Anyone in Hurricane Katrina's Path?

[X'an Shin]

I've just got done reading CNN, and New Orleans is starting to sound like Escape from New York.

Why is the human race not worth the breath God gave us? Why must we as a species sink to a new low all the time?

Hell, I dont know how many of you believe in God...but I know if I were him i'd say fuck this planet and burn this sucker to a cinder.

Seriously, one story I just read, you could easily replace "looters" with "zombies" and it sounds like a horror movie. People roaming the streets with AK47s breaking into 5 million dollar houses by chopping down the front door with an axe, etc.

[E-bo Obi]

People roaming the streets with AK47s breaking into houses by chopping down the front door with an axe, etc.

I have seen this.

[Novall]

Like all news stories bad news is good news. The stories of neihbors who had boats going from building to building pulling survivors off roofs and taking them to a near by court house for refuge the day after the hurrican passed, are over looked by the media when there's a lot of bad news for them to cover and increase their rattings. We dont see the stories like that of Chris McCabee who open his house to complete strangers, refugees who where able to make it out of New Orleans (Just heard this story on Fox as I'm rwriting this). I dont question humanities humanity. For every one looter we see there are 10 Chris McCabees who we dont see. In desperate times the good and the bad rise to the occation,and the bad are the ones who get the air time. When ever you think that God should hit the reset button on humanity, Novall, think of all the good we never see on TV.

True, but if you believe in God...thats what your waiting for anyhow.

[X'an Shin]

People roaming the streets with AK47s breaking into houses by chopping down the front door with an axe, etc.

I have seen this.

Here, or where you're at now?

[E-bo Obi]

Where I am now.

[X'an Shin]

Where I am now.

Tell me you're allowed to carry. Because I couldn't work there if I wasn't allowed a side-arm.

Or a fully auto AR-15.

[E-bo Obi]

Nah. There are plenty of people here that don't know how to use a weapon that would gladly give me theirs should the need arise.

[Skorixor]

People roaming the streets with AK47s breaking into houses by chopping down the front door with an axe, etc.

I have seen this.

I see this on about a nightly basis, cept I'm usually the one with the AK47


whoops, wrong forum

[Jabe Adaks]

I'll tread the rules of the forum and risk moderation...

As I read about people dying inside the super-dome I have to wonder what the problem is, why we haven't mustered enough manpower to successfully evac the remaining people out of there ASAP. Or at the very least why there is no food or water to sustain the people in the superdome. We have one of the biggest armies in the world yet we can't stop snipers from shooting at doctors trying to evacuate a hospital. Where is the might of this country at? I think we know the answer.

It only takes one good unexpected disaster to expose how thin a country is spread out. Regardless of how hard it is to get in or out of New Orleans right now this country posseses the power to handle the situation. And that power is clearly not where it needs to be. Looting has not been stopped and an entire American city officially came under the control of thugs the moment snipers decided when people could leave. Not to mention the fact that most of the police can only watch or risk their own lives needlessly.

Its difficult to not be embarrassed over supporting the current administration at any time in the last 5 years. I say "administration" because it takes more than one person to screw up this bad. People with the same rights as you and me are stuck dying in the middle of an American metropolis because civil unrest is out of control and because there is not enough food or water there. The troops, equipment and even packs of food that could get air-dropped and could have helped them are obviously not there. Where are they?

We have been incapable of adapting and deploying forces in New Orleans in a timely manor and we have complete anarchy as a result. I don't often get angry over politics. But after all of these years of supporting our current leadership as best as I could despite the mistakes - I can't do it anymore. Tonight someone in Iraq will benefit from our presence. At the same time our ill-equipped forces down south will run out of time to save a few more people who got shot trying to leave or simply weren't healthy enough to wait.

Jabe

[Skorixor]

/hi5 Jabe

I couldn't agree with you more

[X'an Shin]

I don't know. If he had rolled in BEFORE rioting had started, people would have nailed Bush to the cross for needlessly imposing martial law.

It's a double-edged sword.

The military's there now, and they're starting to try and gain control back.

The first fly-over of the damage was done by the National Guard on August 29th and 30th. It's only at best 4 days later and the military is there.

I'd say that's about as rapid deployment as you're going to get for a Class 4 hurricane combined with a levvy breaking, 100 year flood, and no clear roads in or out of the city. Even if we had zero troops deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan we'd still be in this mess. The rioters started looting and rioting before the levvy even broke, which was the 29th, the first clear day after the storm passed. Reports of the rioting were reserved to limited blog entries, as reporters couldn't even get in there to expose it.

Further, one could just as easily blame the lack of military presence on all of the troops we have stationed in Germany or Japan. There's 100,000 troops (active duty, not even reserve or guard units) that are defending Germany and Japan right now, a policy that goes back at least 10 administrations.

Are we spread too thin? Sure. But don't blame the Bush administration. The Republicans have been asking for larger militaries since Reagan. Nobody wanted larger armies. The fact is that we don't have enough troops due to budgetary constraints and poor enrolement. If we kept more Guard units home, people would complain that our troops are overextended in Iraq. If we send them to Iraq, they complain that they're not here for these kinds of disasters. The only solution to this is a bigger army, because the war on terror isn't going to stop.

That said, I do agree that I'm upset about there not being any clear-cut contingency plan for this level of a disaster. New Orleans has known about this potential for decades. A reporter in 2002 just stated that they were in immenent danger of this happening to them. How they don't have a floodplan evacuation contingency plan is maddening to me.

[E-bo Obi]

I think I made my thoughts on the subject clear in the Fats Domino thread but...

These people KNEW the hurricane was coming and decided NOT to heed the warnings. Now I don't know what the hell someone has to do but they got themselves in the situation they are in whether it is right or wrong.

I am sorry there are people dying but if you don't care enough about your life to get the hell out of a city that may end up 3 stories under water then you are a moron and have no right to complain that people don't want to risk their lives to save your pathetic ass.

They were warned at least 48 hours in advance. Maybe they all couldn't get rides out of town. Somewhere in the last 50 years we have apparently forgot that people got around before cars. WALK! Don't depend on the government to rescue you. ITS NOT THEIR JOB. You are responsible for your welfare not me.

I tried to cool down a little before writing this but I couldn't.

[Skorixor]

The chaos deepened despite the promise of 1,400 National Guardsmen a day to stop the looting, plans for a $10 billion recovery bill in Congress and a government relief effort
President Bush called the biggest in U.S. history.

New Orleans' top emergency management official called that effort a "national disgrace" and questioned when reinforcements would actually reach the increasingly lawless city.

"You can do everything for other countries, but you can't do nothing for your own people," he added. "You can go overseas with the military, but you can't get them down here."

The street outside the center, above the floodwaters, smelled of urine and feces, and was choked with dirty diapers, old bottles and garbage.

"They've been teasing us with buses for four days," Edwards said. "They're telling us they're going to come get us one day, and then they don't show up."

FEMA director Michael Brown said the agency just learned about the situation at the convention center Thursday and quickly scrambled to provide food, water and medical care and remove the corpses.

UMMM, don't they have tv's or read the newspaper????
"hurricane? wha hurricane?? New orleans under water??? Shut up man, quit messin with my head"

As he watched a line snaking for blocks through ankle-deep waters, New Orleans' emergency operations chief Terry Ebbert blamed the inadequate response on the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

"This is not a FEMA operation. I haven't seen a single FEMA guy," he said. He added: "We can send massive amounts of aid to tsunami victims, but we can't bail out the city of New Orleans."

FEMA officials said some operations had to be suspended in areas where gunfire has broken out, but are working overtime to feed people and restore order.

n Washington, the White House said Bush will tour the devastated Gulf Coast region on Friday and has asked his father, former President George H.W. Bush, and former
President Clinton to lead a private fund-raising campaign for victims.

The president urged a crackdown on the lawlessness.

well good thing he is getting right on top of the situation and surveying the damage a WEEK LATER...a place not an hours flight from his ranch...

[E-bo Obi]

I'm sure the secret service loves the idea of letting a president fly into a city where people are shooting at each other. Did you ever stop to think there are other things going on or are you too blinded by your politics?

[Skorixor]

I'm sure the secret service loves the idea of letting a president fly into a city where people are shooting at each other. Did you ever stop to think there are other things going on or are you too blinded by your politics?

nope

they weren't shooting the first day or so, but I guess he was to busy

and the other governors and mayors have flown over, but I guess they're expendable...cuz I'm sure the looters have AA and SAM's and can take out choppers/aircraft now

if not, they could always snipe the prez from his chopper or learjet or other aircraft

you're from the military, I'm sure you know how easy it is to snipe someone out of a moving aerial vehicle with a pistol or shotgun...