U.S. Military Responds to Haiti Crisis

(CBS)  Even before a devastating 7.0-magnitute earthquake struck Tuesday, Haiti's infrastructure was shoddy at best, with construction codes virtually non-existent. Today, the U.S. military began a massive relief effort.

Two C-130 transport planes flew in with military engineers and communications specialists. A Coast Guard cutter arrived in Port-au-Prince this morning. An aircraft carrier - the USS Carl Vinson - should get there by Friday. And as many as 5,500 U.S. troops are expected within days, as CBS News correspondent David Martin reports.

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Like all military operations, this one began with reconnaissance missions. A Coast Guard flyover showed hundreds of people in the street, apparently trying to get away from the threat of collapsing buildings. A Coast Guard helicopter had already MedEvaced four badly injured Americans to Guantanamo, Cuba.

By afternoon Wednesday C-130s were bringing in teams to make ground level assessments of the damage and set up a control tower and satellite communications - the first steps in piercing the fog of an epic disaster.

"The bottom line is we don't have a clear assessment, right now, of what the situation on the ground is, what the needs within Port-au-Prince are, how extensive the situation is," said Gen. Douglas Fraser, head of the U.S. southern command.

Fraser has been ordered to provide food, water, medical care, and shelter as well as restore essential services like electricity to a hard luck country that has just been set back a generation. The airfield has only one runway and a Coast Guard cutter has surveyed the main port and found a chaos."

"Piers have collapsed into the water, cranes have toppled over, shipping containers are in the water, buildings at the wharves have collapsed," said Coast Guard commander Diane W. Durham.

Helping Haiti will require scores of ships and aircraft and thousands of American servicemen and women. The aircraft carrier Vinson is due to arrive within 48 hours loaded with helicopters.

An amphibious task force with 2,200 marines on board will get there about two days later. And 3,500 paratroopers are on alert at Fort Bragg, N.C., available to prevent looting and control crowds. The first of them could be on the ground as early as tomorrow.

Defense Secretary Robert gates told Gen. Fraser late Wednesday that this operation has the highest priority and he should not hesitate to ask for anything he wants.

[Empire-George-]

by proudmilvet January 14, 2010 2:30 AM EST
Also, no other nation except the U.S. Religious Right will try to make this out to be some kind of retribution from God. In effect, the Despicable comments made by Pat Robertson!
____________________________

He made a comment, however, what you are neglecting to point out, is that despite his idiotic comments, his organization immediately when into massive action to help Haiti with food and supplied, much more then any organizations I've heard, except the red-cross.....so do you appreciate more ? action or words

[BlueDodger]

While those suffering in Haiti obviously need help, this is not a job that should be thrust on the military alone. It's not what the military was designed to do, but, unfortunately gets dumped on everytime something like this happens. Why not have the civil relief sector, i.e. Peace Corps, CARE, State Dept, and civilian volunteers do the work? It IS what they were designed to do. I'm sure the military would gladly provide the transport for them. Maybe the Hollywood loudmouths could also pitch in, i.e., Oprah, Streisand, et al. Bottom line why this won't happen is because they are all just "talkers". I would say to them, "Remember what the military is doing around the world the next time you want to bash them."

[AOCGUY]

The military is uniquely able to rapidly respond to disasters like this especially when security will be paramount. Those organizations you speak of will and have already begun deploying s well but the military can get in there faster and set up a basic infrastructure that will allow others to operate. Prime example was the Navy or Coast Guard that established initial air traffic control from ship board while the USAF Special Operations guys that went in and established a ground based ATC system that would allow safe landings and takeoffs from the airport. I'm damn proud of my fellow servicemembers, quite a few from the base I work at, that responded so quickly and effectively.

[AOCGUY]

And by the way, just heard that Brad Pitt and his wife just donated $1,000,000 to Doctors WIthout Borders, specifically for the Haitian relief effort while other "Hollywood loudmouths" as you call them are out mobilizing contributions for the same. While it may seem politically correct to bash celebrities as do nothing liberals, many of those same people are doing way more than you or I can do to help out. So instead of criticizing, all of us should be looking what we can do not just for the Haitian Relief effort but in our own communities to help out where we can.

[fedup12]

Wow Obamas response to Haiti is better than GWB's in New Orleans.

[longtree-2009]

these naval ships and troops are needed more in afghanistan, or iraq, than helping haiti. don't get this massive aid being piped to haiti when our own nation has poor, homeless, drug addicts and so much more that needs attention. you don't see france moving naval ships and military to haiti and it belonged to france until haiti became independent in the 19th century. feel for its people but what's so special about haiti that the usa reacts massively to help it? haitians come here illegally but we don't deport them because why? are blacks favored over hispanics, cubans over others?

[bciss]

There are so many ignorant and inhuman things about this comment. That it needs no further response than to point that out. Since you either understand that or lack a soul.

[AOCGUY]

Let's analyze your comments.

One, while we certainly have problems in the US, the crisis in Haiti is one of immediacy - i.e. the next 48-96 hours could very well spell the difference whether 10s of thousand if not hundreds of thousands of human beings will live or die. Not to mention that a nation in our hemisphere has a very strong potential of literally collapsing into total chaos because of this disaster.

Two, we most definitely do deport Haitians back to Haiti regularly. IN fact if you had been paying attention to the news, it was just yesterday that the USG decided to temporarily suspend deportations back to Haiti for what should be even to your very obvious reasons.

[proudmilvet]

Also, no other nation except the U.S. Religious Right will try to make this out to be some kind of retribution from God. In effect, the Despicable comments made by Pat Robertson!

[proudmilvet]

erb0087: Maybe you're right! I also bet that Iceland won't be trying to make this tragedy out to be some sort of Liberal VS Conservative thing like we most likely will.

[erb0087]

Beware of emails soliciting money for earthquake victims.

These are probably scams.

Legitimate groups like the Red Cross will be accepting donations at their official websites.

[proudmilvet]

Can we please help these poor people in any way that we can without politicizing everything? Enough with patting ourselves on the back & proclaiming that we are the "Greatest nation on the face of the earth!"

[erb0087]

by proudmilvet January 14, 2010 1:56 AM EST
Can we please help these poor people in any way that we can without politicizing everything? Enough with patting ourselves on the back & proclaiming that we are the "Greatest nation on the face of the earth!"
=============================================================

I read that a rescue team from Iceland will be the first to arrive.

Maybe Iceland is the greatest nation on the face of the earth.

[frankandsteph]

Our prisons are over flowing with self centered selfish people. They would not be there if they had it in their hearts to help little old lady's across the street, you are correct..................

[erb0087]

I was just watching the Poseidon Adventure, where Shelley Winters saved Gene Hackman's life by swimming 500 yards underwater and then died in his arms as he wept.

And some of you people are so selfish you wouldn't help a little old lady across the street.

Shame on you.