GUANTANAMO BAY NAVAL BASE, Cuba — The Haiti earthquake is giving the American base at Guantanamo Bay a new mission: supplying aid to the devastated island nation and potentially detaining thousands of Haitian migrants captured at sea.
President Barack Obama’s deadline for closing the base prison expires today with no new date in sight, but a huge effort to provide earthquake aid is just getting started.
The U.S. has designated Guantanamo, less than 200 miles from Haiti, as the hub of the aid operation. Dozens of helicopters and planes take off daily to ferry supplies and personnel to the stricken country or to American ships off the coast.
In ordinary times, the base airstrip is ghostly, with only about three flights a day, including the sporadic release of prisoners.
“Clearly, Haiti has eclipsed everything else,” base commander Navy Capt. Steven Blaisdell said Thursday.
Activity related to the aid effort is expected to intensify in coming weeks, and no one knows when those efforts might end. At the same time, U.S. officials refuse to predict when the detention center will get a new date for closure. The Associated Press
How to help
Want to help victims of the earthquake in Haiti? Aid organizations say cash donations are best. Here are some of the many that are accepting contributions:
American Friends Service Committee: 888-588-2372
American Red Cross: 800-HELP-NOW
CARE: 800-521-CARE
Catholic Relief Services: 877-HELP-CRS
Habitat for Humanity: 800-422-4828
Operation Blessing: 800-730-2537
Oxfam America: 800-778-9326
Project CURE: 303-792-0729
Save the Children: 800-728-3843
United Way: 703-836-7112
UNICEF: 800-4UNICEF
For a list of many other agencies, go to
