A Brit View on Katrina.........

[red indian]

.........let me say up front, i dont know what I am talking about, so feel free to tell me so but here goes.....

I have heard that the UK has not offered any assistance so far, which is not very good, but, has anyone asked us for help?

I have noticed all the usual race mongers getting on the band wagon (sharpton, Jackson etc) is a poor flood defence system and a rubbish disaster management system grounds for accusasions of race based decisions regarding the Katrina disaster?

Is it right to shout down critisisms of the disaster management as "political opportunism"? what could be more political than a disaster of this kind? what could be a more testing examinantion of the ability of those who govern and those who have reached positions of power and control through political means?

Is it fair to use this disaster as a cheap way of attacking the President? what the hell does he know about the complex business of flood defences and disaster management after a hurricane? and what qualifies the precious lovies of Hollywood to tell us all how it all went wrong and how to put it right?

How could the city of New Orleans be so badly prepared for such a disaster given the high probability of such an event occurring? Much of the place is below sea level, and its right next to.....er.......the sea! bit of a clue there surely?

How can the U.S. wage war on the far side of the globe with such admirable efficiency in Afghanistan and Iraq and yet be incapable of dealing with such a well known, predictable risk in its own back yard?

How do the clueless New Orleans authorities measure up when compared to earthquake sensitive San Fran Sisco?

 

[MrMacphisto]

How could the city of New Orleans be so badly prepared for such a disaster given the high probability of such an event occurring?

Because it was run by Americans... just kidding... But seriously, New Orleans's management was never known for its exemplary ability. Bush obviously screwed this operation up, but the mayor of New Orleans seemed remarkably quick to shift blame onto Bush. You'll notice he didn't accept much blame himself. This is just a matter of the Deep South's often incorrigible leadership. The infrastructure down there is typically underfunded and mismanaged, but this has almost always been the case historically for America. The Deep South is basically the ass end of the country, both culturally and economically. Don't get me wrong though.... North Carolina isn't much better. There are areas of the U.K. that are equivalently ass-backwards, but thankfully, they don't have to contend with hurricanes.

How can the U.S. wage war on the far side of the globe with such admirable efficiency in Afghanistan and Iraq and yet be incapable of dealing with such a well known, predictable risk in its own back yard?

It's because our current leadership sucks. Also, we have a military-minded culture. We're always looking at threats from without, rather than from within. Instead of fighting the War on Terror in a defensive strategy, we took the offense. We're not as keen on defensive measures -- look at how people even rebuild on hurricane-prone land in places like Florida, knowing that they will probably have to rebuild again in 10 to 20 years. In short, we're stubborn SOB's.

In all likelihood, New Orleans will be rebuilt in the same vulnerable areas and defended by inadequate levees, so we can look forward to this all over again in about 30 years.

How do the clueless New Orleans authorities measure up when compared to earthquake sensitive San Fran Sisco?

First of all... San Francisco has a LOT more money than New Orleans. They can afford to take whatever defensive measures are required, and in fact, they have. There are strict building codes in many areas of San Francisco that require installing earthquake-resistant structures. Many buildings have been retro-fitted to meet these codes and protect their inhabitants. In short, where there is more money, there is likely to be more competent management (although there are obvious exceptions to this rule).

 

[venray]

Red my friend you have hit the nail on all points especially the race game and the hollywood lovelies...

As for the rest, Bush screwed up nothing...It never should have happened in the first place...

Many are criticising the State Government for not having an evac plan in place for such an emergency..

The truth is that there WAS an evac plan...It just wasnt implemented.... None of the fleets of school buses were dispatched to pick up points to evac the people that had no other way to get out....

They should have told everyone that the levy would not stand a hit from this storm and that they had to leave BEFORE all hell broke loose and instead they "suggested "that everyone leave yet did not provide the method for those who eventually found themselves in their current predicament because of it....

It is the responsibility of each major city to have a plan for disaster, then the state, and it is the responsibilty of the federal government to LEND ASSISTANCE when needed... (IE declare a state of emergency and provide funds etc)

If the state cant take care of it's own then there is a problem...If it CAN and does NOT then there is a larger problem....But to say it is the fault of the administration that they did not have all kinds of aid there the next day is ludicrous.... and very petty "buck passing" with political motivations involved and nothing more....


Ray

 

[TklDuo-Drew]

I totally agree with you, Red..........by the way..........do you have ten dollars I could borrow?



Drew

 

[Nige]

Red, you raise some good valid questions. I would be surprised if Tony Blair had not offered some help.

 

[General Zod]

Red
I thought that the UK was sending some aid Maybe I heard wrong Anyway,I know that the Mexican military has sent something like 200 troops into the US Mostly medical and engineers Very decent of them
Now the following I had heard on the radio Both regular FM and satelite radio
#1 The Lousiana governor said wait 24 hrs for the start of relief efforts

#2 The mayor of New Orleans said no to using city buses to help evacuate the poor Both of those was from a classic rock station in Lansing,Michigan 94.9 FM

#3 The state of Louisiana gets $500,000 per day from the gambling industry
If that is true,heard it on CNN radio channel on my XM satelite radio,that is a lot of money
I wonder how much of that money was ever set aside as disaster relief As far as those people who wish to stay in the disaster area..........Let them

 

[Volcom]

The UK government has sent over half a million military ration packs, to help with the food shortage. Apparently more aid is prepared, but there has to be a formal request for it, apparently so far there has only been a formal request for food aid from the US government.
Good old surplus of time, and BBC news 24!

 

[Sultrybrunette]

Now the following I had heard on the radio Both regular FM and satelite radio
#1 The Lousiana governor said wait 24 hrs for the start of relief efforts

#2 The mayor of New Orleans said no to using city buses to help evacuate the poor Both of those was from a classic rock station in Lansing,Michigan 94.9 FM

How in the heck do you get to listen to 94.9? That is one of my favorite stations to listen to when I have the radio on.

I definitely agree that there is too much blame going around. It disgusts me that the City and State officials were so lacking in any kind of emergency plans and would deliberately hold back aid. No doubt this will be remembered next election day. Unfortunately, there won't be too many people there to voite.

 

[kcantankerous]

read indian I haven't fully comprehended your post yet but I definately look at your opinions.

 

[TklDuo-Ann]

I think everyone dropped the ball to some degree on all of this. But, it's not any one persons fault or any party's fault like so many are making it out to be. It's a failure of the entire system.

Studies had been done a few years back proving that a major hurricane would topple the levy system. Projects were approved to improve it. BUT...they never figured the proper heights or anything to properly do so AND the work had yet to be completed. There was actually a documentary a few months back (I think on Discovery) that predicted exactly what we're seeing. Even if the work was completed, the levy system was at least 6 feet too low.

Evacuation profiles and plans were in place that would have sent school and other buses into the poor areas of New Orleans to bring people out. There were to have been pickup points every couple of blocks. BUT...the buses were never sent by the mayor and the N.O. emergency management teams.

The way our governing bodies are set up generally defers to the more local government to request assistance...local asks state, state asks federal, etc. The breakdown in communications added to the fact that people were scrambling for control in an uncontrollable situation. Requests for assistance were late in coming. Therefore, that assistance was late in coming.

Charitable relief agencies and military help were waiting in the wings, supplies and people staged and ready to help. BUT...Many STILL have not been allowed in to help because they haven't completed the proper paperwork. So, much of the available help has gone unused.

Many nations, including the UK, have offered various amounts and forms of aid...many offering aid they really can't afford, but recognizing the need and wanting to help. Much of that aid hasn't been cleared yet...again because of paperwork and logistics issues.

The issues surrounding this disaster go on and on. There are a LOT of people who will need to be held accountable when the mess is cleared up enough to take time for that. The political backstabbing and game playing is a disgusting display of what our government has become...and a part of the reason that some of the aid has yet to reach people. That doesn't mean the so-called Bush government. It means the government agencies throughout this patheticly political system where people are too busy pointing fingers and looking for dirt on political opponents to do their damned jobs!

Once things settle down and people are safe and at least somewhat back on their feet, there needs to be an honest look at everything that went wrong here. There are likely to be people who will lose their jobs. There will be people who may even face legal action. And, HOPEFULLY, there will be much learned by this mess. Politics should take a back seat to the job getting done. Agencies willing and able to help in situations like this should be factored into a true working disaster response plan so time isn't wasted doing paperwork while people are dying. Soooo many lessons have been presented in all this. I pray to God that we'll LEARN those lessons!

I also need to point out that, while I don't agree with all the slop being tossed back and forth by those who think this is a political issue rather than the humanitarian one it truly is, I do understand the anger that is being expressed. Anger is just one part of the grieving process and needs to be vented. I just wish we could channel that anger into action.

Ann

 

[General Zod]

How in the heck do you get to listen to 94.9? That is one of my favorite stations to listen to when I have the radio on.

I definitely agree that there is too much blame going around. It disgusts me that the City and State officials were so lacking in any kind of emergency plans and would deliberately hold back aid. No doubt this will be remembered next election day. Unfortunately, there won't be too many people there to voite.

I drive big rig for a living I was on my way to Walker,over by Grand Rapids, to pick up a load