International Crisis over Katrina??? Omg. "You're on your own, Britain's

[Horse with no Name]

victim's told"
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,6903,1562517,00.html

British families trapped in New Orleans last night claimed that US authorities had refused to evacuate them as Hurricane Katrina approached the city.

Although assistance was offered to US residents, British nationals were told they would have to fend for themselves. According to those who remain stranded in the stricken city, police had visited hotels and guest houses on the eve of the hurricane offering to evacuate Americans, but not Britons.

The order meant UK holidaymakers without cars were left helpless in the face of the hurricane. Some have been trapped in hotels and guest houses since the hurricane struck at 7am local time last Monday.

One family from Liverpool, trapped in a flooded section of the city, told relatives yesterday of their bewilderment when they realised US citizens would be offered preferential treatment.

[madmax]

1. They hate us for our freedoms. n/t

[mirandapriestly]

2. heh heh

This is embarrassing

[tanyev]

3. And that's the end of foreign tourists coming to the USA

for at least 3 more years.

[xultar]

4. Well if wating 5 days for food and water and living on the street and

shitting in buckets with 30,000 other strangers is preferential treatment I'd hate to see what they got.

[tlsmith1963]

5. Get Rid of Bush!!!

This is his doing! He is trying to stick it to the British now! I want him *gone*!

Tammy

[undeterred]

6. Great, alienate the only country left

that is stupid enough to be our ally.

[melody]

7. What "preferential treatment"?

Everyone was treated exactly the same way...horribly.

[mwooldri]

18. Had this been a 3rd World country....

... the reaction would have been different.

Firstly, the leaders of that country are most likely to turn around to the world media and say "we need help". Secondly, I am sure that 1st World countries would have their military in, evacuating their own, as what happened in Rwanda (and other places - but having watched Hotel Rwanda recently it's kind of stuck in my mind), in a relatively short space of time. I've seen times of policial unrest in African countries where there are a number of sides ready to bring a particular country to civil war, and the foreign troops come on in, swoop in, and take their own nationals out of the picture, leaving the locals to feud. I also notice that the foreign military powers of those countries tend to get in quite quickly (and out again almost as quick).

I am speculating here, but I bet that British forces could have been there on Wednesday, helping get people out (and not just British people). I bet even (gasp!) French forces could be in helping out too. I don't know if help had not been offered from the UK (and EU) authorities because they would be under the assumption that the US authorities have got their schtick together and can help people out, or whether as in other cases mentioned here and elsewhere help was offered yet refused.

Disclaimer: I am ex-pat UK.

Mark.

[MadeinOhio]

8. So this is the neocons payback for downing street I guess.....

....Let all the british die for letting the secret truth about the oil wars leak out!

Well you know what they say out here, what goes up.........Must come down....

[Pallas180]

9. Dont forget, this was the New Orleans police - not the best of

the first responders.

Nevertheless, that this happened to the Brits is outrageous.

Where are they now?

On the other hand, if they were treated as American citizens were, they would have to be happy they were rejected.

[KerryOn]

10. Hold on....

I'm not sure if assistance was offered to US citizens. Everyone was on their own. Everyone that had vehicles drove out on their own and overwhelmed the freeways. The airlines stopped all flights in and out of the city on Sunday leaving tourist and business travelers stranded. I have not heard of any plan to have authorities evacuate those that could not drive, or have I heard any stories of actual offer by authoraties to help those that could not get out on their own. There should have been a plan, because everyone new this could happen some day. Where the responsibility lies is yet to be seen. Evacuating a city the size of NO would probably be to large for the mayor to achieve on his own.

[Horse with no Name]

12. I understand that

But this is front page London newspaper.
Not going to play well to a country that already hates Bush.
This has the makings of an international incident that has the capability of Britain withdrawing their troops.
Let's see how it plays the next week or so.

[jpak]

11. Karen Hughs! Calling Karen Hughs!!!

:evilgrin:

[txindy]

13. Well, golly, more foolish people who chose to remain behind in NO

:sarcasm:

I hope Jeb appreciates the irony of this situation. Tens of thousands of British citizens spend holidays in Florida, particularly Orlando. Too bad it's in a prime Hurricane area, Jeb. A season that lasts for 4-5 months of the year. Bummer about those tourist dollars your state depends on. :hi:

Countries are going to be warning their citizens not to travel to the US due to the third world conditions they may encounter and the dangers associated with the locals - as in, the federal government.

[Horse with no Name]

14. lol

Yep.

[jurassicpork]

15. Pretty pathetic

One family from Liverpool, told relatives yesterday of their bewilderment when they realised US citizens would be offered preferential treatment.

This is pretty pathetic when one realizes how sluggish help has been extended to US citizens.

JP
http://jurassicpork.blogspot.com

[sonicx]

16. Winning hearts and minds!

[Julius Civitatus]

17. Racism, xenophobia, disregard for the poor, chaos...

..,Katrina revealed to the world what the Bush administration has done to America. What a disgrace!

[gatorboy]

19. Well, I guess we can forget about any more foreign help in a crisis.

And who can blame them?

Freepers whine that the world ignores us in a time of need, when in actuality, countries responded in droves to help us.

And what do we do in return? We treat their people like complete shit.

[RaleighNCDUer]

20. Yeah, well, they are Brits.

Now if they'd been Saudi, Marine One would have flown in and airlifted them out before the storm even hit.