[mikegi]

As an outsider all I can say is that the rest of the world is astonished that five days after the disaster struck places like the Superdome are without US officials and troops.

This is because the USA is *supposed* to have competent state and local governments. The Federal government has limited powers over them. Obviously, the local government has totally failed in this case. Compare to NYC after 9/11.

[cooper72]

This is because the USA is *supposed* to have competent state and local governments. The Federal government has limited powers over them. Obviously, the local government has totally failed in this case. Compare to NYC after 9/11.

Yes, and this is the point. It is not a case of "your country is bigger than my country" scholl bully stuff.

American Citizens are needlessly dying because the rescue effort is atrocious.

For the most powerful country in the world to be able to send doctors and medicine to Indonesia within a few days of the tsunami but not to the Superdome in New Orleans in five is astonishing.

Someone is to blame for that, and to face up to that may be painful to Americans, but it will save lives.

Burying your head in the sand will not.