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People, perhaps thousands, are still trapped and dying in Haiti, so it is too soon to think about the future. The island nation, which is in desperate, dire straights in normal times, is going to need an enormous relief effort aimed, first, at pulling people from the rubble and, second, at providing medical care for the injured and life support (food, water, shelter) for the rest of the population.
There is one glimmer of hope in all of this devastation: is it possible that something good can come from this? If there is to be a world wide relief effort, it should be done with a view toward providing permanent buildings and more general assistance to help Haiti get on its feet. It is similar to the aid we are providing Iraq and Afghanistan in the wake of the wars there. Haiti needs fundamental assistance and this is a good time to provide it.
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