Posted on 09/04/2005 5:37:35 PM PDT by SmithL
Baton Rouge, La. -- James Lee Witt, the former Federal Emergency Management Agency director hired to advise Louisiana's governor, described the crisis Sunday in the hurricane-ravaged state as "our worst nightmare."
He couldn't estimate how long the recovery would take.
In New Orleans alone, the levees will have to be fixed and the water pumped out. After that, crews will have to get in to assess the damage and determine which structures are too unstable to remain. Utilities are down in several areas. There's also historic preservation to think about, he said Sunday on MSNBC.
"This was our worst nightmare," Witt said. "You could point the finger at anybody and everybody. ... I don't think they turned a blind eye. I don't think the state did. I don't think the mayor did. I think they worked as fast as they could do whatever they could."
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
It's even worse, since the 9/11 commission happened after the event. Here the incompetent Witt has been called to implement a recovery. It's as if we called on Gorelick herself to prevent XYZ terrorist attack - she can't. All she can do is hypothecize and naval gaze.
FWIW, I think by now most of the affected populus sees Nagin as a jester, not as an authority.
LOL.
The media and the Dims are noticing that the feds are starting to get a handle on the relief efforts, so now they're going to go all out to delay and obstruct and disrupt and turn people against FEMA and the Bush administration. They tried to do this in Florida last year - every single day down here last year during the hurricane clean-up efforts was nothing but doom and gloom and pissing and moaning and "Bush is doing a miserable job" from all of the media down here.
But, the only thing miserable was the failure of the media's propaganda campaign to sour us on Jeb Bush's efforts. The plans made by him and by all of the emergency coordinators down here in Florida were so well conceived and executed that people looked at what was going on in their neighborhoods and read the hysteria and Bush hatred in the media and just scratched their heads.
The last thing the democrats and the media want is for the relief efforts to start flowing smoothly - they want things to remain chaotic and disorganized so they can continue to milk the "Bush is incompetent" and "Bush hates blacks" stories for everything they're worth. That's the reason they're going all out screaming for hearings and firings and reorganizations of the relief agencies and FEMA NOW. They're hoping to tie up the administration with endless committee hearings and demands for unnecessary information and screaming and grandstanding.
Of course, this means that hurricane victims on the Gulf Coast will not receive essential aid and services, and some will die as a result. But as far as the Dims are concerned, the only thing that matters is getting their power back and utterly destroying George Bush, and making an omelet requires breaking some eggs.
Enough already. Let's get to it!
It's the pictures that will kill them all.
Even public school people what can't read will see the pictures of those buses and ...
They can't ever explain it away.
Witt's company was the one that created their plan.
Blanco's handlers are playing this one real well. Have few images of her on tv and little to no soundbites from her on radio reassuring her citizens, bad mouth the federal government through mouthpieces and maybe everyone will really think it's Bush's fault.
It'll be interesting if any reporterbot has the brain cells to ask him if they followed it.
He's earning his pay.
You nailed it!
The governor will try to Blanco-wash this thing.
Ping
Good find.
Leadership is so hard to define, but I know it when I see it. Rudy is a natural leader. It's such a rare thing. Twenty one years in the Army and I truly remember three who had it; one a subordinate, and two who were peers. I never worked for anyone who I thought was a natural.
Don't know anything about this LTG Honore, but we will find out soon enough. Seven thousand active duty Soldiers and Marines will be coming under his command and New Orleans will probably determine if he gets a fourth star or not. If he is a natural it could change everything.
Taxis of the Marne, September 1914
With German forces close to achieving a breakthrough against beleaguered French forces outside Paris between 6-8 September 1914, a decision was taken by French military authorities to despatch emergency troop reinforcements from Paris. Extraordinarily these were despatched - on 7 September - using a fleet of Parisian taxi cabs, some 600 in all, ferrying approximately 6,000 French reserve infantry troops to the front.
The tactic worked and Paris was saved - barely. The incident quickly gained legend as "the taxis of the Marne".
Newsbusters is developing a good reputation as a source for Rush, Hannity and others. (I sent the piece directly to reps for those two.)
Good work. Thank you for the inspiration.
John / Billybob
Let's see, was his worst nightmare seeing his action plan sink faster than NOLA? I thought so.
Buld only the structures necessary for river commerce...
Let time and the market build up the rest...
Why should the taxpayers be charged for the foolishness of those who want to rebuild in an area that could be wiped out all over again a year from now?
imo
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