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| India-Pakistan |
| US pledge every possible support for flood relief in Pakistan |
| 2010-08-09 |
| [Geo News] Pledging continued support for Pakistan's flood recovery effort, the United States has said the reconstruction phase following the current relief work will likely need more international aid overtime than committed to the key South Asian country after a deadly earthquake in 2005. "What makes this unique is the scale of the disaster and its effect throughout the entire country," U.S. ambassador to Pakistan, Anne Patterson, said. "The (7.6-magnitude) earthquake and the displacement of 2 million people from the Swat Valley (in anti-militant operation last year) were more localized. So while the loss of life in this disaster may be less, the economic impact and the need for reconstruction assistance over time could well be greater," the diplomat added, speaking from Islamabad via teleconference with American journalists. The United States, she said, is working with the federal Pakistani government and established NGOs to provide immediate life-saving aid to the victims of the worst floods in Pakistan in 80 years. The UN now estimates that nearly 1500 people were killed, a million people remain homeless, and 4.5 million people have been affected across the country as the initial flood waters moves through the Indus River system toward the Arabian Sea. It would be as if the Missouri, Arkansas and Red Rivers all overflowed at once and then dumped huge amounts of water and debris into the Mississippi, Patterson said, explaining enormity of the disaster to Americans. The ambassador estimated that the number of affected people is expected to rise to 6 million by the end of the week. "Countrywide, 92 bridges have been destroyed, and more than 200 major roads have been damaged. There are four major dams at risk. Crop and livestock loss will affect long-term livelihood and food security. International organizations believe that up to 2.5 million people will require food assistance. We anticipate that with additional rains this weekend, waters will still be high next week," she informed. The U.S. engagement with this flood crisis began last Friday when the Government of Pakistan asked that U.S. helicopters and aircraft, assigned to support the Pakistan interior ministry's air wing, support flood relief, Patterson said. "We agreed immediately and began to consider what other ways we could help. In the meantime, these U.S. aircraft have rescued over a thousand people and airlifted over 37,000 pounds of supplies." The U.S. has already committed $35 million in assistance to flood-affected populations. President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton have vowed to stand by Pakistan in the hour of crisis. Hillary, throw a ten spot in for me too. I'll owe ya... Sure you will...Will do, "The money will be provided by USAID to international organizations and established Pakistani NGOs to provide food, health care, and shelter for those displaced by the floods. This is being supplemented by existing programs that we had in place to help many of these same people who were formerly displaced by fighting in Swat. And we are working now to identify gaps," the top U.S. diplomat in Islamabad said. Maybe you can train them in Java and help them set up help desks... In response to a question, the ambassador underscored the United States' close working relationship with Pakistani government in the ongoing relief effort and praised the federal disaster management authority for doing a good job. "There are always, in situations like this, NGOs that are associated with what we would call extremist groups who have been active delivering supplies. But they are totally, in my view, overcome by the enormous number of local and highly reputable NGOs and the international NGOs who have already mobilized for this crisis. We are working with already 13 international and local NGOs trying to get money to them as quickly as possible so they can provide services throughout the country. So we think the government is particularly the federal disaster management authority is doing a good job in delivering support to the people." |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 you have too pretty much bend over aand kiss your own ass too get some help here, kinda like the unemployment geting cut too about 2 million for 2 months but lets rush a bunch of shit too these ppl who hate everything about us.Goddamned when is the government gonna learn you can't buy their love. |
| Posted by: chris 2010-08-09 11:59 |
| #1 And American Muslims will use this as an excuse for why "restrictions" against giving zakat should be loosened (like Pres. Obama promised in Cairo). |
| Posted by: American Delight 2010-08-09 05:56 |