So far, the body count for the Bam earthquake is at 22,000 and rising (with some prediction for a final count going up as high as 50,000). The US has been the largest aid contributor to this effort, in both supplies and people.
(The first US presence in Iran since shortly after the Shas was deposed.)
Deputy Secritary of State Richard Armitage was on the phone almost immediately asking if we could send humanitarian aid (the verdict was yes, but no assistance from Jews or Israel would be allowed). President Bush is temporarily suspending some trade restrictoins to allow the emerergency team to operate more easily. And Iranian themselves were very pleased.
A Reuters news agency reporter said that the residents of Bam welcomed help from any quarter, even the United States, quoting one man who lost his family in the quake as saying, "When our own government cannot help, let the Great Satan help us. We pay taxes and yet in cases like this, there is no one to help us." (Reuters)
This sent two signals to Iran. First, we are with the people of Iran, even though it is the leaders we despise. Market democracies work better for helping not just their own people, but also others.
"The reception was beyond expectations," Air Force Master Sergeant Jeff Bohn, who was on the first American plane to land in Iran in over a decade, told Associated Press."The warmth that the Iranian military and civil aviation workers gave us was truly incredible." (NY Sun)
However, sadly it seems that Foggy Bottom might once again be pushing for closer ties between the clerical leadership of Iran and the US government.
"Citing positive developments with Iran, the State Department indicated interest Tuesday in opening a dialogue with the Islamic Republic so long as it adheres to its international commitments." (AP)
Colin Powell looks like he may have become a little caught up in the moment too, calling relationship changes "encouraging."
The last thing we need is State calling Iran a "democracy" and pissing people off like last time. This terrible event gave us a great opportunity to show where our allegiance lies, with the people of Iran against the leadership of Iran.
American aid workers, with flags on their sleeves and on the top of the tent they set up where openly welcomed. Contrast this to President Khatami who was jeered upon his arrival into the area and had to cancel part of his trip because of security problems.
Happy New Year Everybody!
"Survivors complained that the government failed them and contended that bulldozers were used to clear the rubble when search teams could have saved lives. Criticism was so harsh that late on Monday President Khatami called a full Cabinet meeting for today in Kerman to try to demonstrate that the government is doing its utmost to help. Obviously President Khatami has not forgotten that the inadequate response of the shah to the 1978 quake that killed 15,000 people contributed to his downfall a year later." (Post and Currier)
What would a pro-America Iran do to the Middle East when it emerges? While it used to be that an American connection killed a movements credibility, it may now be that American involvement with the mullahs may kill America's credibility.
"Mr. Amir, who beams his radio show in Farsi from Jerusalem in a broadcast that has become extremely popular in Iran, told the Sun the failure of the regime to deal with the earthquake dominated the calls in his call-in show yesterday.
The failure of the government to accept aid from Israel was emblematic of the public's anger at the government, he added.
Some callers were sarcastic, saying, "Why should Iran ask for international aid, when it was going to turn the money to Palestinian terrorists anyway," Mr. Amir said. Others simply extolled Israel as an enlightened nation offering help to the Iranian people." (NY Sun)
