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January 03, 2005
President Bush to Send "Master of Disaster" to South Asia
Conservatives are applauding the President's decision to send
his brother, Florida governor Jeb Bush, to visit earthquake and tsunami
disaster areas in South Asia. The choice of Jeb, say some politicos, is
a pointed reminder of the failure of India and Sri Lanka to come to
Florida's aid after the state was battered by four hurricanes.
Some question whether Bush's brother Neil, with knowledge of Thai culture, customs, would be better choice
By Deanna Swift
WASHINGTON, DC—Conservatives are praising President George W. Bush's decision to send his brother, Florida governor Jeb Bush, to the tsunami-wracked coastal areas of South Asia. Not only does the younger Bush have experience with weather-related disasters, say Republicans, his presence will serve as a pointed reminder to such countries as India and Sri Lanka of their failure to come to Florida's aid after the sunshine state endured four hurricanes this summer.
In recent days, the indifference of these countries—and the international community as a whole—to Florida's plight has been the topic du jour on conservative talk radio, web sites and blogs, as listeners and readers have angrily responded to comments by U.N. Undersecretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Jan Egeland in which he criticized the United States for being stingy.
"Florida and our Gulf Coast suffered through some devastating hurricanes this past year," wrote one observer on the web site Free Republic. We've also seen our share of floods, tornadoes, fires, and the like. What kind of financial aid did we receive from foreign countries?"
Blue helmet blues
"It's a good question," says Tucker Fletcher, a spokesman for the Florida Republican Party, noting that the series of hurricanes this summer did $42 billion in damage to his state and resulted in the deaths of 117 people. While the Bush administration responded to the disaster by making $2.04 billion in federal aid available to storm victims, Floridians could have benefited from an influx of international aid, says Fletcher. "We didn't see anything from India, let alone from France and Denmark, the very countries that are now criticizing us for being stingy."
As for the United Nations, says Fletcher, that august body was no where to be seen in the aftermath of Charley, Frances, Ivan and Jeanne. "We didn't see a single blue helmet in our communities on our beaches after these storms. It really raises some serious questions about what the UN actually does," says Fletcher.
While the South Asia itinerary for Governor Bush and Secretary State Colin Powell is being set by the State Department, there is no word yet of whether Bush may meet with international leaders to discuss their failure to respond to the Florida disaster.
The wrong Bush?
Conservatives were quick to praise the selection of Jeb Bush, known in Florida as the "master of disaster," noting that it could help position him for an effective run at the White House in 2008. But not everyone is happy over the President's pick. Some officials close to the Bush family privately worried that the President may have selected the wrong brother for the disaster assessment.
These family associates say that, despite Jeb's proven familiarity with natural disasters, the President's younger brother Neil may have been a better choice. The reason: Neil has spent years traveling through Asia, adding to the Bush family's extensive financial holdings, and has acquired an impressive understanding of the culture and customs of the region. Neil reportedly speaks Thai, and has been schooled in both verbal and nonverbal communications in that country.
The younger Bush is also a legendarily quick study. He previously worked in Asia as a consultant for Grace Semiconductor Manufacturing Corp, backed by the son of former Chinese leader, Jiang Zemin, despite having no background or training in semiconductors.
"He seems to me to be the obvious choice for the job," says Raymond Reynolds, a Dallas-based oil executive and close friend of the Bush family. "Neil knows his way around the Thais and that could be a real benefit in this situation."
What it all means
Regardless of which brother they believe the President should have selected for this all important mission to South Asia, President Bush's supporters claim to be united on one essential fact: the December earthquake and the tsunami that it spawned will ultimately mean good news for Christians.
"When Jesus was asked what the signs of His return would be, He painted a picture of a world torn by ethnic strife and war, famine in the midst of plenty, rocked by great earthquakes and ravaged by pestilences," wrote Hal Lindsey, publisher of the Hal Lindsey Oracle web site, a forum for Christian news analysis that prides itself on being "politically incorrect" and "prophetically correct."
"As Jesus promised, He will come and deliver His own out of the worst that is to come. That is our hope. And God has never failed to keep His promises," concludes Lindsey.
Deanna Swift can be reached at deannaswift1@yahoo.com
January 3, 2005 | Permalink
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Comments
right on Jerry-think of the bill. Exxon-Mobile for instance has taken out of Indonesia. they are paying for weapons given to the Indonesian government- not for the protection of the people agains this kind of exploitation but to keep the people from benefitting
from their own resourses.Corruption- big time. Multi-
national Corp. Style- encouraged by our US goverment
and enforced by our superior military.
Posted by: Kirsten Michelsen | Jan 5, 2005 6:03:44 PM
As much as I have sympathy for the 117 people who died in Florida along with the 42 billion in financial loss, the idea of comparing this with Indonesian tsunami situation straight across the board is ludicrous. The fact that the Bushes and GOP would use this comparison as another opportunity to pat themselves on the back and take a backhanded swipe at the UN continues to demonstrate their pettiness and their total disconnection with reality. "Where were the blue helmets in Florida?" my ass indeed.
The death toll in Indonesia is so staggering as to boggle the mind and many of these people were living in third world conditions before the tsunami hit. Much of the death toll in the ensuing days are and will be attributable to pre-existing conditions and lack of infrastructure capable of dealing with a disaster of this magnitude.
Compare this with Florida which has a long history of hurricane disaster and also a long history of dealing with such in a timely and efficient manner not to mention that Florida is located in the richest country in the world with the funds and the means to recover fairly quickly.
One more thing I would like to mention in reference to the 42 billion in property loss in Florida. Time and again many of the well to do individuals and business concerns along the coast of Florida continue to rebuild on the prime real estate along the beaches of Florida knowing full well that when the next hurricane wipes out their business or vacation home that the American taxpayers will fill in the gaps left by insurance to help them rebuild (in the same place). Has anyone ever done a study on how many times our tax dollars have helped rebuild the same establishments?
Any way, I just want to say that I think it's obscene to make such an apples and oranges comparison between the two.
Posted by: Jerry Malone | Jan 5, 2005 4:33:24 PM
