The United States government displayed more sense of urgency in 2010’s earthquake relief for Haiti than for Puerto Rico’s Hurricane Maria victims. Two days after the earthquake hit Haiti, 8,000 American troops were on their way, and two weeks in, they mobilized 22,000 more to Haiti.
They also sent 300 military helicopters, and 33 ships arrived with millions of pounds of food and water. It’s pointless to compare natural disasters and their impact on the country they hit, but the response in 2010 to Haiti’s earthquake proves how quickly military forces can get mobilized.
Russel Honore, a retired general who supervised Hurricane Katrina’s aid relief in Louisiana in 2005, said he had 20,000 troops at his disposal. He then mentioned that if he were in charge of Hurricane Maria’s response in Puerto Rico, he would have asked for 50,000 troops.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) said in an interview with CNN that the Federal government’s response in Puerto Rico lacks urgency. Their comments become valid when Donald Trump goes to Puerto Rico and says mobilizing troops is difficult in this situation because they’re on an “island, sitting in the middle of an ocean, and it’s a big ocean. It’s a very big ocean.”
It’s been three weeks since Hurricane Maria landed in Puerto Rico, and most of its citizens still have no electricity, drinking water, or cell-phone reception. They also have limited access to fuel and medical services for injured individuals.
The most Donald Trump has managed to do for the devastated island is throw rolls of paper towels into a crowd and dedicate a golf trophy to the island. His carelessness and indifference become evident when we take into consideration that he approved $15 billion budget for Hurricanes Irma and Harvey in September.
To this date, less than 10,000 American troops have reached the small island of 100 miles by 35 miles. At this point in the timeline of Haiti’s earthquake relief, the United States had already donated $317 million to the Haitians.
The mayor of San Juan begged the American government to stop treating its citizens as foreigners and to send help immediately. “We are dying here, and I cannot fathom the thought that the greatest nation in the world cannot figure out logistics for a small island,” she said. “Mayday! We are in trouble.”
Instead of replying with compassion, patience, and understanding, Trump did his favorite thing in the world. He attacked the mayor of San Juan via his Twitter handle, saying, “They want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort.”
Puerto Rico, luckily, has seen the love of its people keep them from an irreversible disastrous situation. Celebrities like Daddy Yankee, Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony, and Ricky Martin, have all been there for the island when its government officials pretend that all is well.
Article inspired by HuffingtonPost//The U.S. Cared For Haitians Better In 2010 Than Its Own Citizens In Puerto Rico Now