Vacations in the time of Ebola

Vacations in the time of Ebola
Why is Obama hosting US-Africa Leaders Summit in D.C. during Ebola Outbreak?

Let’s hope President Barack Obama, who’s hosting his first ever US-Africa Leaders Summit Aug. 4-6 in Washington is right about there being no threat of spreading Ebola by bringing African leaders into the U.S. during the worst Ebola outbreak in history.



The stable nature of Ebola in aerosol makes it attractive as a potential biological weapon.

“Filoviruses like Ebola have been of interest to the Pentagon since the late 1970s, mainly because Ebola and its fellow viruses have high mortality rates — in the current outbreak, roughly 60 percent to 72 percent of those who have contracted the disease have died — and its stable nature in aerosol make it attractive as a potential biological weapon.” (Navy Times, Aug. 1, 2014)
http://www.navytimes.com/article/20140801/NEWS08/308010074/DoD-may-send-personnel-Africa-help-fight-Ebola-epidemic?sf29285208=1

“It’s stable nature in aerosol makes it attractive as a potential biological weapon”  comes from the Department of Defense and not some conspiracy theorist.

While Obama is bringing African leaders into D.C. for a summit that can be scheduled any time,  the Centers for Disease Control has issued a travel advisory warning travelers to avoid nonessential travel to affected countries.

“This is the biggest and most complex Ebola outbreak in history. Far too many lives have been lost already,” CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden said during a conference call with reporters on Thursday. “It will take many months, and it won’t be easy, but Ebola can be stopped.” (Navy Times)

“The current outbreak in western Africa has killed 729 and sickened an additional 594 in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone, according to the World Health Organization.

“Newark Liberty and John F. Kennedy airports are among 20 ports of entry locations in the U.S. with quarantine stations that have been staffed with health officials trained to look for symptoms of Ebola in passengers. (CBSNewYork/AP, Aug. 1, 2014 ).http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2014/08/01/area-airports-on-alert-to-look-for-passengers-with-ebola-symptoms/

“The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it will evaluate any travelers with signs of dangerous infectious diseases and isolate them when necessary.”

“Centers for Disease Control officials said Thursday they will send an additional 50 disease experts to the affected region in the next month. (Navy Times)

“Defense Department officials are discussing the possibility of sending personnel to western Africa to assist with the Ebola epidemic there.

“A source familiar with the discussions said Pentagon officials held meetings Friday to decide if DoD personnel could help with outbreak response.

“The U.S. military, and in particular, the Army, has had a longstanding mission in preventing and treating infectious and parasitic diseases in troops, dating to the late 1800s.

“Since the late 1970s and early 1980s, researchers at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases have sought to develop a vaccine or treatment for the disease.

“Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs Dr. Jonathan Woodson said DoD remains broadly engaged in international public health matters.

“One of the things I don’t think many people realize is what a huge valuable asset the military health system is to this nation,” he said Friday in a television interview on “Defense News with Vago Muradian.”

“Not only are we a key enabler so that service members, men and women who ... go in harm’s way will be taken care of, but we are a public health system, an education system, a research and development system,” Woodson said.

“The recent development with infectious disease issues in Africa — they are turning to the U.S. military to provide expertise.”

This is the same DoD under whose watch more than a thousand vets died waiting for medical help?
http://www.wfmynews2.com/story/news/local/2014/06/25/report-claims-one-thousand-veterans-died-waiting-for-care/11344083/

This is the scenario in the days following Obama’s Africa Summit: Obama, his family and entourage will be at Martha’s Vineyard, Aug. 9 to 24. The Clintons will be in the same location with Hillary signing books there on August 13.

“For over two weeks — from Aug. 9 to Aug. 24 — the airspace surrounding the island will be off limits to certain aircraft. (Daily Caller)http://dailycaller.com/2014/07/21/obama-family-vacation-prompts-two-week-long-flight-restriction-for-marthas-vineyard

“Residents and visitors who use PlaneSense Inc., a plane-sharing company that operates in Martha’s Vineyard, received the following warning on Friday:

The [Temporary Flight Restriction] TFR will involve the following, which we MUST abide by:

Start: Saturday, August 9, 2014              End: Sunday, August 24, 2014

Congress will be on holiday for the month of August.

What could possibly go wrong?


Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years’
experience in the print media. A former Toronto Sun columnist, she also worked for the Kingston Whig Standard. Her work has appeared on Rush Limbaugh, Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, and Glenn Beck.

Judi can be emailed at: judi@canadafreepress.com