Ben Cardin actually said...

"The question that is frequently asked is, How well is the help being coordinated?"

"There is no substitute for the United States, as the people of the Philippines would probably agree, given our response."

"The Philippines is a close ally of the United States."

"We know this is going to be a long-term project--first, of course, dealing with the immediate individuals that are still in harm's way, and then looking at how the United States properly can assist in..."