Penn Calls On Obama For Continued Haiti Support
By WENNTuesday, February 16, 2010
Actor SEAN PENN has urged U.S. President BARACK OBAMA to keep the American military in Haiti for as long as possible - because the country is like a warzone in the aftermath of January’s (10) earthquake.
Looting of stores and homes has been rife in the capital Port-au-Prince since the disaster, and U.S. troops were sent to the Caribbean nation to help relief efforts and keep order on the streets.
More than 7,000 officials were pulled from duty over the weekend (13Feb10), amid claims by U.S. General Douglas Fraser that “the need (for military) has decreased”.
But Penn, who has set up a fundraising organisation in the wake of the disaster, is urging Obama to keep a large troop presence in Haiti.
He tells chat show host Larry King, “Right now you have a million displaced people. I would say 750,000 are in dire need of either medical aid or food and almost all in terms of shelter.
“In this case, there’s no question. I think this is the most noble mission likely that the United States military has been involved in since World War II, but I support the military in right wars or unright wars. The problem is the use of the military and the misuse of it at times.
“In this instance, this is the most efficient force in the country. And I would plead to our president that he keeps the United States military there for longer than I understand is currently planned.”
