Presidential response to Gulf Coast tragedy

IOW's, Perhaps if they weren't defending the whole country they could have been available for an event that no one could have predicted when they were deployed.
</font>[/QUOTE]And which whole country are they defending? Certainly not the USA, which wasn't subject to any attack by Iraq. </font>[/QUOTE]This one. Saddam DID seek to support terrorists activities against the US.

And simply because you don't see the need to fight the enemy in Iraq rather than Illinois doesn't make the decision any less correct.

 

Somebody tell me how many years it's been since there's been a hurricane of this magnitude in New Orleans........

It's a rare thing.

You don't build your infrastructure to cope with rare events, you build it to cope with average events.

Reason? You cannot endure the tax burden that places on the population.

The risk was great but the odds were long.

 

It's been predicted for years and years and years. Sorry, but the whole government and both major political parties have to accept the blame for this flooding of New Orleans.

 

Hurricane Camille hit just to the east only 36 years ago.

 

Actually Scott, My problem is Federal control of the National Guard. The National Guard should be under State Control only. That of course will never happen again soley because of a war fought between 1861-65.

Actually Mississippi is poorer than La. Both states are very poor states. Neither is wealthly. Most La citizens are not acting like barbarians. Many are donating time and money at Shelters.

That I agree with.

 

Hurricane Camille hit just to the east only 36 years ago. </font>[/QUOTE]In New Orleans Ken.....That's the point.

 

Well, Hardsheller, if bullets are whizzing by your ear, wouldn't you figure that you were in some danger of one actually striking you?

 

So they didn't build the levees to protect anyone from a category 4 or 5 hurricane because those are rare events. Even so, they knew this was a category 5 storm, they knew it was heading straight for New Orleans, they knew the levees wouldn't hold. They should have had a plan in place to deal with the devestation. They are acting like they were caught off guard and had no idea that this could have happened, they are now in the planning phases to deal with the situation, when they should have done the planning years ago, and should have been prepared before the storm ever made landfall.

 

If I'd been there a hundred years and never been hit I'd think my chances were just as good that I'd be missed again.

 

Without bothering to load a thing I could get in my car and be in New Orleans in about half a day. Its going to take longer if I load up enough supplies to sustain just myself for say two weeks. Longer yet if I get together supplies to sustain anyone else. Those people need help and three days probably seems like a lifetime to them but in practical terms its not been long at all. Its going to take many days and weeks to solve this. </font>[/QUOTE]Airplanes are a LOT faster than a car. </font>[/QUOTE]But still not fast enough to move, in three days, the quanities of material needed.

I live almost 200 miles from the ocean. When Hurricane Hugo came through we had nowhere even close to the damage katrina caused. You could drive around freely. My power was still off for two weeks. It takes time. Doesn't look like many people can understand that.

Small organizations could move quicker than the government. Expecting the government to just slash through the rules and red tape to do anything almost instantly is rather unrealistic and naive.

 

And that's how we end up with governmental inaction and the death of a major U.S. city, Hardsheller.

 

The Money to build a Levee that can survive a Category 5 would have been much much less than an event that will effect the entire economy of the USA. I do not think it would have cost that much more to build a superior levee BUT now all of us will pay for this negligence.

My understanding is that the Netherlands have almost perfected building a levee system and that the US system is inferior and would do well to adopt the Dutch model in New Orleans.

The Fact is New Orleans was going to get hit. It was grazed by Betsy 40 years ago and this time destroyed by Katrina. It will be hit again in the future. It has never been a matter of "IF" But "WHEN". You are to prepare for the worst.

 

So they didn't build the levees to protect anyone from a category 4 or 5 hurricane because those are rare events. Even so, they knew this was a category 5 storm, they knew it was heading straight for New Orleans, they knew the levees wouldn't hold. They should have had a plan in place to deal with the devestation. They are acting like they were caught off guard and had no idea that this could have happened, they are now in the planning phases to deal with the situation, when they should have done the planning years ago, and should have been prepared before the storm ever made landfall. </font>[/QUOTE]Right and that's the fault of the Mayor and the Governor not the Federal Administration!

 

Maybe. But we unfortunately don't live in a world where people with the power to destroy whole cities must load boats with thousands of soldiers and cross oceans to get here.

We really can't afford to wait and unfortunately budget cuts to the active military were made premised on a plan to use the Guard and Reserve as make up troops.

Actually Mississippi is poorer than La.</font>[/QUOTE] That's what I said.

I didn't say most. But the scenes and reports from NO are barbaric. Rape, plunder, and pillage against people already in shock from this tragedy.

My stomach turned yesterday as news cameras recorded a man leaving a store with a box full of goods laughing as if this was exactly what he was waiting on.

That I agree with. </font>[/QUOTE]I didn't say it with any sense of pleasure. Many good people there are being hurt by the bad.

 

So they didn't build the levees to protect anyone from a category 4 or 5 hurricane because those are rare events. Even so, they knew this was a category 5 storm, they knew it was heading straight for New Orleans, they knew the levees wouldn't hold. They should have had a plan in place to deal with the devestation. They are acting like they were caught off guard and had no idea that this could have happened, they are now in the planning phases to deal with the situation, when they should have done the planning years ago, and should have been prepared before the storm ever made landfall. </font>[/QUOTE]Right and that's the fault of the Mayor and the Governor not the Federal Administration! </font>[/QUOTE]If the Federal Administration is going to be involved after the fact through FEMA, then they need to be involved in the planning with the Mayor and Governor. They are equally to blame at every level and across party lines!

 

Some good news folks; three Canadian ships should arrive in La, loaded with equipment and supplies to help in this disaster, including emergency electrical supply.

Let it be known that Canada IS doing its part as expeditiously as possible.

Cheers,

Jim

 

I never had any doubt Canada would help.

Thanx, eh ?

 

So they didn't build the levees to protect anyone from a category 4 or 5 hurricane because those are rare events. Even so, they knew this was a category 5 storm, they knew it was heading straight for New Orleans, they knew the levees wouldn't hold. They should have had a plan in place to deal with the devestation. They are acting like they were caught off guard and had no idea that this could have happened, they are now in the planning phases to deal with the situation, when they should have done the planning years ago, and should have been prepared before the storm ever made landfall. </font>[/QUOTE]Right and that's the fault of the Mayor and the Governor not the Federal Administration! </font>[/QUOTE]If the Federal Administration is going to be involved after the fact through FEMA, then they need to be involved in the planning with the Mayor and Governor. They are equally to blame at every level and across party lines! </font>[/QUOTE]And I thought you were the Anti-Government Champion! Guess I was wrong about that.