WASHINGTON, D.C. - While Third District Congressman Jon Porter leads a Congressional delegation traveling to Germany, Kuwait, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan, he will provide periodic e-mail updates describing his experiences.  The following is the fourth update:

Friday, December 30, 2005: Kuwait and Pakistan

This morning we left Kuwait after a long day of traveling through Kuwait and Iraq.  Today has largely been a travel day, following a strategically vital pathway used to transport oil from the Middle East to the Western world.  We were impressed with the size and scope of the Persian Gulf as we traveled to Islamabad, Pakistan.

Upon arrival, we met with Ambassador Ryan Crocker, and received a thorough briefing on the progress of the Pakistani earthquake relief effort.  It was a somber reminder to hear that over 73,000 people lost their lives in this disaster, over half of which were children.  I was proud to learn that the United States was the first country to respond to this catastrophic event with critically needed supplies.

Interestingly, the American Embassy mentioned that our efficient relief effort has significantly improved the image of the United States among the Pakistani people.  The generosity of the American public toward the victims of Hurricane Katrina and the Tsunami has been reflected in the outpouring of support for the Pakistani earthquake victims.  An additional positive result of the relief effort has been the increased cooperation between nations that have been at odds on the world stage.  As we landed in Pakistan, I even noticed a Cuban airliner at the airport that had dropped off supplies for the victims.  We were informed that the U.S. Air Force has been assisting with unloading all planes from all nations, regardless of national affiliation. The Ambassador sounded an urgent alarm to keep the earthquake relief effort on the forefront, especially given the potential for further loss of life with the approaching harsh winter.

I was happy to hear that the Pakistani government, under President Musharraf, has assumed an active leadership role in addressing the relief efforts.  We are anxious to visit the devastated areas and meet with the victims affected by this tragedy, as well as with our troops helping on the ground.  We can all be proud of our nation’s assistance thus far, and I look forward to finding out what more we can do to help.

At the conclusion of those tours, we will travel on to Afghanistan and I will update you further on what I learn there.

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