<html><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; ">Brian,<div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The US does have policy for foreign disaster response. Responsibility is with the Office of Foreign Disaster Response in USAID. OFDA responded on the day of the earthquake. US search and rescue teams were dispatched to Haiti immediately (before China or Iceland). The delay in response may be related to the decision to rely on the military. Military organization is not necessarily well suited to civilian relief operations. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>OFDA responded energetically in the relief effort following the Bam earthquake in Iran. However, that aid must be requested by the affected country. </div><div><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The US military may berestoring effective in restoring and managing the airport, stockpiling material and setting up emergency water supply. However, the military may over emphasize issues of security and lack competence in dealing with the civilian population.<br><div apple-content-edited="true"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; border-spacing: 0px 0px; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; text-align: auto; -khtml-text-decorations-in-effect: none; text-indent: 0px; -apple-text-size-adjust: auto; text-transform: none; orphans: 2; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; "><div style="word-wrap: break-word; -khtml-nbsp-mode: space; -khtml-line-break: after-white-space; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Dr. Frederick Krimgold</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Director</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Disaster Risk Reduction Program (DRR)</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Virginia Tech</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Advanced Research Institute (ARI)</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">4300 Wilson Blvd., Suite 750</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Arlington, VA 22203 USA</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Main: 703-528-5500</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Direct: 703-387-6033</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Fax: 703-528-5543</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Email: <a href="mailto:krimgold@vt.edu">krimgold@vt.edu</a></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; ">Web: <a href="http://www.ari.vt.edu/DRR">www.ari.vt.edu/DRR</a></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; "><br class="khtml-block-placeholder"></div><div><br class="khtml-block-placeholder"></div><div><br class="khtml-block-placeholder"></div><div><br class="khtml-block-placeholder"></div><div><br class="khtml-block-placeholder"></div></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"></span> </div><br><div><div>On Jan 18, 2010, at 10:24 PM, Brian G. McAdoo wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><blockquote type="cite"><div><div style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt; color: #000000">Colleagues,<div><br></div><div>The US has come under increasing criticism for its relatively slow response to the Haitian disaster. On the one hand, countries as far afield as China (geographically) and Iceland (economically) seemed to respond faster than the Obama administration. On the other hand, however, it is much easier to mobilize half-a-million band-aids than it is a fully equipped floating hospital. </div><div><br></div><div>So, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Does the US have a policy concerning where, when, how much and how fast aid is delivered during the course of a disaster? Does the US Government keep a stockpile of supplies in case of a disaster? Or are the reserves truly being drained by the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan? Why $100 M, and not $10 M or $1 B? Would a similar package been offered to Cuba or Venezuela, had the disaster happened there? Would the Marines been brought in for supposed riot control had the disaster occurred in the Virgin Islands?</span></div><div><b><br></b></div><div>If there is a policy in place, then the government can be held accountable for the shortcomings it is accused of. If there isn't a policy in place, should there be, or is it better off as a case-by-case basis because of the geophysical and geopolitical complexity of disasters?</div><div><br></div><div>Thank you for your thoughts,</div><div><br></div><div>Brian</div><div><br>-- <br>Brian G. McAdoo<br>Program Chair<br>Department of Earth Science and Geography<br>Box 735<br>Vassar College<br>Poughkeepsie, NY 12604<br><br>845.249.9561 m<br>845.437.7703 w<br><br>Office hours: T 10-11; Th 2-3<br><br></div></div></div>_______________________________________________<br>This mailing list is provided by ECIE.ORG for RADIX<br>To post a message, send it to: <a href="mailto:radix@ecie.org">radix@ecie.org</a><br>To subscribe or unsubscribe visit:<br><a href="http://ecie.org/mailman/listinfo/radix">http://ecie.org/mailman/listinfo/radix</a><br>See more information about ECIE: http://www.ecie.org/<br>Radix - Radical Interpretations of Disaster:<br>http://www.radixonline.org/</blockquote></div><br></div></body></html>