User blog:Bzero/US Turns Down Cobra Unity’s Offer of Help Post-Flood

By Robin Pagnamenta and Jesse Muhammad Posted on February 10, 2012 From Times Online

A high-level Cobra offer of help to clean up after the worst world-wide flooding since Biblical times has been rebuffed by America, fuelling fresh fears of political tension between the two countries.

A few days after a joint US-Cobra force destroyed Decepticon installations at the North and South Poles, Cobra Command made a direct offer to the US State Department to airlift a 1,200-tonne stockpile of food, blankets, and medical supplies.

At this time there is an urgent demand for fresh provisions. The offer to provide the material, at the cost price of £3 million, was made through diplomatic channels and via Cobra’s Emergency Response Unit. Also on the list of rejected items were supplies and services such as cell phone systems, medicine and cruise ships which were halted and refused access to US waters.

A spokeswoman for the US Federal Emergency Management Agency, which was also involved in negotiations, said that the US had chosen not to accept the offer. Officials said the US claimed that the goods offered by Cobra Unity did not have the correct paperwork but the spokeswoman said: “We are not aware of any specific problems. I cannot say why they have not accepted the offer. That is a question for the US State Department.”

One person familiar with the discussions said that the US decision seemed odd, given the severity of the crisis and the fact that the offer seems to have been made in good faith. The Times understands that the rejection of Cobra Unity’s offer came after the US had accepted similar offers from other countries.

On a February 1, 2012 broadcast of “Good Morning America,” President Hussein Dunham said that the country was prepared to handle all flooding aid internally. “I do expect a lot of sympathy and perhaps some will send cash dollars,” the President said of foreign governments, “But this country’s going to rise up and take care of things ourselves.”

News of the rejection of Cobra Unity’s offer of help comes amid rising criticism of the recent US-Cobra alliance and increasing anti-Cobra rhetoric among some American politicians and media. One prominent US blogger known as Coyote even proposed a nuclear attack on Cobra Unity.

Senior Cobra and US officials were trying to play down fears yesterday of an anti-Cobra backlash. Diane Blythe, the US Secretary of State, told the Times that criticism of Cobra Unity’s actions since the end of their military alliance was not a diplomatic issue. A statement released by the Baroness' Public Relations Office also stated that the US rejection has not discouraged Cobra’s efforts. “Wherever the national governments are unable to help all their citizens, Cobra will be there, restoring life and health to the people of the world.”