I am so Angry

[tybee204]

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/...25.story?coll=chi-news-hed&ctrack=1&cset=true

Tribune national correspondent
Published September 4, 2005


ON THE USS BATAAN -- While federal and state emergency planners scramble to get more military relief to Gulf Coast communities stricken by Hurricane Katrina, a massive naval goodwill station has been cruising offshore, underused and waiting for a larger role in the effort.

The USS Bataan, a 844-foot ship designed to dispatch Marines in amphibious assaults, has helicopters, doctors, hospital beds, food and water. It also can make its own water, up to 100,000 gallons a day. And it just happened to be in the Gulf of Mexico when Katrina came roaring ashore.

The Bataan rode out the storm and then followed it toward shore, awaiting relief orders. Helicopter pilots flying from its deck were some of the first to begin plucking stranded New Orleans residents.

But now the Bataan's hospital facilities, including six operating rooms and beds for 600 patients, are empty. A good share of its 1,200 sailors could also go ashore to help with the relief effort, but they haven't been asked. The Bataan has been in the stricken region the longest of any military unit, but federal authorities have yet to fully utilize the ship.

Could we do more?" said Capt. Nora Tyson, commander of the Bataan. "Sure. I've got sailors who could be on the beach plucking through garbage or distributing water and food and stuff. But I can't force myself on people.

"We're doing everything we can to contribute right now, and we're ready. If someone says you need to take on people, we're ready. If they say hospitals on the beach can't handle it ... if they need to send the overflow out here, we're ready. We've got lots of room."


More at link

 

[TexMex]

This needs to be fully documented and relayed over and over again for the impeachment hearings.

Hope they document this as well for the mayor's impeachment

Police Chief: 'Urban Warfare' Slowed New Orleans Rescue

New Orleans Police Chief Edwin Compass said Friday that hurricane rescue efforts were hampered when relief workers came under attack by the city's criminal element, prompting conditions that resembled "urban warfare."

"We have never had an urban warfare battle like this on any front in the history of our nation," Compass told NBC's "Dateline."


You're fighting in buildings that are pitch black with darkness. These individuals have root - the criminal element have looted all the gun shops and gun stores in this city, so they're armed, they're dangerous."
Federal Emergency Management Agency Chief Michael Brown, under fire for his agency's slow response, echoed Chief Compass's complaint, telling CNN: "We are working under conditions of urban warfare."

Though the city's crime rate is ten times the national average, U.S. news outlets downplayed the connection between New Orleans' outsized criminal element and delays in rescue efforts.

Saturday's London Times, however, painted a bleak picture of the challenges faced by local police as they tried to restore order.

"One New Orleans police officer wept as he described seeing bodies riddled with bullets, and the top of one man's head shot off. He said some looters were armed with AK-47 rifles, and compared the situation with Somalia, with police outnumbered and outgunned by gangs in trucks . . .

"An effort to remove patients and staff from Charity Hospital, in the city centre, was suspended after it came under sniper fire . . .

 

[chicoliving]

This chit just makes my head spin......

 

[Mabel]

But now the Bataan's hospital facilities, including six operating rooms and beds for 600 patients, are empty. A good share of its 1,200 sailors could also go ashore to help with the relief effort, but they haven't been asked. The Bataan has been in the stricken region the longest of any military unit, but federal authorities have yet to fully utilize the ship.

But let's not bash the government. :waitasec:

 

[tipper]

Hope they document this as well for the mayor's impeachment

Police Chief: 'Urban Warfare' Slowed New Orleans Rescue

New Orleans Police Chief Edwin Compass said Friday that hurricane rescue efforts were hampered when relief workers came under attack by the city's criminal element, prompting conditions that resembled "urban warfare."

"We have never had an urban warfare battle like this on any front in the history of our nation," Compass told NBC's "Dateline."


You're fighting in buildings that are pitch black with darkness. These individuals have root - the criminal element have looted all the gun shops and gun stores in this city, so they're armed, they're dangerous."
Federal Emergency Management Agency Chief Michael Brown, under fire for his agency's slow response, echoed Chief Compass's complaint, telling CNN: "We are working under conditions of urban warfare."

Though the city's crime rate is ten times the national average, U.S. news outlets downplayed the connection between New Orleans' outsized criminal element and delays in rescue efforts.

Saturday's London Times, however, painted a bleak picture of the challenges faced by local police as they tried to restore order.

"One New Orleans police officer wept as he described seeing bodies riddled with bullets, and the top of one man's head shot off. He said some looters were armed with AK-47 rifles, and compared the situation with Somalia, with police outnumbered and outgunned by gangs in trucks . . .

"An effort to remove patients and staff from Charity Hospital, in the city centre, was suspended after it came under sniper fire . . .

Isn't New Orleans also known for the corruption of its police department?

 

[TexMex]

Isn't New Orleans also known for the corruption of its police department?

It is. There are approx 1,500 on the force, at least 200 have quit, some never showed up after Monday and at least two have committed suicide.
Three female officers were filmed looting.

New York Times 9/4/05

The National Guard has come under criticism for not moving more quickly into New Orleans. Lt. Gen. H Steven Blum, the head of the National Guard Bureau, told reporters on Saturday that the Guard had not moved in sooner because it had not anticipated the collapse of civilian law enforcement.

Some patrol officers said morale had been low on the force even before the hurricane. One patrolman said the complaints included understaffing and a lack of equipment.

"We have to use our own shotguns," said the patrolman, who did not want to be identified by name. "This isn't theirs; this is my personal gun."

Another patrol officer said that many of the officers who had quit were younger, inexperienced officers who were overwhelmed by the task.

 

[less0305]

And she drowned Friday night. She drowned Friday night.


Wait.....she made it through a hurricane. She made it through the initial onslaught of rising water. The water stopped rising like by what, Wednesday at the latest. The water never rose any higher - and in fact they said it decreased 4 to 6 inches. How did she "drown" on Friday? I'd have to have an explanation of that.

 

[concernedperson]

And she drowned Friday night. She drowned Friday night.


Wait.....she made it through a hurricane. She made it through the initial onslaught of rising water. The water stopped rising like by what, Wednesday at the latest. The water never rose any higher - and in fact they said it decreased 4 to 6 inches. How did she "drown" on Friday? I'd have to have an explanation of that.

She could have been in a one story building and it didn't recede in all areas. Remember all areas have different sea levels to consider.....some were 12 feet, some were 6 feet and some were above.We have already heard of 30 nursing home residents that died....none of this is unimaginable at this point. We will never know the whole story about any of this. I won't pick apart these tragedies but they are going to get worst and the pick and choose is going to get worse.Aaron Broussard's pain was incomprehensible and raw and heartfelt and he had nothing to gain.I am not hysterical tonight but I could be at any time.

 

[less0305]

She could have been in a one story building and it didn't recede in all areas. Remember all areas have different sea levels to consider.....some were 12 feet, some were 6 feet and some were above.We have already heard of 30 nursing home residents that died....none of this is unimaginable at this point. We will never know the whole story about any of this. I won't pick apart these tragedies but they are going to get worst and the pick and choose is going to get worse.Aaron Broussard's pain was incomprehensible and raw and heartfelt and he had nothing to gain.I am not hysterical tonight but I could be at any time.

Something isn't right about the story. She may have died from dehydration or not getting medical care. Fine. Say that. And I'm terribly sorry for anyone who lost a loved one. But I'm sorry before it's over with there will be stories told that simply aren't true....to point fingers and blame anyone else.

 

[concernedperson]

Something isn't right about the story. She may have died from dehydration or not getting medical care. Fine. Say that. And I'm terribly sorry for anyone who lost a loved one. But I'm sorry before it's over with there will be stories told that simply aren't true....to point fingers and blame anyone else.

There is a chain right now who didn't live up to their responsibilities.The flood waters are real I didn't make this up, look at any photos online. The ground sinks as saturation increases. With the sinking and mud it is almost like what you would think as quicksand.If you are disabled you cannot reach the attic for help. It is not unlikely that considering dead people can't be buried below ground in New Orleans that the consequences would affect the living in a bed in a nursing home in New Orleans.It is a bigger picture and you almost have to be a native to understand but more will be revealed I am just giving you an early observation.

 

[BirdieBoo]

Something isn't right about the story. She may have died from dehydration or not getting medical care. Fine. Say that. And I'm terribly sorry for anyone who lost a loved one. But I'm sorry before it's over with there will be stories told that simply aren't true....to point fingers and blame anyone else.

She may have been weakened by dehydration or not getting medical care and drowned trying to find a way out for herself. A person can drown in just a few inches of water. It happens.

 

[tybee204]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/04/n...&en=614dd5664c0ecd2f&ei=5094&partner=homepage

Bush Faces Rising Complaints About Handling of Disaster

WASHINGTON, Sept 4 - President Bush faced increasingly bitter complaints today from local and state officials in the battered Gulf Coast region as he struggled to exert control over a disaster that almost surely claimed thousands of lives.

Senator Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, a Democrat, said today that she was so angry about federal failures and second-guessing that if she heard any more criticism of local efforts, even from the president, she might "punch" him.

More at link

 

[Linda7NJ]

Why did the National Guard separate so many children from their families when loading them into buses? Children ended up in one place and their parents in another. One place has 155 infants and no idea where their parents are!!!

 

[Dara]

Yikes, Linda. Poor kids, poor parents.

I have to ask a question. I don't think the state and local governments are completely to blame for what happened (geez, Michael Brown is proof positive of THAT). But, hypothetically, let's say the mayor and governor did nothing. Or did everything wrong. Why isn't it the president's job to fix it?

Blame them all, but don't give Bush a freaking free pass because...because...I can't even fathom a reason to refuse to see that he shares blame in this.

 

[Linda7NJ]

Yikes, Linda. Poor kids, poor parents.

I have to ask a question. I don't think the state and local governments are completely to blame for what happened (geez, Michael Brown is proof positive of THAT). But, hypothetically, let's say the mayor and governor did nothing. Or did everything wrong. Why isn't it the president's job to fix it?

Blame them all, but don't give Bush a freaking free pass because...because...I can't even fathom a reason to refuse to see that he shares blame in this.

Dara,

IMO it's his JOB to take the blame! The only excuse I can even imagine is he didn't receive accurate intelligence. If that was the case, it's STILL his fault for not having competent people around him. ( All the man had to do was turn on the damn TV, how hard is that?)

 

[less0305]

The President did fix it.

 

[rollerbladr123]

http://www.nola.com/newslogs/tporleans/index.ssf?/mtlogs/nola_tporleans/archives/2005_09.html#076766[font=arial,sans-serif]Sunday, September 04, 2005

[/font]

[font=arial,sans-serif]As calm settles over N.O., outrage grows in Washington[/font]

[font=arial,sans-serif]FEMA says storm overwhelmed agency



[/font]
Quote 1 WASHINGTON - A semblance of post-storm order has returned to ravaged New Orleans, but the political storm over the disaster is just beginning.

Political leaders, Republican and Democrat alike, have blasted the Federal Emergency Management Agency and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, for allowing New Orleans to descend into a cauldron of suffering and anarchy for three days and nights last week after Hurricane Katrina passed.


Quote 2 FEMA officials pleaded no contest. Bill Lokey, chief coordinator for FEMA, said agencies were simply overwhelmed by the scale of the challenge. "It’s the nature of the disaster," he said. "This is far beyond anything we’ve ever done in this country. It’s beyond our immediate capabilities for sure."

more at link...

 

[bulletgirl2002]

Yikes, Linda. Poor kids, poor parents.

I have to ask a question. I don't think the state and local governments are completely to blame for what happened (geez, Michael Brown is proof positive of THAT). But, hypothetically, let's say the mayor and governor did nothing. Or did everything wrong. Why isn't it the president's job to fix it?

Blame them all, but don't give Bush a freaking free pass because...because...I can't even fathom a reason to refuse to see that he shares blame in this.

Because it is against the law for him to ........he cannot and he was pissed at the governor when she didn't do her job.

 

[Dara]

Because it is against the law for him to ........he cannot and he was pissed at the governor when she didn't do her job.

I've posted articles and links stating she did ask, and I keep reading claims that she didn't with no support. Do you know this for a fact, and that this law still applies in a federal emergency or are you believing what you've read other posters say? I want to know for a fact what is true.

In a federal emergency with people dying, I find it hard to believe the president can't send in troops. And I find it hard to believe that Blanco refused them when she accepted them last Sunday from New Mexico, but paperwork didn't come from Washington until Thursday (per a Yahoo article I posted an excerpt from and linked to in another thread). I just want to know the truth and I don't feel we're there yet.

 

[Dara]

The President did fix it.

If you think it's fixed, cool. But what he did came way too late, and thank goodness most of world is aware of it.