Help in Help in Haiti is arriving late

Many countries have sent help to Haiti, but apparently the help isn't helping very much. It's taking time for planes to land, and the roads via which help can arrive are filled not only with blockages, but with the dead. Current estimates suggest that between 45 and 50 thousand people are dead, with over 3 million people having been affected in some way (that's a THIRD of the population). Help is still supposedly on the way, but it's coming to slowly. Obama has promised a considerable amount of aid. But, besides the 50 thousand dead, there are probably hundreds or thousands more trapped under the ruins of collapsed buildings, and they have limited time. UN vehicles patrol open streets keeping the peace, but they're not actually providing help. Other countries, however, have managed to supply some degree of help. England, China, and Cuba either have rescue teams there, or, in Cuba's case, had doctors there before the quake (they're now being quite helpful).

I don't mean to criticize current relief efforts; my only point is that help is coming slow. This is, unfortunately, to be expected. The UN is overrun, roads are blocked, and it's more than just an organizational catastrophe. At the very least, efforts are being made. With any luck, the help that still hasn't arrived or hasn't had the ability to help yet will be able to rescue the majority, if not all, of those trapped underneath buildings and provide medical aid to all who need it. Let's hope for the best folks.

Developments in Iran nuclear talks

It feels like Iran, the United States and its allies are again playing a game of bluffing and testing each other. Iran is advancing a militaristic agenda, to what extent is a little murky, while America is trying to hold onto diplomatic pretenses while becoming increasingly vocal against Iranian nuclear development. Both entities move back and forth without relinquishing the key objectives.

Compounding this, too, is President Obama’s declaration of wanting to heal and make progress with our international relationship with Iran, which is obviously being pushed aside in not wanting to back down from demands.

My impression is that Iran is stalling for time and that the October 25 deadline for inspection is intended to appear as more of a concession than it is. It has certainly been that way in the past—Iran has done it and so has North Korea. Iran’s modus operandi is to seemingly meet certain United States demands while actually buying time. Meanwhile, the countries using whatever means of diplomatic pressure lose their common footing, allowing Iran to regroup and strengthen its position.

Some recent articles on the issue: Mideast: Iran Inspections (from the Council on Foreign Relations, the second post on that page)

And Congress poised to act swiftly on Iran if needed.

This article is only marginally related, but it struck me as pretty bizarre. Found it during some fact-checking research for this post: Iran president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is secretly ... Jewish?.

Thanks for reading--What do you think about the United States stance on Iran's nuclear program? Do you think that as a country we should more aggressively pursue our goal? Or do you think we should back off at this juncture?