I don't get this thing about not knowing other cultures etc. Everyone in every disaster should welcome contributions from other countries..eventually..although perceived criticism..and that is really not what this is although it might look that way..would not always be appreciated..contributions could include physical help as in earthquakes, financial help, intel help, suggestions as to how things were done in similar disasters with good results..

It is of course very hard to say what a country with no resources to speak of should do. If North Korea has a tsunami we will not have the same responses as when Japan did. We certainly were criticized rightfully over Katrina response and people left on roofs to bake in the sun for days when a flotilla of boats was ready to go and rescue them and was kept out..and yes..some were actual swiftboaters.

A country, especially a very closed country, can not criticize from within, especially as citizens wait for relief. There will also be codes of silence and exhortations that this is not the time and there will be a full investigation. But the time is as quickly as possible and from as many sources as possible and then the experts can sift through and separate the wheat from the chaff. Some of what looks like chaff could be of extreme importance though. mg