Katrina Efforts Hindered by Iraq
W and Company need to face up to the fact that the Katrina disaster was made worse by Iraq. Granted I think that the reason that the military was so desperately needed was because N.O. and Louisiana officials proved to be incompetent and ineffective but that does not excuse the federal government for its slow response. The Independent (UK) got a look at a DoD report on Katrina:
The confidential report, which has been seen by The Independent, details how funds for flood control were diverted to other projects, desperately needed National Guards were stuck in Iraq and how military personnel had to "sneak off post" to help with relief efforts because their commander had refused permission.
posted by theCardinal @ 7:25 AM
2 Comments:
Surely they jest! It wasn't the failed attempts of our Governor or the New Orleans Mayor that turn Katrina into the catastrophe that it was. It was the fact that "W" waited five days before attempting to get the people out of there. These people were the poorest of the poor. Mostly on government assistance. Need I say more? They were mostly blacks and they all believe it was a racial thing. There was nothing racial about it. The real reason "W" held back is obvious. He didn't waste anytime putting relief in place in Virginia or Texas when they were threatened with a natural disaster. After all that he "hasn't" done for the Katrina and Rita victims, he flies around Louisiana for photo ops shaking peoples hands and saying he feels their pain. I am a Louisiana born native and I can tell you, I wouldn't shake his hand because he has too much blood on them. I applaud the efforts our Governor and the mayor of New orleans made during the crisis. After all, their hands were tied by beaurocratic bullshit! Let me also say this, Fema didn't fail us.....they weren't the ones in charge. Their hands were tied as well. I may be dead tomorrow for voicing my opinion because "FREEDOM ISN'T FREE" anymore! It makes me sick to my stomach to see people of this state shaking the hands of a man like that. I would also like to take this oportunity to whole heartedly thank our Governor, the mayor of New Orleans, the Red Cross, Fema, our troops and last but not least, the Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville Louisiana,and the staff and Red Cross workers there, who took us in during Hurricane Rita. They took very good care of me and my family and I cannot thank them enough.
I may not have the first person experience that you did but I still beg to differ. The fed. government did not respond quickly enough on that we all can agree but a great deal of the blame still has to laid at the feet of local officials.
I live in a area that has to deal with Hurricanes on a regular basis and I was shocked by the confused and disorganized efforts of the governor and mayor. Clear and concise instructions and preparations are made before a storm. The situation at both the Superdome and Convention Center were absurd. It was apparent that they were seen as nothing more than shelters from the storm and little else. Anyone who has any experience or intelligence for that matter knows that many times surviving the storm is the easy part it is what happens after that is the problem. After major storms shelter populations have a tendency to increase not decrease and the situation is longterm - weeks days months not days.
Don't blame the fed government for failing to evacuate people that should not have been there in the first place. Yes there were many poor and sick and that is what city, county (or parish) and state leaders need to prepare for. Have a plan to get them out and execute it. Don't let a major storm hit and then try to figure out how to get them out...that is ignorant, insane and insipid.
W failed by not stepping in immediately and having the fed gov't take control from two lightweights who did not have a clue as to what they were doing. There is also the failure of foresight in selecting a FEMA head who was a little more than a hack. On those points he failed but on everything else the Mayor and Gov failed. They can cry and complain better than most so it helped get attention to a terrible situation but they were of little use otherwise.
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