Bush Urges Shift in Relief Responsibilities
On Sunday, President Bush called on Congress to consider a larger role for U.S. armed forces in responding to natural disasters, as he completed what White House aides called a weekend "fact-finding" mission to determine whether the Pentagon needs more control.
Mary Ellen McNish, general secretary for the American Friends Service Committee.
" For almost 90 years, the American Friends Service Committee has worked in disaster areas and war zones. Our staff and volunteers have aided tens of millions of people around the world. All of our experience, and that of numerous similar organizations, tells us that the military is no substitute for trained relief and reconstruction personnel. "
Relief is not a core competance of any military. In other words, they aren't very good at it1. Nor should they be; they have another job.
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1 Which is not to say that militaries cannot be good at parts of relief work. But "lead agency"? No.
Posted by Martial