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Police Chief: 'Urban Warfare' Slowed New Orleans Rescue
NewsMax.com ^ | Sept. 3, 2005 | Carl Limbacher

Posted on 09/03/2005 8:04:59 AM PDT by Carl/NewsMax

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 . . .

"'It's a war-zone, and they're not treating it like one,' he said, referring to the federal government . . . Gunmen continued to fire on troops and rescue helicopters, and police officials said that many officers had stopped reporting for duty, cutting manpower by 20 per cent."


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Front Page News; US: Louisiana
KEYWORDS: ak47s; greatsociety; gtakatrina; incompetence; katrina; katrinafailures; nannystate; neworleansrescue; policechief; snipers; urbanbarbarians; urbanwarfare
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To: Mr. Jeeves

The truth is many of these thugs were excited about getting an opportunity to take advantage of this disaster. The gangs knew they would be able to run the streets after the storm. I am sure they had no idea it would be this bad but don't think for a minute that this was not their intent. These are cold blooded hard core gang bangers creating most of the problems. This is no different then any other day in the life of N.O. except no lights and no cops


21 posted on 09/03/2005 8:23:12 AM PDT by crosslink (Moderates should play in the middle of a busy street)
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(sorry for my lousy brain/hand coordination this morning)


22 posted on 09/03/2005 8:24:09 AM PDT by nuconvert (No More Axis of Evil by Christmas ! TLR) [there's a lot of bad people in the pistachio business])
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To: dfwgator
"Hell's Grannies!"

But, seriously, (as mentioned in an earlier post) something is not adding up....
23 posted on 09/03/2005 8:24:35 AM PDT by hummingbird (21st Century Newsreporting - "Don't get me started!")
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To: Carl/NewsMax

Can't we just celebrate "DIVERSITY" and not focus on the negatives? :)


24 posted on 09/03/2005 8:24:42 AM PDT by NewCenturions
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To: MarineDad
To once again : loot, rape , murder, and pillage another community.
25 posted on 09/03/2005 8:25:16 AM PDT by Prophet in the wilderness (PSALM 53 : 1 The FOOL hath said in his heart , There is no GOD .)
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To: crosslink
Gangs are nothing more than domestic urban terrorists, and should be handled as such.

Kill 'em where they find 'em.

26 posted on 09/03/2005 8:25:37 AM PDT by MarineDad (Whenever mosques and JDAM's meet, civilization benefits.)
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To: hummingbird

I've also heard those "Keep Left" signs have been on a rampage as well. :)


27 posted on 09/03/2005 8:25:41 AM PDT by dfwgator
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Comment #28 Removed by Moderator

To: NeoconSuperhawk; Admin Moderator

Troll or parody, you decide.


29 posted on 09/03/2005 8:28:13 AM PDT by Wormwood (Iä! Iä! Cthulhu fhtagn!)
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To: Cicero
Let me get this straight. The chief of the New Orleans police blames the federal government for letting the situation get out of hand?

I never got the fellow's name, but is this the same guy Geraldo was interviewing around dusk last night? I thought they said he was the police chief. If it was the same guy, he & Geraldo were practically inciting a riot. Fortunately, the people around them didn't bite and the "interview" ended very abruptly. It was during B'OR program and even B'OR seemed to disdain their tactics.
30 posted on 09/03/2005 8:28:38 AM PDT by hummingbird (21st Century Newsreporting - "Don't get me started!")
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To: MarineDad
I hope with some night vision equipment we can find a target rich enviorment.
31 posted on 09/03/2005 8:29:13 AM PDT by crosslink (Moderates should play in the middle of a busy street)
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To: Wormwood; Admin Moderator

You're pretty quick these days! Nice work.


32 posted on 09/03/2005 8:29:21 AM PDT by Wormwood (Iä! Iä! Cthulhu fhtagn!)
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To: Carl/NewsMax

'It's a war-zone, and they're not treating it like one,' he said, referring to the federal government."

AND, if the big, bad federal government under the nazi dictator Bush had so much as shot at the thug looters, our noble ACLU, the esteemed Congressional Black Caucus, St. Jesee Jackson, the Blessed Reverend Al Sharpton, and the ENTIRE venerable Democrat machine would have rushed to the looters' rescue.


33 posted on 09/03/2005 8:30:20 AM PDT by EDINVA
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To: Carl/NewsMax
Wow! New Orleans actually has a police chief. I hadn't realized that.

This is the first time I've seen a word reported out of his mouth and I don't know that he's done on a single TV interview. If he has, I haven't seen it.

34 posted on 09/03/2005 8:30:33 AM PDT by Bob
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To: dfwgator
Missed that one, but I'd recognize "Hell's Grannies" anywhere!
35 posted on 09/03/2005 8:30:43 AM PDT by hummingbird (21st Century Newsreporting - "Don't get me started!")
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To: NewCenturions
Yeah, let's Celebrate Diversity!


36 posted on 09/03/2005 8:30:57 AM PDT by Hat-Trick (Do you trust a government that cannot trust you with guns?)
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To: Carl/NewsMax

Hmm...perhaps it wasn't such a good idea for the Lousiana Attorney General to justify the looting for ANY reason.
It doesn't take long for word to spread that cops are letting people take what they want...and they did.


37 posted on 09/03/2005 8:31:46 AM PDT by cwb (Liberalism is the opiate of the *asses)
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To: mtbopfuyn

yup , those geezers are deadly, don't forget the religious Jewish kids, they must've been rippin' it up also[/srcsm]


38 posted on 09/03/2005 8:31:56 AM PDT by Dad yer funny
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To: crosslink
Maybe that ( IS ) ( THE ) reason why we heard in the news before the hurricane hit, that many were not heeding the warning to leave the area, saying " naa, were going to stay and ride this storm out " knowing in their hearts and minds that if they survive the storm and flooding, that this was their golden opportunity to loot, murder, rape, and cause mass mayhem.
39 posted on 09/03/2005 8:32:20 AM PDT by Prophet in the wilderness (PSALM 53 : 1 The FOOL hath said in his heart , There is no GOD .)
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To: Carl/NewsMax

The criminal element in New Orleans prevented the Red Cross from entering the city. Aid was at the ready from a variety of agencies but their safety could not be guaranteed. NO Homeland Security chief Terry Ebbert totally dropped the ball.


40 posted on 09/03/2005 8:33:27 AM PDT by RGSpincich
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