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U.S. Southern Command directed USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) to steam toward Haiti today in preparation for the forecasted arrival of tropical storm Tomas, which could become a Category 1 hurricane on the night of Wednesday to Thursday.
Large Wasp-class ships, such as Iwo Jima (LHD 7), resemble small aircraft carriers with the ability to conduct air and naval operations. 8 CH-46 Sea Knight, medium-lift, dual-rotor helicopters, 2 MH-60 Knight Hawk helicopters and 2 amphibious landing craft units (LCU’s) are on Iwo Jima to support relief and quickly move staffs and cargo making it an ideal platform to support logistics during humanitarian disasters.
1,600 military and civilian medical, engineering, aviation, logistical and other support personnel are embarked aboard Iwo Jima, including U.S. Navy engineers, a contingent of 500 Marines with logistical-support expertise, volunteers from the U.S. Public Health Service and various non-governmental organizations (NGOs), as well as medical, dental and engineering professionals from Europe, North America and South America.
Because of the Caribbean region’s history of severe-weather events during the peak months of the hurricane season, the ship has remained in the area throughout, since its last mission in in Port-de-Paix, Haiti, from July 24 through Aug. 3, ready to intervene if necessary. the ship capable of speeds in excess of 20 knots , it is expected in the coming days in Haiti.
Help is on the way…Haiti is in good hands… we have nothing to fear.
“In addition to demonstrating the weaknesses of Haiti’s infrastructure,the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010, exposed the weaknesses of Haiti’s state institutions.
To avoid a repetition of the disaster, the government of Haiti and the international donor community now need to turn to building the foundations for a more effective state.”
Building a more resilient Haitian state
Our children in the Haitian Diaspora and our African-American brothers and sisters, whose civil rights struggles have facilitated our own development and growth in the US over the past 40 years, will finally bring down the ” Berlin wall” of racism and ignorance that makes up the artificial borders that have divided and isolated our communities for the past 200 years.
This new paradigm represents an extraordinary opportunity today to reinvent and redefine the Haitian Identity.
And, if done intelligently and successfully, the consequences will be as liberating and as crucial as 1804 itself .
Let us seize the moment!
Building a more resilient Haitian state
The presence of USS Iwo Jima in Haitian waters, during this preventive humanitarian action for Hurricane Tomas, is indication of major changes in our two nations relations. Haiti has true friends in Washington today. They have earned the trust of the Haitian people.