Houston Democrats

Because both of Mexico's long coastlines are more hurricane-prone than our own, it has developed valuable expertise in dealing with the consequences of hurricanes. And since Mexico doesn't invade other countries, its military focuses a lot of energy on serving its populace — and its neighbors — after disastrous calamities.

Among the 195 men and women who came are teams specialized in disaster medicine. But the Mexicans also brought the capacity to provide two basic necessities that often vanish after disasters: hot food and drinking water.

They brought two huge field kitchens, three mess tents (with tables and chairs), water treatment plants and ingredients for serving three hot meals to 7,000 people daily for 20 days. And if more is needed, Brig. Gen. Francisco Ortiz Valadez said, he will send for it.

"Humanitarian aid is a major part of all our military training," Ortiz said, which was obvious when, minutes after they arrived, soldiers ran in formation, some to set up the kitchens and others to pitch the mess tents. The 500 meals requested at Kelly, Ortiz said, would be ready in two hours.

Brig. Gen. F.J. Prasek, who escorted them, pointed out that the Mexicans are under FEMA's, not the U.S. Army's direction. FEMA asked U.S. forces only to escort them from the border to San Antonio, where he said they will stay.

But San Antonio has some of the nation's cleanest water, I told FEMA press officer Christopher White, and all the evacuees who came here have been served hot meals since they arrived. Why wasn't Mexico's specialized help sent to the hurricane-battered area, where entire towns have been flattened and where 73 drinking water systems in Alabama, 555 in Mississippi and 469 in Louisiana are compromised or nonfunctional?

"Good question," he said, and promised to check. He called back to say that the State Department is handling all foreign relief help.

State Department press officer Jeanne Moore, however, hadn't heard of the Mexican convoy, and after checking into it, called back.

But she could only refer me to a press briefing by State Department spokesman Shawn McCormack.

Asked by a reporter Thursday what help the Mexican convoy would provide, McCormack replied: "As far as I know, they're part of a transportation convoy. As for how the aid gets distributed on the ground, I think the folks at (Department of Human Services) and FEMA or (Department of Defense) would be in a better position to answer that."

Left Hand, let me introduce you to Right Hand. You should talk before you embarrass us even more.