"The people the president met wept as they spoke." >

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From Heart of Indonesia's Disaster, a Cry for Help
By JANE PERLEZ

Published: January 2, 2005

MEULABOH, Indonesia, Jan. 1 - A dozen towns that once thrived near here are gone. Some 10,000 people have been buried, local officials say, and the effort to collect bodies cannot keep up.

For seven days, the scale of the natural disaster that swallowed coastlines in southern Asia last Sunday has slowly unfolded, with death tolls doubling almost daily. But Meulaboh, just 90 miles from the earthquake's epicenter, remained almost beyond description since no one could get here and the destruction could be only imagined.
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On Saturday, the president of Indonesia flew in briefly and the examination finally began. It is a picture of grief and devastation beyond that of any other in the dozen countries hit. Apart from a few sturdy mosques and buildings, there is simply nothing left under the mountains of black mud and debris. The people the president met wept as they spoke. - NYT


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Survivors huddle in clearings without food or shelter above the water-damage line all along the tsunami-ravaged coast of Indonesia's Aceh province, and corpses float miles out to sea. A week after giant waves swamped parts of the provincial capital, Banda Aceh, on the northern tip of Sumatra island, the water is only just beginning to drain off to reveal the full extent of the horrific destruction and yet more bodies to count. This photo shows an aerial view of Meulaboh town on January 1, 2005, following recent quake-triggered tidal waves. (Stringer/Indonesia/Reuters) - link


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U.S. President George W. Bush (news - web sites) chats with cheerleaders from Crawford High School as he prepares to depart Texas State Technical College Airport, January 2, 2005 in Waco.

link: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/050102/ids_photos_ts/r2781803893 .jpg
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bush hangs out with fellow cheerleaders.


Cher

would probably make up a nice-sized platoon in Iraq. Give them some unarmored Humvees, a week or two of training and they'll be ready to patrol Fallujah.

I doubt the president of Indonesia has a political director already planning how to use the tidal wave disaster to the president's political advantage.

I wish people cared. He is the most offensive, disgusting, selfish pig I have ever seen. This just caps it.

and we all know what a fantastic job JEB did in Florida.

of course, over there, they don't need some politician standing around pontificating..... they need people to help dig their relatives bodies out of the ruins of their homes. Do you think Jebbie would be willing to REALLY help? Not on your life.

Nope, but it will be made to look like he is. Just like the disgusting pictures taken at each hurricane landing site in Aug - Sept. He will go and hand out water (but he will take off his tie first)and give food and hugs to the victims, while keeping a pained "OH MY GOD, How will we ever live through this?" look on his face. :puke:

Then he will return to Tallahassee and have a 7 course dinner in his house, while not even thinking about the fact that on the other side of the world, those people STILL don't have any food.

Gotta make him look 'compassionate' and all, or he will never get to be President in 2008.

does not think it INAPPROPRIATE to cavort with cheerleaders, after having not been seen ALL WEEK, except for one brief PRE-TAPED appearance. So while the ADULTS deal with the worst natural catastrophe in our memories, George Bush hides out all week, and on his reappearance can think of nothing better to do than pose with cheerleaders. Let Them Eat Cake INDEED.