US Army begins relief missions in Pakistan

[Turborama]

Source: AP

KALAM, Pakistan — U.S. Army helicopters have flown their first relief missions in Pakistan's flood-ravaged northwest.

An Associated Press reporter saw four U.S. Chinooks evacuating hundreds of people stranded for days in a mountain town in the upper reaches of the Swat Valley.

A U.S. Embassy spokesman said Thursday the choppers had flown 12 sorties.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information.

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jX_KetVCMo64AOZxSMudPWArFrJgD9HDBBNO0

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I don't think the army can copyright their press releases, hence the full article being posted...

U.S. military in Afghanistan responds to Pakistan flood

Army News Service

U.S. military forces in Afghanistan are responding rapidly to the disastrous flooding that has reportedly killed more than 1,200 people in Pakistan, 60 in Afghanistan and affected millions.

U.S. forces have already delivered more than 189,000 packaged halal meals and are preparing to deliver more than 200,000 more meals in the next 24 hours. U.S. military experts in medicine, logistics, aviation, engineering and other fields are on the ground in Pakistan, and more are on the way to assist the Pakistan government.

"U.S. Forces Afghanistan are actively engaged with our Pakistan friends and partners in the coordination and delivery of humanitarian assistance during this critical time," said Gen. David Petraeus, commanding general of International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces in Afghanistan. "It is vitally important we try to help those who have been tragically affected by the massive flooding. There are some tasks that the U.S. military is uniquely able to perform. We are in the process of performing some of those tasks, and we're deploying additional elements to perform more of them. We will continue to support this humanitarian effort, and we stand by to assist the Pakistani government any way we can."

A group of six CH-47 Chinooks and UH-60 Black Hawks with about 100 U.S. military personnel from the 101st Airborne Division in Afghanistan are expected to depart today for Ghazi Airbase, which is serving as the main logistics hub in Pakistan for the humanitarian response.

In an effort to provide U.S. and Pakistan commanders with real-time video surveillance over disaster-stricken areas, the U.S. military is also supplying intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft.

The aircraft and personnel from Afghanistan will serve as an early response support element to Pakistan-relief efforts as U.S. Central Command prepares to deploy more personnel, aviation assets and equipment from outside Afghanistan, officials said.

Other U.S.-related efforts include:

- U.S. helicopters working under Squadron 50 of the Afghan Ministry of Interior since July 30 have rescued a total of 733 people and transported 11,873 pounds of provisions to flood victims.

- Four Zodiac inflatable rescue boats with power motors and two water filtration units in the affected area.

- 12 pre-fabricated steel bridges have been made available as temporary replacements for highway bridges damaged by flooding in Peshawar and Kurram.

The flooding which began June 29, resulting from a monsoon rainfall, has washed away more than 100 bridges and significant stretches of road, and is reported to have isolated more than 600,000 people between upper Swat and Kalam in northern Pakistan.

From: http://www.army.mil/-news/2010/08/04/43265-us-military-in-afghanistan-responds-to-pakistan-flood/

Some more stats...

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said nearly 100,000 homes were destroyed and more than 2 million people were displaced by the floods.

Full article: http://www.upi.com/Science_News/Resource-Wars/2010/08/05/UN-dispatches-flood-envoy-to-Pakistan/UPI-27361281012535/

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Pakistan flood relief: Could it undercut Taliban influence?
By Howard LaFranchi, Staff writer
CS Monitor

The US is widely disliked in Pakistan, feeding the Taliban and terrorism there. But if the US played a major role in Pakistan flood relief, it could win many hearts and minds, some experts say.

Article: http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Foreign-Policy/2010/0803/Pakistan-flood-relief-Could-it-undercut-Taliban-influence

[SkyDaddy7]

1. I am glad to hear this!

The military being used for a positive purpose especially in that region of the world.

[Gin]

2. was any of this flood in taliban territory?

[Turborama]

3. Were there any Taliban in Haiti when the earthquake happened?

The reason I'm answering your question with a stupid question is to highlight how reducing the very complex Af/Pak situation to sound bites doesn't actually help a constructive discourse or solve anything. That's what simple George did during his residency and look where that got us.

[Gin]

4. thank you...I stand corrected!

[karynnj]

6. To add to your point - , it is not unreasnable to think that helping at these times could have a

marginal impact. Ignoring the moral reasons for doing it, it might be an opportunity to gain some degree of trust.

No one is saying that Americans being seen aiding the people will over night cause everyone who hated them and loved the Taliban to reverse that. But, one of the articles that spoke of the reasons behind the Kerry/Lugar/Berman foreign aid bill was that Kerry, Biden and Hagel saw the shift after the Pakistani earthquake in our image there.

I have heard similar accounts when we helped elsewhere - for instance with the Tsunami.

[OhioChick]

5. Good to hear n/t

[Turborama]

7. Update: US announces another $ 25 million assistance for Pakistan flood relief

The United States is making a new contribution of $ 25 million in assistance to flood affected populations in Pakistan, bringing its total commitment to date to more than $ 35 million. 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, a statement issued by the US Embassy here on Thursday said. According to the statement, the six U.S. Army helicopters have begun humanitarian assistance operations. The four CH-47 Chinook helicopters and two UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters are operating in partnership with the Pakistan government throughout the flood-impacted areas to deliver much-needed relief supplies and provide transport to people who urgently need emergency assistance.

“Today, they evacuated more than 800 people from Kalam to Khwazakhela and transported 66,000 pounds of relief supplies”, the statement added.

The U.S. helicopters assigned to the Pakistani Ministry of Interior’s 50th Squadron are continuing their operations and have rescued 983 people and airlifted 30,973 pounds of supplies.

More than 436,000 halal meals from U.S. stocks in Afghanistan and elsewhere in the region have been delivered to civilian and military officials in Pakistan, a contribution of $ 3.25 million.

More: http://www.app.com.pk/en_/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=111876&Itemid=1

[maxsolomon]

8. Helping is the right thing to do here

It will still blow up in our faces.

[Prometheus Bound]

9. Way to go, US Army!

[Kringle]

10. just wonderful... another reason for Muslims to hate the US .nt

[Turborama]

11. What?

Did you forget the sarcasm smiley?

[Kringle]

13. a billion Muslims resent the US' presence on Muslim land .nt

[Turborama]

14. Where do you get that number from?

BTW I strongly suspect the flood victims in Pakistan we've been assisting don't resent the help they've been given.

[Kringle]

15. one billion, the approx. number of Muslims in the world

>BTW I strongly suspect the flood victims in Pakistan we've been assisting don't resent the help they've been given.<

naive thinking, on your part

[Turborama]

16. You are speaking for the whole Muslim population of the world?

That's what's called naive thinking.

What you are doing is speaking on behalf of the Taliban, Al Qaeda and their affiliates.


Wow, you think they would resent the help they've been given? Did you even read the article in the OP which gives details of the humanitarian assistance we had provided up to the point it was written?

Oh, and by the way, looks like you left out 570,000,000 Muslims...

According to a 2009 demographic study, Islam has 1.57 billion adherents, making up 23% of the world population.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Muslim_population

[Posteritatis]

20. Because they're exactly as monolithic as Christia - oh, wait. (nt)

[rug]

12. That's convenient.

[Alamuti Lotus]

17. Nice to see public relations and spin control brightly shine through as the primary motive *nt

[Bragi]

18. Because American troops are so welcome everywhere

Material funneled through the military is not aid. It's propaganda disguised as aid.

If the goal was to help the victims of the floods, the aid would be funneled through respected and responsible humanitarian organizations.

[Regret My New Name]

19. Wouldn't that cause a delay?

What organizations have the helicopters and manpower out there already?