203 Comments

Heather, thank you for bringing together multiple voices about this humanitarian crisis. Thank heaven for President Biden’s leadership and empathy as well as the kindness of the US toward those affected.

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A 7.8 magnitude is catastrophic- and in the middle of winter is even more tragic. Those poor people. Thank heavens we have a President experienced in international affairs and with a competent and knowledgeable staff.

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Feb 6, 2023·edited Feb 6, 2023

I have close friends in Istanbul. I am so worried. Please send all healing energies to all the affected people. Biden’s statement of aid for the victims of this earthquake is very heartening.

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Indeed, let's bring comfort and life to these people. I'd so much prefer building an economy founded on making lives better than marketing weapons and resisting pressures to see so many others as "enemies." My heart goes out to those exposed to the winter who have had so little of the safety and comfort that we had our entire lives. It's another reminder to take none of our good fortune for granted.

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I know not of that world, but want my country to be there rendering aid however is possible.

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Türkiye is a member of NATO so I hope that humanitarian aid from NATO for Türkiye can be set up in a way that it can be delivered to those affected in Syria as well. That northwestern corner of Syria was in rebel (“our” rebels) hands a while back. I have not been following events there ever since Trump insisted he was pulling out all US troops, thus abandoning our Kurd allies who had done our fighting in eliminating ISIS, and infuriating General Mathis so much that he quit as Defense Secretary. I gather that not all US troops were pulled out entirely, but it was bad. Anyhow Assad may not be very eager to rush aid to the earthquake victims himself.

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This is one of the things that make me proud to be an American, the willingness. when we have a decent administration to step up to help others in need, without expecting recompense.

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Horrible, horrible news. A less powerful quake, 7.4 magnitude, killed tens of thousands there in 1999. Let’s hope the toll now is nothing close to that.

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Absolutely tragic disaster!

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Feb 6, 2023·edited Feb 6, 2023

Professor, thank you for making this earthquake the major story that it is and President Biden immediately working to coordinate aide through USAID and the countries affected. For all people living in this disaster, there is nothing else, but life and death and hope for tomorrow. A 7.8 magnitude earthquake is devastating to the people, animals and buildings, the land of a country, but add that “The area is also home to millions of Syrians who fled the fighting in other parts of the country. Many live in refugee camps or basic tented settlements established amid the olive groves that run along the border with Turkey.” Imagine living through war, living in bombed out buildings and tent villages and now a devastating earthquake. I can imagine because we are all human together on this planet. With same human needs and now and again the need is for assistance from US and every aid agency and United Nations to provide as fast as is humanly possible. Of course aide and rescue crews will help, but what happens to the people while they wait for rescue, medical assistance, food, water, shelter? And it’s winter. “The earthquake in northern Syria hit parts of the country that have already been devastated by more than a decade of civil war. In Idlib and Aleppo provinces, basic infrastructure has already been badly damaged by the war.” The poorest and most vulnerable people now virtually homeless. Everything lost. Hunger and poverty and War were not enough. How will we help the children? What does future mean? “A powerful earthquake strikes Turkey and Syria - https://www.npr.org/2023/02/05/1154719598/turkey-syria-earthquake”

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One way for America to grow its economy and create high paying jobs is to replace China as the world's builder, whether it is our own infrastructure, building green sustainable housing for the world, rebuilding Ukraine, rebuilding due to natural disasters like the one that just struck, and building to house migrants due to the growing climate change diaspora.

China has grown its global influence in emerging economies by infrastructure deals that are paid for by being granted rights to natural resources by corrupt government officials there. The local people have their environment destroyed and are paid next to nothing in wages.

We have the logistics and ability to innovate to do this and with administrations here willing to negotiate fair agreements for payment (that is a big if) we can set up win-win situations.

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Thanks for sharing updates with us

Really glad to hear that President Biden is already on the ball to send humanitarian aid ASAP just hope and pray 🙏 we can make a difference 🙏 after all we are all God's children and Jesus was a refugee too 🙏

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As a Californian I have this way in the back of my mind. Very sad to hear this news.

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Inferno fires, biblical floods, torrential rains, historic snows, deep-freezing temperatures, unheard earthquakes, and a rush of never-recorded weather events questions what we have wrought!

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If simple human kindness cannot bring us together, maybe disaster on one's own continent can. Looking for some simple human kindness.

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Nature is so powerful. It can be so beautiful but also destructive. Praying for the multitude of refugees over such a large expanse

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