WP: Planning, Response Are Faulted (Friday Page 1 )

[sabra]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/01/AR2005090102428.html

Planning, Response Are Faulted

By Josh White and Peter Whoriskey
Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, September 2, 2005; Page A01

Tens of thousands of people remain stranded on the streets of New Orleans in desperate conditions because officials failed to plan for a serious levee breach and the federal response to Hurricane Katrina was slow, according to disaster experts and Louisiana government officials.

Though experts had long predicted that the city -- which sits below sea level and is surrounded by water -- would face unprecedented devastation after an immense hurricane, they said problems were worsened by a late evacuation order and insufficient emergency shelter for as many as 100,000 people.

...

Rep. Charles W. Boustany Jr., (R-La.), said he spent the past 48 hours urging the Bush administration to send help. "I started making calls and trying to impress upon the White House and others that something needed to be done," he said. "The State resources were being overwhelmed, and we needed direct federal assistance, command and control, and security -- all three of which are lacking."

...

"How many people are going to die, per hour, before you get 40,000 troops in there?" Madden asked yesterday. "I think it has cost lives. . . . They can go into Iraq and do this and do that, but they can't drop some food on Canal Street in New Orleans, Louisiana, right now? It's just mind-boggling."

[Gloria]

1. The Republican rep sounds a lot more concerned that Landrieu

did....

[ShockediSay]

2. Bush on defensive over Katrina response

Some critics zeroed in on a photograph of Bush receiving a gift guitar from a country singer on Tuesday -- the same day that officials in areas battered by Katrina said they expected the death toll to run in the hundreds.

"The bottom line is he needs to appear much more involved, much more hands on, much more in touch with the reality on the ground. He certainly should not be being photographed with a guitar," said a Republican congressional aide.

The aide, who requested anonymity to avoid political reprisals, said Bush could have given made a formal address to the nation, summoned the US Congress to act, or declared martial law in New Orleans.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20050901/pl_afp/usweatherbushpolitics

[Miss Chybil]

3. The political reprisals are going to be devastating for any who do

not step up to the plate and denounce the incompetence that has taken over our federal government.

[ClintonTyree]

20. Who's going to hold their feet to the fire?

The Corporate MSM? Mr. and Mrs. Joe America? The only reason they care about this at all is because it's costing both arms and a leg to fill their Chevy Subdivisions or Hummer III's. I know people who have NO IDEA what's going on down on the Gulf Coast. I went to the corner store Wednesday for a newspaper and the girl at the counter looked at the front page, the devastation and flooding, and said, "Oh my god, where's that happening"? :eyes: Totally clueless.
Unless someone starts changing their mindset there's going to be no accountability for this, just as there's been no accountability for any other of their boneheaded policies. The only thing about this that might wake people from their slumber is the high gas prices. Unbelievable. People are so clueless about what's going on in our country, not to mention the rest of the world.

[Massachusetts]

23. "Oh my god, where's that happening"?

"Unless someone starts changing their mindset there's going to be no accountability for this, just as there's been no accountability for any other of their boneheaded policies. The only thing about this that might wake people from their slumber is the high gas prices. Unbelievable. People are so clueless about what's going on in our country, not to mention the rest of the world."


TRUE, TRUE, TRUE....BINGO!!! EXCELLENT POST

[CJCRANE]

14. "he needs to APPEAR much more involved" -

No, he needs to BE involved.

[LevelB]

26. Says it all, doesn't it?

He needs to "appear" more involved.

B.

[yellowcanine]

35. "He certainly should not be being photographed with a guitar," said a

Republican congressional aide."

Be still my beating heart. At last the teflon shield has slipped just a trifle.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

12. Oh, I thought she was the GOP Rep.

:blush:

[sofa king]

4. This reconstruction brought to you by the people who gave you Iraq.

As a Democrat, I sneeringly predict an incompetently run operation with too few troops and the populace running amok--because I hate America, nineeleven.

[tapper]

5. And when they drop food, it's destroyed ...

... Read the 10:46 pm entry at the Interdictor blog:

http://www.livejournal.com/users/interdictor/


:mad:

[Carolab]

6. That's very edifying. Shows how much they've been lying about things.

Of course, we already knew that, right?

[texpatriot2004]

7. Yes, we did, but it's good to see it in black and white. n/t

[Dem2theMax]

11. Thanks for the link. I just sent it to Keith Olbermann.

Thought he might want to get in touch with the guy himself. Keith has been doing great coverage and maybe he can get this story on the airwaves.

[calimary]

13. Welcome to DU!

Glad you're here. Glad you're mad!

Visualize IMPEACHMENT!!!!!
Then go DO something about it.

[Toots]

40. How do you destroy MREs or bottled water in plastic bottles.

I have seen food drops in the past and it was not destroyed. Your sound bite don't hold water.

[krkaufman]

8. All levels of government failed here... take Johnny B Bradberry...

... as an example:

"There is never a contingency plan for something like this," said Johnny B. Bradberry, secretary of the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development.

(from the WP article)

[krkaufman]

9. And then there's Lt.Gen. Russel "I'm not clairvoyant" Honore...

(from the WP article...)

Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honore, the Army officer in charge of the military task force set up to respond to Katrina, acknowledged yesterday that the vast extent of hurricane damage had caught him and other military planners off guard.

"All last week, we were collaborating on developing options," he said in a briefing to Pentagon reporters. "None of us -- nobody -- was clairvoyant enough to perceive the damage that was going to be brought by this storm."

Planning for this would NOT have required clairvoyance! A few wisely placed phone calls would likely have been enough to layout the worst case scenario, for which you should have prepared.

[MADem]

24. Honore is the guy the mayor described as the Kick Ass General

who got off the helo and started getting things done. I admire a guy who can throw down and admit a fuckup, which is what he did with that statement. Far better than the lying bastards at HS and FEMA who do not know the Dome from the Convention Center.

[krkaufman]

29. Kudos to Honore, then, for getting on the ground and taking action...

... but his statement, nonetheless, is false. Exactly what happened in New Orleans *was* predicted; in fact, it was considered likely.

Granted, no one within Honore's group of pre-disaster planners may have been privy to this information, but others in the disaster preparedness community *had* predicted this disaster, and likely had plans to address many of the subsequent scenarios -- analogous to Jay Garner and Iraq reconstruction planners not being allowed access to the reems of State Department post-war planning for Iraq.


edit: As I hit "Submit", I heard a reporter on CNN relating a story of a New Orleans police officer breaking down in tears, overwhelmed that they are unable to help and seeing other officers DROWNING in attempts to help those in need -- and frustrated that NO ONE, still, is coming to their aid.

[MADem]

31. I think your thought on Honore's group is right on the mark

And I do think he must be a humble man at heart--admitting a fuckup is not common at that paygrade, unless you are a very centered and selfless individual.

It does seem to me like FEMA was totally asleep at the switch, hoping for a Faith-Based Levee not breaking, and not thinking ahead. And now the military is going to have to run behind them cleaning up, and probably wishing that they could have done the planning in the first place.

The military is supposed to take direction from FEMA, but FEMA is not leading. It's what happens when you put a crony rather than an expert in a critical job...

[krkaufman]

37. NICE!, I like that --- Faith-Based Levee Management...!!

Who needs the Corps of Engineers...? When it's so much "cheaper" to just have faith that the levees will hold.

[krkaufman]

38. Re: military...

I'm worried about what's going to happen when Iraq-experienced troops are put on the ground in New Orleans to "restore order." Unintended consequences are a __________.

[krkaufman]

10. Ah, whaddya know.. the WP article debunks Bradberry's position...

... just a few paragraphs down. Nicely done, WP.

Martha A. Madden, former secretary of the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, said she believes a critical systemic breakdown occurred the moment the levee broke. She said contingency plans have been in place for decades but were either ignored or improperly executed.

[CJCRANE]

15. Maybe

the phrase "fiddling while Rome burns" will be superceded by "strumming while New Orleans drowns"...

[Counterpuncher]

16. FEMA Directing Donations to Rev. Pat Robertson!!!

Perhaps this is why relief so vapid. The people being "relieved" are Republican power brokers. Can I get my donation back?

[ClintonTyree]

21. He needs more airplanes to fly his gold in from Africa.....

won't you please help? Maybe Pat should just squint his eyes together and pray for more donations. More likely he'd be praying for the swift deaths of all those refugees so his mining and other shystering operations wouldn't be affected. Bastard. If people knew their money was going to Mr. Squint I doubt they'd have donated to the FEMA line. Donate to the Red Cross, that way Mr. Squint won't be able to get his hands on it. :grr:

[Counterpuncher]

17. Pat Robertson

heres a link for it : http://www.sploid.com/news/2005/09/01/fema-directing-donations-to-rev-pat-robertson-123509.php

[rfkrfk]

18. when did the Governor officially ask for federal help?

why is some Congressman doing that?

[ClintonTyree]

22. Monday, I believe.

Of course the Federal Government will say they didn't receive the necessary forms filled out in triplicate and filed by midnight, Tuesday.

Should you even HAVE to ask? :shrug: I guess maybe you do. Chimpy McCokespoon hasn't a clue what's happening in the country, unless you're a rich "pioneer" or "ranger" donating to his campaign fund.

[rfkrfk]

32. the people that DO have a clue, need to speak up

the Federal gov't is just backup here.
other states were hit by Katrina, btw

on Monday, what did Gov. Blanko ask for?

[Koeln]

19. unbelievable where i come from it would be Bush's last day in office

OK here in germany Bush nobody would elect bush but if so this would be his end.

The pictures on the television are unbelievable.
I think about my government spending hundreds of billion in a useless war and not being able to rescue our people in several days. not being able to transport the death out of the streets to feed the hungry and to bring water into that region.

making only a helpless impression on tv with meaningless words and the same blabla as always

This would be the end of that government in my country at least i hope so but i also knew that

It´s a unbelievable disaster.

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

25. W has been a unbelievable disaster for USA

The suffering of these people is just one more chapter in Captian Clusterfuck's (aka Bush's) legacy.

I wish we could have a vote of no confidence and rid ourselves of this egotistical, evil little shit, but unfortunately we don't.

[northerdar]

27. In all this Disaster mess - where is Dick Cheney?

Maybe I missed some news some where. I haven't see or heard of Dick Cheney and his reaction and efforts for the Katrina victims. Isn't he suppose to be involved in this aid for these states? Is he on vacation or sick or dead?

[SaveAmerica]

34. All of us here are in agreement with that, our country cannot survive

another year (month, day, week) of his 'rule'. We have citizens trying to get supplies and help down there to bypass the 'govt.' and their lack of response.

Oh yeah, wilkommen bie Democratic Underground (hope that's right, can't remember how to say 'to')

[Koeln]

43. german is a very difficult language

and i am very happy that i didn´t have to learn it at school or university

it would be

willkommen bei democaticunderground

so you were right

[Buns_of_Fire]

36. Welcome to DU, Koeln!

Wouldst it could have been under happier circumstances... :hi:

[riverwalker]

28. June 2002 study: 100,000 will be left behind

FEMA and Homeland Security had all this information. This is a great article from 2002, using computer models by LSU on Cat 5 hurricane in NOLA. Everything recommended was not done by FEMA.

http://www.nola.com/hurricane/?/washingaway/

....."100,000 people without transportation will be especially threatened.
The region’s large population, including more than 1 million people in the New Orleans area, requires a 72- to 84-hour window for evacuation, well ahead of the time that forecasters can accurately predict a storm’s track and strength.
Few north-south escape routes exist to move residents away from the coast, and many of those include low-lying sections that can flood days before a hurricane makes landfall.
Evacuees must travel more than 80 miles to reach high ground, meaning more cars on the highways for a longer time as the storm approaches.
A large population of low-income residents do not own cars and would have to depend on an untested emergency public transportation system to evacuate them.
Much of the area is below sea level and vulnerable to catastrophic flooding. Based on the danger to refugees and workers, the Red Cross has decided not to operate shelters south of the Interstate 10-Interstate 12 corridor, leaving refuges of last resort that offer only minimal protection and no food or bedding.
Emergency officials say they have made improvements since Hurricane Georges, but the changes have yet to be tested under real-world conditions, and many obstacles remain."

[lakeguy]

30. Planning, Response Are Faulted...sounds like a broken record

playing over and over for the chimp and his cronies. Ummm, cake taste good!

[NicRic]

33. we have become an embarassment to ourselves !

With the lack of help from a completely inebt president ,we have become a embareassment ,that we cant even take care of our own ! We will allow our poor and sick ,die a horrible death ,while we send billions over to the mid-east. After the nightmare of a stolen election in 2000 ,we are hit with one of the worst attacks against our country ,and now this hurricane . Each and everytime bush has let us down , he is a empty shell of a human being and the worst possible person to be in this position of power he is in ! God help those people caught up in this mess and suffering ,because some very wealthy people where able to steal an election and put a puppet idiot in the oval office. History books a 100 years from now will look upon this time in our history very unkindly and bush will be considered the all time worst president ,still to that day ,I mean I really dont think we could do any worst ,even some evil dictators could have handled this situation better, maybe he should go see sadam in jail and get advice from him ? SAD<SAD< SAD< !!!!!

[Buns_of_Fire]

39. We will all sleep better at night knowing...

that if another terraist attack occurs on American soil, FEMA, Our Glorious Leader, and the guv'mint will be right there, johnny-on-the-spot, to help sort everything out. :sarcasm:

(No, Mr. President, your middle finger goes here on a C7 chord...)

[truedelphi]

41. One of the things that added insult to injury

PrimeTime on Channel 7 last night played a brief video clip of
New Orleans as she was meant to be - And as she was until just four days ago... The trolley car flashing its way down one of the French Quarter Main ThoroughFares - past a park and garden.

It brought back all the flavors of that town:

A world class rioting Bad Gyrll of a City, which existed to entertain and amuse us - a DisneyLand for the consenting adult.

So much of this sassy town's energy had gone towards keeping us happy
and delighted - Giving us Jazz, and giving us Great Food, and stroking our collective G spot.

I know it is mean, cuz there are innocent people that live there too, but I keep thinking, why couldn't it have been F***ing DC?

The Goddess in my heaven says that THAT would have been fitting and just.

Carol

[roody]

42. Castro would have been there

If this were Cuba, the ruthless dictator Fidel Castro would have been on the ground from the beginning making sure people had what they needed. Also they would have been evacuated.