[kinoxi]

I'm not saying level the place. Do you believe it should be rebuilt physically like it was before? The problems that led to the recent catastrophe have only been exacerbated over time (the city is generally sinking) and can be expected, virtually guaranteed, to get worse. The city is a strategic necessity but much of it is an obvious waste to rebuild how it was. Congratulations on your house BTW.

[trumandogz]

Parts of New Orleans have stood for more than 200 years, far longer than almost any other city in the United States. In all of that time, the city and its structures have withstood all man and nature has offered.

However, as New Orleans has grown, it has been necessary to build in lower line areas. Essentially, when you are in Orleans Parish, the newer the homes the lower the ground.

Your question in not all that easy, since cities are organic, in that they grow when vibrant and shrink or die when infirm. New Orleans has been downsized since the Storm but will grow as businesses and industry return and workers are needed. Thus, at some point in time, the Ninth Ward will have to be repopulated as will Lakeview and the SB Parish.

Without question, the levees must be rebuilt stronger than they were before in order to protect the city and provide a level of comfort for the population, and business.

Levees to New Orleans part of the infrastructure of New Orleans, just as freeways are to LA and Subways are to NYC. If an earthquake or terror attack destroyed the infrastructure of LA or NYC, we would rebuild in order to help those cites survive.