Such a force could contribute something to the unity of mankind. A large-scale disaster unifies nations and moderates conflicts, as can be seen this week. I believe that the creation of an International Rescue Force can constitute a step in the direction of world-wide cooperation.
My proposal aroused some positive reaction but ran immediately into the reflexive opposition of the international bureaucracy. At the United Nations, somebody declared in an injured tone that there was already a group of officials in charge of this matter etc. etc. Nothing, of course, was done. This week we saw the consequences – days passed before the first significant aid operations started rolling, and they were on a pitifully inadequate scale compared with the disaster itself. But on TV, well-groomed bureaucrats in suits and ties explained that everything was being done according to established procedure.
The International Rescue Force must be set up in order to be ready for the next catastrophe. To command it, an authoritative personality should be appointed, a person with imagination, mental agility, organizational talent and a penchant for improvisation. We have such people in Israel, too. I am sure they are to found in other countries. What is lacking is the international will.