Its Bush's Fault

Let me be unequivocal about the effects of Hurricane Katrina now that the media are going through the same tropes, catch phrases, and inch deep analysis on the causes and solutions to the current situation.

When Ted Koppel compared the consequences of Katrina to an hypothetical act of terrorism, he could have asked, "where is the National Guard?" as he pondered the effects of natural disaster and the potential of terrorism. But, of course, the answer to that question would have raised even more embarrassing questions for him and his masters. For half the Louisiana and Mississippi national guards are in Iraq, helping create the conditions where hundreds of people in search of spiritual solace from the imperial terror that has been imposed on their daily lives jump off bridges, and those who survive are driven to seek ways to retaliate; including the hopeless road of terrorism.

Bush has made the problem far worse than it had to be even given the so-called natural conditions.

FEMA has been progressively dismantled as it was placed under Homeland Security. Two years ago the city of Norfolk, Virginia experienced a level one hurricane and mild as it was by comparison to Katrina, the citizens of Norfolk learned what it was like to be without electricity, ice, and phones for two weeks and with stores and gas stations closed.

FEMA got to Norfolk too late with too little. For an agency that is supposed to give disaster relief, they don't seem to be good at emergencies. I have watched in horror as nothing was done in New Orleans prior to the hurricane and precious little has been done by FEMA to date. And now we are learning that since the mid-1990s, federal money was moved from flood control to pay for the misadventure in Iraq.

The Army Corp of Engineers had a window of opportunity to try to close the breech in the levee before it grew too big yet they could mobilize nothing. I have seen several documentaries on televiions that twice that predicted all of this mess in New Orleans. It was well known that this could happen, where was the placement of the Army Corp, national guard troops with supplies, and medical task forces who could deal with the injured and infirm?

Add to this the critical infrastructure to the nation's energy supply. I, for one, would like to know why no repair and engineering crews were standing by after the hurricane passed to make damn sure that refining capacity and distribution was unaffected? And where is the supposed patriotism of these oil companies in taking a temporary hit in their profits to keep the American economy from sliding into serious problems (imagine the ripple effects on the economy from $3 for gas, $4 for gas, $5 for gas, or how about $6 for gas).

Who cares if Bush tours the area? That does nothing to resolve many problems.

It can only be racism one way or the other that explains why almost all the people walking out of that sewerage in New Orleans are African Americans. How else can one explain the fact that so many people have gone without any help all these days. How many people are dead and dying in their attics?

Bush has repeatedly shown his racism in his policies and actions.

As for the Superdome, I can not help but think --as these poor people are now to be transported from that stadium to another in Texas--of the use of the stadium in Santiago by the fascists in Chile following the military coup there. What is the commonality? Masses of people viewed as dangerous who must be confined in one place in times of emergency.

This is not exactly a "natural" disaster. What is happening to New Orleans could have been avoided by spending the money necessary to prepare for a category five hurricane or inevitable flood in New Orleans. Lacking that, it did not have to result in all this death. The people responsible need to be "smoked out and brought to justice", as George Bush says.