tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33445632.post4682193516009582350..comments2024-01-20T11:56:48.682+01:00Comments on WindRose Hotel: In defence of Guido Bertolaso (updated)S.R. Piccolihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15622464895435470724noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33445632.post-42116422998013532392010-01-30T17:14:06.954+01:002010-01-30T17:14:06.954+01:00"If the American engagement deserves any crit...<i>"If the American engagement deserves any criticism, the Americans themselves are usually the first to admit it. But when this isn't the case, they are usually big enough to take it in a more positive way. This would refer to Americans in general."</i> <br /><br />Absolutely true, <i>Mirino</i>. I couldn't agree more with you.<br /><br /> <i>"The Obama administration might be less inclined to accept constructive criticism."</i> <br /><br />Generally speaking, this is, as far as I know, the problem with Obama (and his supporters). There seems to be a genuine intolerance towards dissent. When speaking at Notre Dame amid protests from pro-lifers, he said, “When we open up our hearts and our minds to those who may not think precisely like we do or believe precisely what we believe—that’s when we discover at least the possibility of common ground.” But his record of dealing with actual dissent usually paints a different picture. The same problem seems to exist with the Democrats, and from this point of view Mrs. Clinton is at the top of the list, if it is true that, in the last few days, the US Ambassador to Italy asked Berlusconi top aide Gianni Letta to fire Bertolaso…S.R. Piccolihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15622464895435470724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33445632.post-11966577921486610512010-01-30T11:24:18.212+01:002010-01-30T11:24:18.212+01:00It's agreed in principle, but let's not be...It's agreed in principle, but let's not be too harsh, especially in view of our own (Europe's) relatively meagre effort.<br />The Haitians must still be suffering from immense shock. Their world has collapsed in an unprecedented cataclysm. It wouldn't then be too abnormal if at first they preferred to mass in a place they can still identify with, no matter how unhelpful this might be, than be herded into an impersonal camp site. Let's not forget the miracles either. The delicate, successful rescuing of survivors.<br />If the American engagement deserves any criticism, the Americans themselves are usually the first to admit it. But when this isn't the case, they are usually big enough to take it in a more positive way.<br /><br />This would refer to Americans in general. The Obama administration might be less inclined to accept constructive criticism. Obama might consider himself well above it, apart from self criticism, whenever finally persuaded that he has made an error of judgement, and eventually thinks that he would gain something by publicly admitting it). <br /><br />There's now a problem regarding US medical care costs for the thousands of wounded survivors, apparently including Americans. This seems to mean that they no longer have access to be treated in the USA. Although this is an inevitable problem, it seems incompatible with the enormous expense of the US rescue operation. It's another crucial factor that should have been anticipated and allowed for, so that the responsibility of necessary medical attention could have been more equitably shared by other nations and medical organisations.<br />Perhaps to some extent the problem could be transformed into a useful opportunity for Obama to help instigate his social welfare reforms.<br /><br />When countries are cancelling the Haiti debt, when millions are being spent on the rescue operations, this development seems relatively uncharitable therefore absurd.Mirinohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14762774089637304953noreply@blogger.com