pattbateman Posted September 12 Report Share Posted September 12 Jack Kelly: No shameThe federal response to Katrina was not as portrayedSunday, September 11, 2005It is settled wisdom among journalists that the federal response to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina was unconscionably slow. Jack Kelly is national security writer for the Post-Gazette and The Blade of Toledo, Ohio (jkelly@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1476). "Mr. Bush's performance last week will rank as one of the worst ever during a dire national emergency," wrote New York Times columnist Bob Herbert in a somewhat more strident expression of the conventional wisdom.But the conventional wisdom is the opposite of the truth.Jason van Steenwyk is a Florida Army National Guardsman who has been mobilized six times for hurricane relief. He notes that:"The federal government pretty much met its standard time lines, but the volume of support provided during the 72-96 hour was unprecedented. The federal response here was faster than Hugo, faster than Andrew, faster than Iniki, faster than Francine and Jeanne."For instance, it took five days for National Guard troops to arrive in strength on the scene in Homestead, Fla. after Hurricane Andrew hit in 2002. But after Katrina, there was a significant National Guard presence in the afflicted region in three.Journalists who are long on opinions and short on knowledge have no idea what is involved in moving hundreds of tons of relief supplies into an area the size of England in which power lines are down, telecommunications are out, no gasoline is available, bridges are damaged, roads and airports are covered with debris, and apparently have little interest in finding out.So they libel as a "national disgrace" the most monumental and successful disaster relief operation in world history.I write this column a week and a day after the main levee protecting New Orleans breached. In the course of that week:More than 32,000 people have been rescued, many plucked from rooftops by Coast Guard helicopters.The Army Corps of Engineers has all but repaired the breaches and begun pumping water out of New Orleans.Shelter, food and medical care have been provided to more than 180,000 refugees.Journalists complain that it took a whole week to do this. A former Air Force logistics officer had some words of advice for us in the Fourth Estate on his blog, Moltenthought:"We do not yet have teleporter or replicator technology like you saw on 'Star Trek' in college between hookah hits and waiting to pick up your worthless communications degree while the grown-ups actually engaged in the recovery effort were studying engineering."The United States military can wipe out the Taliban and the Iraqi Republican Guard far more swiftly than they can bring 3 million Swanson dinners to an underwater city through an area the size of Great Britain which has no power, no working ports or airports, and a devastated and impassable road network."You cannot speed recovery and relief efforts up by prepositioning assets (in the affected areas) since the assets are endangered by the very storm which destroyed the region."No amount of yelling, crying and mustering of moral indignation will change any of the facts above.""You cannot just snap your fingers and make the military appear somewhere," van Steenwyk said.Guardsmen need to receive mobilization orders; report to their armories; draw equipment; receive orders and convoy to the disaster area. Guardsmen driving down from Pennsylvania or Navy ships sailing from Norfolk can't be on the scene immediately.Relief efforts must be planned. Other than prepositioning supplies near the area likely to be afflicted (which was done quite efficiently), this cannot be done until the hurricane has struck and a damage assessment can be made. There must be a route reconnaissance to determine if roads are open, and bridges along the way can bear the weight of heavily laden trucks.And federal troops and Guardsmen from other states cannot be sent to a disaster area until their presence has been requested by the governors of the afflicted states.Exhibit A on the bill of indictment of federal sluggishness is that it took four days before most people were evacuated from the Louisiana Superdome.The levee broke Tuesday morning. Buses had to be rounded up and driven from Houston to New Orleans across debris-strewn roads. The first ones arrived Wednesday evening. That seems pretty fast to me.A better question -- which few journalists ask -- is why weren't the roughly 2,000 municipal and school buses in New Orleans utilized to take people out of the city before Katrina struck? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drlogic Posted September 13 Report Share Posted September 13 NUFF SAID! All the other babbling rants from the "destructions" of the world are just that.....jiberish......Great post. Too bad it makes too much sense. Too many people here are stuck on STUPID! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
igloo Posted September 13 Report Share Posted September 13 good read Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drlogic Posted September 13 Report Share Posted September 13 EMAIL GOING AROUND:THIS IS ABOUT A WEEK OLD BUT IS A GOOD READ.......>> I don't know this person, but her article is interesting and if true,>> we certainly need to pray for the safety of these people who are just>> trying to make it day to day until things get better.>>>>>>>> Louisiana update>>>>>> This note is from a girl who I work with named Robin. She's in>> Louisiana>>>> and amid all the turmoil there. When I read her story I got>>>> the chills, this is horrible. I'm sending this to all of you>> to spread>>>> the word, PRAY. There are local churches where she lives who>>>> will be housing the homeless but "they will be getting no>> support from the>>>> RED CROSS.">>>>>>>>>>>> Here's here note:>>>>>>>>>>>> ** We have had a battery operated TV so we've been getting>> local channels>>>> focusing on the situation there and here. I'm just getting>>>> the "national perpsective" and its *(&*&(*ing me off!>>>>>>>>>>>> First, this is not a racial thing. I'm sorry if all the>> reporters are>>>> seeing are black faces but if they would>>>> take their cameras to places like Slidell, Mandeville, Metairie>> and>>>> CHALMETTE! they would see a several thousand white faces being>>>> affected by this. Most of the tip of the boot that is Louisiana>> south and>>>> east of Baton Rouge is under water. Those people are stuck>>>> too waiting for help, dying, but all the news people can focus>> on is the>>>> Superdome.>>>>>>>>>>>> Another misconception. The violence going on there is not the>> reaction of>>>> desparate people. Its typical New Orleans on any given>>>> Tuesday!!! Its a dangerous, dirty, drug infested place where>> the city>>>> police and city government is corrupt and useless. Volunteers>>>> are getting shot at and their cars vandelized. Hellicopters are>> being shot>>>> at. Just another day in the city.>>>>>>>>>>>> Another misconception. These poor people couldn't get out>> because they>>>> don't have cars. If the cameras show the city once the waters>>>> recede, you'll notice all the flooded out cars littering the>> streets. They>>>> couldn't all have been broken down before the storm hit .>>>> Yes, there are always people who do not have transportation.>> Part of>>>> making the call for a MANDATORY evacuation is that the city has>>>> to provide for transportation and/or shelter in the city.>> People stayed>>>> for the same reasons they always stay. They think the storm>>>> will turn and go in another direction. They think they can>> "ride it out.">>>> Or, they're just too (*&( lazy to pack up and leave.>>>>>>>>>>>> Another misconception. The federal government was slow to>> respond. The>>>> president issued a state of emergency BEFORE the storm ever>>>> hit, unprecedented. This means that the full access of the>> federal>>>> government, be it military or civil, were at our govenor's>>>> disposal. The levee broke early Monday afternoon. She did not>> call>>>> evacuation until Tuesday morning. You cannot call up National>> Guard>>>> units in 20 minutes. It takes time. The>>>> governor and mayor are in high CYA mode at the moment.>>>>>>>>>>>> The situation is bad here. Crime is becoming a problem in>> Gonzales and>>>> Baton Rouge where the evacuees are being housed. We live>>>> between the two cities and there is pistol on my desk shelf as>> a type>>>> (yes, I know how to use it). Hellicopters flying overhead all>> day, gas is>> running out, stores shelves becoming empty. Its like a war >> zone. Our kids are>>>> both here and are staying here until the crime situation gets>> under control>>>> and I fear it will get worse before it gets better. Pray for>> us.>> **>>>>>>>>>>>> SO, that's all I'm asking. SEND this to your friends and right>> now say a>>>> prayer for the people going through this whole catastrophe.>>>> Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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