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| Home Front: Politix |
| Bush: U.S. warning system adequate |
| 2004-12-29 |
| WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- President Bush said he presumes the U.S. warning system for predicting tsunamis and other natural disasters is in order, but he stopped short of definitively backing the infrastructure currently in place. "I presume that we are in pretty good shape. I think our location in the world is such that we may be less vulnerable than other parts, but I am not a geologist, as you know," Bush told reporters in Crawford, Texas. "I can't answer your question specifically: Do we have enough of a warning system for the West Coast? I am now asking that to our agencies and government to let us know," Bush said in response to a question about the U.S. warning system as he made his first public comments since the devastating earthquake and ensuing tsunami that has so far killed at more than 75,000 people in Asia. Bush said the United States had joined forces with Australia, India and Japan to coordinate rebuilding efforts in the region. "This has been a terrible disaster. It's just beyond our comprehension," Bush said as he announced the United States had joined forces with Australia, India and Japan to coordinate rebuilding efforts. "We will stand with them as they start to rebuild their communities," the president said. He dismissed the notion that rich nations of the world have been "stingy" with relief efforts. "I felt like the person who made that statement was very misguided and ill-informed," Bush said, referring to Monday comments from Jan Egeland, the United Nations emergency relief coordinator. Egeland later backed away from his remarks. |
| Posted by:Steve |