Okay I have read as many reports as I can about the passage of the one year mark in Haiti's recovery efforts. NY Times reporting Haitian government has documented in excess of 330,000 deaths in last years earthquake. WOW! And just 700 miles offshore!
No disaster declaration or emergency declaration for either Haiti or BP oil spill. Mistake on both accounts IMO!
The BP spill Commission report is out and seems to have some sensible recommendations. Some are very confused.
Bottom line in 2012 both events likely to impact Presidential elections. In particular black turnout only way President Obama can win in 2012 and Haiti will by then demonstrate inherent racism in US disaster policy. Of course if we full militarized the response, a DOD in rapid decline after over a decade of warfare in the faroff marches would probably be glad to repeat the 1915-1933 occupancy of Haiti. Maybe the Haitians would also. But hey isn't Paul Bremer tan, rested and ready? Also the Chinese, Cuban, and Venzuelan
involvement in Haiti is still undocumented by MSM.
Perhaps Haiti is why President's Obama and Sarkozy were doing so much hugging and kissing. Neither publically blamed the other and both have helped destroy the first black ruled nation ever in the modern era starting from the revolt of Toussaint L'Overture. Looks more and more like Katrina and Haiti have lots in common. So let's look at demographics of black population in US and disaster proneness! A good article in JSHEM this month about Social Vulnerability and development of an index to identify problems in advance.
By the way President Obama should rescind the Executive Order giving DOD precedence in overseas disasters and replace that leadership role with Department of STATE. Give State Department the USAF.
