Article

2005-01-04 Southeast Asia

In politically sensitive south Asia, U.S. Marines find it hard to get boots on the ground

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Posted by Sherry 2005-01-04 12:15:52 PM|| || Front Page|| [11132 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 And the tiny voice in my head said, "Fuck 'em. Invade and help them anyway."

But soon, with a great sigh, it went away, leaving only the echoes of the screams and, later, the wailing of loss.

Posted by .com 2005-01-04 3:13:55 PM|| 2005-01-04 3:13:55 PM|| Front Page Top

#2 It is difficult to have sympathy for the governments but not the people. If these people only understood what we stood for it would all be apparent. I agree if you don't want us, why bother.

Posted by Rightwing 2005-01-04 3:17:53 PM|| 2005-01-04 3:17:53 PM|| Front Page Top

#3 good comment RW and thanks for losing the Caplocks..

Posted by Frank G 2005-01-04 3:32:34 PM|| 2005-01-04 3:32:34 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 Ahem, I think the bigger problem is that the US is trying to send supplies to help people, *not* money that would go directly into the pockets of the regime. From the regime's point of view, that is the only aid worth having, and screw the peasants.

Posted by Anonymoose 2005-01-04 3:46:06 PM|| 2005-01-04 3:46:06 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 We shoudl send the whole kit and kaboodle to Sri Lanka and Thiland if they'll accept the help. If the Indos don't want it, .com had the right idea.

Posted by Mrs. Davis 2005-01-04 4:03:37 PM|| 2005-01-04 4:03:37 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 Jakarta was quick to open Aceh because it needed the help, but the image of large numbers of Marines pouring ashore would be politically sensitive to the predominantly Muslim nation.

More politically sensitive than a bunch more dead people, whose deaths are attributed to avoidable religious belligerence, rather than unavoidable acts of nature?

Posted by Jules 187 2005-01-04 4:04:29 PM|| 2005-01-04 4:04:29 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 You got it RW, and yes, thanks for caps and lower-case.

Posted by Shipman 2005-01-04 4:21:40 PM|| 2005-01-04 4:21:40 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 That's fine. Move on to the next folks who want the help. The Saudi navy or some other Muslim navy should be along to help these folks... ummmmmmmmmmmmm... soon. We'll let them know where you are.

Posted by tu3031 2005-01-04 4:46:57 PM|| 2005-01-04 4:46:57 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 I'll say it out loud. Fuck 'em.

History shows that any aid we give to muslims is not appreciated or remembered.

It is the very crux of their desert clan death cult to either kill us or convert us and establish a world-wide ummah.

Ralph Peters (generally a smart guy) notwithsatnding, there is NO SUCH THING as a moderate muslim. You either are muslim, or you are an apostate, which is worse than being an infidel.

Anyway, my point is do not aid your enemy.

Parabellum (Not a goddamn dime)

Posted by Parabellum 2005-01-04 6:51:25 PM|| 2005-01-04 6:51:25 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 If we go on the the next people I say we do very publically. Make sure that everyone knows that our assistance was turned down my the Indonesia government because of religious reasons. Leave them to the U.N. (but dont give any aid via the UN either - dont let Kofi and his theves steal the credit for our efforts!).

Posted by CrazyFool 2005-01-04 7:15:23 PM|| 2005-01-04 7:15:23 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 If they say no thanks move on and make it really public that we tried. Sri Lanka is a shit hole anyhow. If Indonesia has problems tough luck. We have other places we can spend our treasure.

Posted by Sock Puppet of Doom 2005-01-04 8:52:14 PM|| [http://www.slhess.com] 2005-01-04 8:52:14 PM|| Front Page Top

#12 Wonder how much this was encouraged by UN officials who resent us actually expecting to take credit for what we donate and for the work we do.

Posted by very anon 2005-01-04 9:18:03 PM|| 2005-01-04 9:18:03 PM|| Front Page Top

#13 There are billions of moderate muslims and most of them live in the areas affected. These are the poorest of the poor and they probably bear less animosity to us than do the French or Germans. Let's get these people water and food. Good God, where's your Christian spirit ?? 99.9% of these people have nothing to do with the WOT.

F^%$$ the UN, but don't use these people as pawns to do it.

Posted by 2b 2005-01-04 9:27:18 PM|| 2005-01-04 9:27:18 PM|| Front Page Top

#14 snipped from Davids Medienkritik:

http://diplomadic.blogspot.com/

this memo written by Dutch diplomats and circulated at an EU meeting in Indonesia:

The US military has arrived and is clearly establishing its presence everywhere in Banda Aceh. They completely have taken over the military hospital, which was a mess until yesterday but is now completely up and running. They brought big stocks of medicines, materials for the operation room, teams of doctors, water and food. Most of the patients who were lying in the hospital untreated for a week have undergone medical treatment by the US teams by this afternoon. US military have unloaded lots of heavy vehicles and organize the logistics with Indonesian military near the airport. A big camp is being set up at a major square in the town. Huge generators are ready to provide electricity. US helicopters fly to places which haven't been reached for the whole week and drop food. The impression it makes on the people is also highly positive; finally something happens in the city of Banda Aceh and finally it seems some people are in control and are doing something. No talking but action. European countries are until now invisible on the ground. IOM staff (note: this is a USAID-funded organization) is very busy briefing the incoming Americans and Australians about the situation.

Posted by Sock Puppet of Doom 2005-01-04 9:30:00 PM|| [http://www.slhess.com] 2005-01-04 9:30:00 PM|| Front Page Top

#15 Sweet post, SPo'D - THANK YOU!

Posted by .com 2005-01-04 9:43:31 PM|| 2005-01-04 9:43:31 PM|| Front Page Top

#16 No talking but action. It's the cowboy way.

Posted by 2b 2005-01-04 10:04:14 PM|| 2005-01-04 10:04:14 PM|| Front Page Top

#17 Jakarta was quick to open Aceh because it needed the help, but the image of large numbers of Marines pouring ashore would be politically sensitive to the predominantly Muslim nation.

Well. There's nothing like sacrificing untold numbers of your own population just for the sake of political sensitivity, no?

Posted by Bomb-a-rama 2005-01-04 10:08:35 PM|| 2005-01-04 10:08:35 PM|| Front Page Top

#18 Re Aceh, someone with expertise in Indonesia on, I believe, belmontclub, pointed out that the rebels there are not jihadists but ethnic separatists with a completely different heritage, culture and identity from the Jakarta-based majority. ANother key grievance of theirs is apparently the rape of their natural resources, mainly natural gas, of which they have huge reserves and 95% of which cash flow is grabbed by Jakarta. No reason, really, that we should oppose these people. It's not about islamofascism.

Posted by lex 2005-01-04 10:10:18 PM|| 2005-01-04 10:10:18 PM|| Front Page Top

00:02 joeblow
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22:27 Mrs. Davis