a minimum of resources, can be immediately transported to specific facilities or sites where the lives of human beings are in danger.
Cuba, a short distance away from Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, was in a position to offer assistance to the American people. Cuba would be completely powerless to help the crew of a spaceship or a nuclear submarine in distress, but it could offer crucial assistance to the victims of hurricane Katrina, facing imminent death.
Castro states that Cuba first extended its offer of assistance on Tuesday, Aug. 30, at 12:45 pm, when the winds and downpours had barely ceased. He continues:
Knowing that I could rely on men and women like you, I reiterated our offer three days later, promising that in less than 12 hours the first 100 doctors, carrying the necessary medical resources in their backpacks, could be in Houston; that an additional 500 could be there 10 hours later and that, within the next 36 hours, 500 more, for a total of 1,100, could join them to save at least one of the many lives at risk.
Castro states that in response to the increasingly alarming news, not 1,100 but 1,586 Cuban doctors were mobilized. Their average age is 32 and the group of health care professionals includes 857 women and 729 men.
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Hmmm....I guess this is evidence of compassionate conservatism at work.
Let's let American people die in their neighbor's rot and keep Castro the f*ck out of America.
Sound logic...and predictable at that.
I'm not sure this is an issue of putting more people in the hurricane zone but rather lack of having a plan and the proper equipment. Remember there were fireman being held up on an outer zone.
Remains to be seen where the Troops from Mexico end-up being used.
Those troops already probably had a visa, transportation and were self contained.
It never occurred to me that the Bush administration would hold up a relief effort on such an insignificant caveat like lacking a proper plan. After all, he rushed into Iraq....a situation with far greater consequences, with less of a plan and less to gain for the American people.
I can't imagine a scenario where having too many medical professionals was a bad thing. it's not like they are being asked to wade into the basements and treat people. This is America...there are places where their services could be essential.
Instead, the grudge continues.
It's no surprise that the U.S. declined medical help from Cuba, and the reason is purely political. However, I'm getting tired of the nitwits on the radio who have been making snide comments about Cuba's offer since it was extended. Sending medical aid and personnel to countries in need is considered a duty in Cuba. Cuba sends proportionately more medical aid and personnel to needy countries than most of the larger industrial countries and, unless the statistics have changed in the last few years, more total medical personnel than the U.S. And before someone makes an ass of him or herself by suggesting that Cuba should keep their medical aid and personnel at home to take care of their own citizens, it should be noted that citizens of Cuba generally have fewer health problems than Americans and Cuba's national infant mortality rate is lower than that of almost all American metropolitan areas.
Cuba is governed by an oppressive dictator. Nobody's arguing differently. However, turning down such a generous offer of material and services that are so desperately needed is an act of pride and stupidity.
Who says we are required to accept help from anyone?
Would you place your life in the hands of a so called doctor from that country?
woiyo wrote:Who says we are required to accept help from anyone?
No one. But simple logic and common sense seem to imply that one accepts help when one needs it.
Quote:Would you place your life in the hands of a so called doctor from that country?
Given the absence of my family doctor and Cuba's national healthcare record, you bet your ass I would.
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