Posted on 09/06/2005 6:53:29 PM PDT by Lando Lincoln
Hurricanes do not sneak up on people. Unlike tornadoes, hurricanes don’t just reach down out of the dark storm clouds to wreak havoc on humanity. Hurricanes are tracked, named, have warning flags dedicated to them, and all coastal cities have long-standing plans for dealing with them. Nearly everyone in the world knew Katrina was going to hit Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama, and yet so many have died in New Orleans. Why?
Hurricane Katrina struck the tip of southern Florida as a category 1 hurricane and made a beeline for the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico. For three days Katrina churned her way across the Gulf, growing in size and strength until it was a monster storm. With sustained winds of over 175 mph, Katrina bore down on the city of New Orleans. Literally, at the last possible moment, Katrina was pushed, ever-so-slightly, by dry air from the Midwest, off to the East and dropped from a category 5 to a high category 4 with sustained winds of 150 mph. Katrina was still a killer storm by anyone’s description. For three long days, the governor of Louisiana and the mayor of New Orleans watched Katrina bear down on their state and city respectively but took very little action to protect their citizens other than to state the obvious: “Leave town.” No assistance was offered to the poor or elderly.
Aerial views of New Orleans have shown pictures of hundreds of buses, left parked and unused. Why didn’t the mayor of New Orleans activate those buses to move the people out of the city those who wanted to leave but had no way out? Why was this golden opportunity to save lives left parked, only to be lost to the floodwaters? This from the Louisiana disaster plan, pg. 13, paragraph 5, dated 01/00: “The primary means of hurricane evacuation will be personal vehicles. School and municipal buses, government-owned vehicles and vehicles provided by volunteer agencies may be used to provide transportation for individuals who lack transportation and require assistance in evacuating'...” Why was the city’s own disaster plan for using those buses to evacuate people not implemented? Governor Blanco and Mayor Nagin had three days to evacuate the poor and elderly from New Orleans but they did not. Why?
While the governors of both Mississippi and Alabama put in a formal request for federal assistance before Katrina even made landfall, the governor of Louisiana refused to relinquish any of her power for the good of the people. Now she and her party point the finger of blame at the White House.
Liberal blogs and websites are pointing to the Department of Homeland Security’s website which states that it can take control in any disaster, natural or otherwise, but this is not true. The Department of Homeland Security can only work with the state and local officials in organizing relief efforts such as food, water, and shelter. There is no military arm of the Department of Homeland Security or the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), and the military is what was needed and everyone knew that.
Instead of asking why the Democratic leaders of Louisiana failed the people, these sites post disgusting pictures of floating bodies with the message: “George Bush did nothing.” The truth is, the Democratic governor wouldn’t allow Bush to do anything. That floating body belongs to Governor Blanco. She is the one who “did nothing.”
Roving bands of violent criminals quickly took control of the streets. While Mayor Nagin did declare martial law, it was a toothless declaration. The New Orleans police department was instantly overwhelmed. Many policemen just threw up their hands and walked off the job. Some joined the looters and were videotaped by MSNBC “shopping” in the local Walmart. The handful that was left on the job did their best but the best they could do was try to stay alive in a now lawless and dying city.
Because there was no one in charge, the initial rescue operations were feeble at best and there was chaos. The scope and magnitude of the disaster, which covers an area the size of Great Britain, still had not been realized by Governor Blanco who steadfastly refused to declare martial law and officially request that the federal government “send in the troops.”
It has come to light that all during the night on Friday, September 2, the president of the United States was forced to “negotiate” with Governor Blanco for the lives of the suffering and dying people of New Orleans. She feared that allowing the federal government to take control would make her administration appear as though it had failed. How she would be judged was more important to her than the lives of those people who were dying in the squalor. How many died as Blanco maneuvered to protect her reputation?
The Posse Comitatus Act prevents, by federal law, the president of the United States from sending federal troops into any state without the direct request of the elected governor of that state. A frustrated President Bush could only stand by and watch as the horror unfolded until he received the request for help. Despite the finger-pointing at President Bush, there was little that he could do until he was formally asked for assistance. No matter how loudly the liberals scream, they know full well that the president was helpless to do much of anything.
As the death toll rose and the animalistic behavior of some of those who chose to remain within the city became public knowledge, it was obvious that authorities needed to regain control. As the scenes from New Orleans, now a national disgrace, were being beamed around the world, a shameless Governor Blanco only cared about her own political image.
There is reason to believe that President Bush, running out of patience with Blanco by Saturday morning, used the only option that remained to him. It is being reported that Bush went around Blanco and utilized the Insurrection Act to federalize the National Guard and send in active military troops to take over the rescue and put down the lawlessness that had taken over New Orleans. The forces that Bush had poised to move into the city, swung into action. It was no accident that the major, organized rescues began when the sun came up on Saturday morning. At 6:30 AM, when the sky over New Orleans was suddenly filled with military helicopters and military convoys poured into the streets, they were there because of President Bush, not Governor Blanco.
The largest military evacuation the world has ever seen moved with the precision and efficiency that is only seen within the military. With men like Lt. General Russel Honore, 1st Army Commander and Army Brigadier General Mark Graham in charge, law and order was quickly restored, and an endless line of helicopters and boats began removing the stranded people and taking them out of the hell-hole called New Orleans. Those forces were ready to act because the President of the United States had positioned them to be ready.
Everyone demands answers and everyone wants to put the blame for this catastrophe on someone. The most convenient person to blame is President Bush. In truth, he is the least responsible on the local level. While the liberals feel this is the perfect time to make political hay because so many African-Americans are involved, the first line of defense for those people, the mayor of New Orleans, and governor of Louisiana, both Democrats, are the leaders that failed them. The people of New Orleans were abandoned by an arrogant governor and a hapless mayor as both struggled to save their own political careers. But, because they are both Democrats, the leftists want these ineffective leaders seen as helpless victims of a thoughtless and racist Bush who ignored their repeated pleas for help.
Mayor Nagin has been reduced to babbling about how the CIA is out to kill him because he “spoke his mind,” and Governor Blanco has become the invisible woman hoping that no one will notice that her gross incompetence and arrogance cost lives. But the left marches on, blaming President Bush because it knows it can. Most Americans are not aware of the laws preventing the federal government from “taking over” a city or a state.
The Democrats have closed ranks around their incompetent members and blame the president who was forced to “deal” with an inept governor. Governor Blanco’s thanks is to point the finger of blame back at the president when she knows the fault is her own.
The Democratic Party could not possibly sink much lower than it has this past week. The mayor, the governor, and all those liberal websites, blogs, and shrieking leftist politicians should jump into the sewer water that now flows in the streets of New Orleans. That’s where they belong, with the rest of the floating waste. The Democratic or “Progressive” Party should be buried with the dead. Cause of death: Gross incompetence, asphyxiation from lies, and the failure to accept responsibility for the deaths of thousands of American citizens because power meant more to them than lives.
About the Writer: Barbara J. Stock is a registered nurse who enjoys writing about politics and current events. She has a website at http://www.republicanandproud.com/. Barbara J. receives e-mail at dickens502003@yahoo.com.
By whom? I don't take this woman's word for it. She needs a source for a big statement like that.
It has also been reported that the armed forces were allowed in by Blanco only if they carried no wespons and did no law enforcement. They were only allowed to bring medical teams and relief and rescue teams.
Can there be any doubt that the governette failed? But, there was no time to act on this, as the hurricane approached.
You have that right.
Gotcha. Thanks for the answer. Agreed.
it was the largest aerial evacuation.
for your interest.
some more on the roadblocks the Gov. of LA left in place.
One of CNN's early morning reporters had a walking interview with Mayor Nagin Sunday or Monday morning. In that interview, Nagin verified most of what was said in this article about the Blanco and Bush interaction. Nagin was full of praise for Bush and nothing but bad language for Blanco.
I was shocked to see this on CNN. I was not at all suprised that the interview tape was not run again and again. CNN mainstream has been bashing Bush badly. The early morning reporter and her producers were just too nieve about CNN's bash Bush policy, so they let this interview slip out.
The Federal District is Federal. Congress could just pass an act booting everyone out.
Here's what I have learned. People, please correct any errors.
Our Constitution provides autonomy for the State governors. They are the only ones that can mobilize their National Guards within their States to assist in their States, except in the extreme situation where they themselves are defying a Supreme Court order (like 1954 in Little Rock, Arkansas) or if they request federalization of their troops.
President Bush urged Gov. Katherine Blanco on Friday last before hurricane Katrina hit to order a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans. She called for a "voluntary" evacuation on Saturday afternoon, saying the President Bush had urged her to evacuate. (I may assume incorrectly that was so she could blame him if the storm passed them by and people griped about evacuating for nothing.)
Bush declared Louisiana and Mississippi disaster areas of national emergencies two days BEFORE the hurricane hit. That is unprecedented as far as I know, but by doing that a lot of FEMA supplies and personnel could be pre-positioned in those States to assist. (But he first had to get the Governors to request that he make these declarations.) FEMA dropped water, food, medical supplies at the Superdome, enought to last 15,000 people for 3 days. Mayor C. Ray Nagin also instructed people to bring enough food, water,etc to last 3 days.
On Saturday night the Mayor Nagin of New Orleans was still dithering with lawyers about their liability if he should order the evacuation of New Orleans be mandatory. He and the lawyers decided to have people sign forms refusing mandatory evacuation so he wouldn't be liable if they didn't go, and then Sunday morning he finally ordered mandatory evacuation.
However, the Mayor of New Orleans didn't commandeer school buses or public transportation buses and start hauling people out. He pretty much left everybody to fend for themselves, as far as I know.
New Orleans has a Democrat Mayor, a Democrat City Council, a Democrat Chief of Police -- Louisiana a Democrat Attorney General, a Democrat Governor, a Democrat Lt. Governor, 24 of 39 Louisiana State Senators are Democrat, 67 of 105 Louisiana State House Representatives are Democrat, there's a Democrat Representative in the House from New Orleans, and one of two Senators in the Senate is a Democrat (The only Republican, Senator Vitter, was just elected last year, I believe.) This wasn't a case of people's needs being ignored because they were of a different political party than the politicians in power.
Governor Blanco did not request National Guard troops from outside Louisiana be pre-positioned before the hurricane, and then was out of communication with her own troops after the hurricane because of disaster took down all the communication systems. She had about 6000 Guard and 1000 police to control a city of 1.4 million or more, but the city had become almost inaccessible due to downed trees and power lines, broken bridges, sections of highway destroyed, train tracks torn up, airport down, debris on the streets, and then the flooding.
The levees in New Orleans with their concrete storm walls on top are built to withstand Category 3 hurricanes. Katrina was high Category 4, around 150 mph sustained winds when it hit, and before it hit the Coast it was a category 5, up to 175 winds for a while. The only plan on the books for dealing with a stronger hurricane was mandatory evacuation of New Orleans, which is 10-12 feet below sea level and surrounded by levees to keep the Mississippi River out on one side and an inlet of the Gulf of Mexico (called Lake Pontchartrain) out on the other side.
For many decades the government has had cost analysis that have led them to decide they do not want to spend a lot more to raise and strengthen the levees and storm walls to withstand Category 4 hurricanes. President Clinton and President Bush did not endorse extra funding to significantly strengthen the levees, but neither did either of them cut funding. Ironically, the 17th St levee and the London Canal levees that had the major breaks had both had just been updated and repaired up to code last year. The 17th St storm wall on the levee broke possibly because the storm surge took water over the levee's storm wall, which saturated it from the inside making it weak, and the fast moving water over the top eroded it from the top down taking out more and more chunks. Also it is reported that a barge rammed into it, breaking it, but this is not confirmed.
The disaster plans for New Orleans, laws passed by the State of Louisiana, called for mandatory evacuation of New Orleans if threatened by a Category 4 or 5 hurricane or a slow moving (5 mph or less) Category 3. It also calls for them to use public transportation and school buses to evacuated their nursing homes and other infirm residents. The Governor and Mayor simply didn't do what they were supposed to do in a timely manner, despite urging from the President.
Why did they balk at doing what was mandated by their own laws and plans? They may have feared political fallout if the evacuation turned out to be another "false alarm" They feared liability if they declared evacuation and then didn't provide transportation and care for the elderly and infirm, especially those in the care of the State, as required by law. Also they feared liability from businesses forced to shut who would suffer losses.
It was reported early Tuesday after the hurricane passed that there was a break in a levee, but it wasn't until Tuesday midnight that we heard it had become a major break (2 blocks long) and water was pouring down Canal St, inundating the city with water from Lake Pontchartrain.
The 17th St levee couldn't be fixed quickly because the force of the rushing water was carrying away everything they dropped in the breach--from sand bags to cars. A lot of the crane equipment they needed had been beached by the storm surge, and couldn't be used till it could be dug out and hauled out.
The first parish flooded was St. Bernard's parish, and later around 70 nursing home patients there were found all dead, presumably drowned when the water rose around them.
The Coast Guard was magnificent, taking people off roofs, chopping holes in roofs to get the people out of their attics where they'd fled as the water rose. They flew over 5000 missions in a couple days. Things were so desperate that a tough decision was made diverting Army helicopters trying to repair the levee breach to the desperate work of rescuing people from attics and roof tops.
But Governor Blanco did not request assistance from the National Guard in other states outside Louisiana till Wednesday, after those who did not evacuate New Orleans had already endured 2 days without help. The number who did not evacuate before the hurricane was estimated to be 25% of the city -- maybe over 300,000 people.
Democrats in my experience are always very reluctant to use military in their States, especially in situations that involve African-Americans which comprised 68% of the population of New Orleans, but probably of even more importance is that Governor Blanco was not able to get reports of conditions in New Orleans due to all communications being down. Regardless, Governor Blanco has been very much against having President Bush take control of the situation, as that would make her appear incompetent to handle the situation. She also fought the idea of putting New Orleans under martial law.
Horrific situation ensued. Looting had already been reported widely before the breach in the levee became significant, but to be fair a certain amount of that was survival commandeering of needed food, water, bandaids, soap, baby diapers, dry clothes, shoes to walk on the creepy things under the flood water, etc. The biggest problem from the lawlessness was that it impeded rescue and relief. The FEMA helicopter rescuers were shot at when they went in to try to make deliveries and rescue people, and they had to delay relief and rescue while they called for military assistance to organize security for the rescue helicopters.
Unable to get adequate reports on the situation along the Gulf, on Wednesday President Bush in Air Force One flew over the Gulf Coast and over New Orleans, having Air Force One descend to 1500-2500 feet for a better view.
Some people had taken refuge in the Superdome to weather out the storm, and some of the roof was peeled open during the raging wind, with water coming in. Later, people who sat out the storm in their homes went to the Superdome to try to get relief food/water and transportation out of the city. Because there was no electricity, there was minimal lighting only from generators, but no air conditioning. Later the generators were flooded. Because the flooding backed up the water and sewer lines, there were no functioning toilets. Add no medical care or security after dark (evidently the workers left at night) and the Superdome became a hell hole.
People without potable water began suffering dehydatration in the heat waiting for help to arrive.
Texas opened their hearts to them, and buses were sent to bring them over to the Astrodome in Houston, where they had electricity, air conditioning, bathrooms and kitchens. But as many as were taken away from the Superdome, more came out of the woodwork where they been hiding from thugs, and the number swelled ...on the I-10 bridge--5 000, at the convention center-- 15 to 30,000, and more and more at the Superdome. Over 20,000 evacuees were bused to Houston in the first 24 hours to Houston, but there were just as many left as when they started. Mayor Nagin refused to use his school buses to move the survivors, because they didn't have bathrooms. He insisted that Greyhounds with bathrooms be sent. (One 18 year old kid went and got one of those school buses, found the keys in the parking shed, and drove it out, picking up almost 80 people whom he managed to drive to Houston without the Mayor's permission or assistance.)
Friday, the National Guard (still under authority of Governor Blanco) finally rolled into New Orleans in a miles long convoy with FEMA supplies (food, water, generators, medical supplies) and medical teams, security teams, etc. and the evacuation speeded up considerably, with most people taken by helicopter to the airport to fly out or in buses to Texas, where the Astrodome (prepared with cots, food, showers, medical triage, children's services, etc.) quickly filled and the overflow was shunted to other facilities in Houston, Dallas, and San Antonio. The Superdome, the Convention Center, and I-10 overpass were cleared of refugees by Saturday afternoon. The Convention Center had never been designated as a refuge or an evacuation site--people evidently broke into it (or in another report the police unlocked it for them) looking for refuge.
But there was still a cat fight going on about control of the National Guard, and whether armed force regular troops would be allowed to come and help.
When President Bush visited the area Friday after the hurricane, Mayor Nagin told him and Governor Blanco that they needed to get the authority thing straightened out about who was running the show. (Bush is legally bound not to enter a State with our armed forces if not requested by the Governor, and Governor Blanco was still in charge of her National Guard). According to Mayor of New Orleans,Nagin, Bush gave Blanco two options on the controlling authority issue and she said she needed 24 hours to think it over. Nagin switched to Bush's side then, as he felt delaying the decision would cost more lives.
Next day, Saturday, Governor Blanco hired James Lee Witt (former FEMA director under President Clinton) to run relief services in Louisiana. And some arrangement was made short of having President Bush in control, but allowing units of the 82nd Airborne to arrive in a bunch of helicopters with medical teams to assist the ill and dying at the refugee staging areas, and to help in the search for survivors in the city. But still under posse comitatus restriction, the armed forces of the United States weren't allowed to do any law enforcement work, nor direct the activities of National Guard or police in Louisiana. One third of New Orleans police force has been reported as missing. (Some who couldn't manage to make it to their stations, some who felt first duty was to family and left with them, some who quit after days of being fired at by thugs and enduring hellish sights and experiences, and a couple committed suicide)
There are still maybe 100,000 people left in New Orleans, many still refusing to leave, unknown number dead or trapped in attics without sustenance.
Many people in New Orleans didn't leave because they had property they wanted to protect from criminals, because they had elderly or sick relatives or pets that they stayed to care for, because their welfare or Social Security checks were due to come on Sept 1 and they had no other means of support, because they didn't have means to leave, or because they felt they could ride the hurricane out because they always had in the past.
As the storm surge in Lake Pontchartrain subsided and its level fell, water began flowing back out of the city, and then became still as the two finally equalized.
By Sunday afternoon the big levee breach had been patched (30000 lb. sandbags hauled by Army helicopter, bolders, rock hauled by truck and bulldozed in by contractors hired by the Army Corps Engineers), and by Monday, one pump was operational and pumping water out of the city. The water was called a toxic soup of chemicals, sewage and rotting debris and bodies.
The question is mostly whether President Bush should have nationalized the Louisiana National Guard early in the crisis. That is the only move that would have made a difference in my opinion. But until the State proved itself incompetent to command its National Guard, there was no legal precedent for him to do that. Now that relief and rescue efforts are moving along, it's a bit late to do that.
Texas now is sheltering around 250,000 people from Louisiana. Baton Rouge has twice the population now as it normally does from evacuees there. Evacuees have been taken in all over the country. Many States have sent units from their National Guard to assist Governor Blanco.
President Bush visited the refuge center in Baton Rouge Monday and other Gulf Coast areas. He had toured in Mississippi and Alabama the previous Friday, talking with survivors and rescue personnel, and also Friday inspected the levee under repair in New Orleans.
And this information does not address any of the devastation in Mississippi or Alabama which is wide spread, some places taking 36 feet of storm surge. The beautiful historic antebellum homes in Biloxi and Gulf Port have been totally destroyed. The Governors of Alabama and Mississippi seem to have managed their situations better, but they didn't have the problem of dealing with a city below sea level with a huge percentage of that large population unable to fend for themselves.
Huge Navy hovercraft have been hitting the beaches all along the Gulf Coast for the last several days with massive supplies. Bataan is there and has been running chopper rescue mission off its decks for some time. Iwo Jima arrived Monday and Hospital ship Comfort is expected soon. Armed forces of all services have been involved in search and rescue and relief efforts. 350 helicopters are running back to back missions, and refueling in air. 70,000 or more of our armed forces are involved, and over a dozen States have sent units of their National Guard to supplement Governor Blanco's forces.
Katrina undoubtedly ranks as our worst disaster ever, wiping out 90,000 square miles of human habitation, and causing thousands of deaths, perhaps as many as 10,000, possibly more.
God preserve the United States of America.
Newt was on TV the other night and I fully expected him to mention this. Normally, he can take a complex subject and make it very understandable. He did not. He was given a perfect opportunity to bring this up and he didn't even mention it.
First time his minions call me requesting a contribution to his campaign I am going to request to be taken off his list and I fully intend to tell them why.
Not one dime and don't buy his books and when I see him, I click the tv off.
I can't get over everyone blaming Bush and the feds. It's shocking given the lack of leadership coming out of the most corrupt state in the nation that OUR people can't even understand how decisions made previous to the storm led up to this.
Insurrection Act was not invoked, as is obvious from the roles played by the various agencies.
National Guard and local police, all under Blanco's control, were the ONLY agents responsible for civil order.
Active-duty military function was strictly limited to Search and Rescue. ergo, no invoking of Insurrection Act.
Blanco resisted any expression that there was civil disorder.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1478248/posts?page=78#78 <- Related info
This is a request for after-the-fact money. Note that there is no request for immediate evacuation help.
The Governor's first name is Kathleen, not Katherine, I believe, so that should be corrected.
BTTT
bttt
I agree with you. Despite the entire bent of this article, it is speculation.
I do not believe that President Bush has actually federalized any of the National Guard to date. I believe the Governor of LA is as yet still refusing to consent to that. And Pres Bush chose NOT to get into a confrontation with Blanco or any of the other Governors, at this time, by using insurrection as a justification. Confrontation is not Bush's style (except with our enemies)
Reading between the lines and listening to what the DoD is briefing and watching who is doing what, it appears the President's planners have developed a command arrangment using parallel organizations. The National Guard under Command of the Governor of LA and her State Adjutant General, and a Joint Task force commanded by General Honore and reporting to Northern Command, and under operational direction of FEMA.
To avoid posse comitatus complications, the active duty units assigned under the JTF Katrina are assiduously avoiding any armed action in support of security or law enforcement. For example, it has been reported that the 82d airborne is operating without weapons. Security and law enforcement operations are being done by the Guard and whatever NO police and perhaps other auxiliary civilian police units have been pulled into the operation.
An item of chatter in the NRO corner indicated that National Guard assets are embedded with JTF Katrina active duty units as necessary to provide for armed security the active duty soldiers cannot by law perform.
Apparently the Governor Blank-0 grew a set and finally formally ordered the Guard to provide armed law enforcement support, perhaps on Friday or certainly by Saturday when the air bridge and helo evac rescues began. It seems the National Guard in LA did not have this authority or did not believe that they had it, until late in the game. Thursday or Friday.
I believe the lack of an order by the LA Governor to her National Guard to provide security is why the people of NO were trapped for so long in the SuperDome and Convention Center, and in the besieged hospitals, at the mercy of human wolves, and why few assets under any type of unit organization were willing or able to engage in widespread rescues in flooded areas until Thursday or later. Most would-be rescuers were ordered to stand down until security could be assured after some were shot at.
Even if they could pluck people from their houses, there was no safe landing zone to drop the people off. Helos couldn't even resupply the 25,000 peopel trapped in the Superdome and Convention Center because the aircraft were rushed by mobs as soon as they tried to set down. Supplies that were dropped, were looted by the human wolves.
And it seems like Governor Blanco allowed this to go on for 48 hours, without an order to the Guard to intervene, while the press on scene cried in horror and blamed "the Government" (ie, President Bush)!
The entire tone of the NO operation changed on Friday, when the National Guard rolled in with force and General Honore arrived on scene. Order was seized at the shelters and the people were fed and given water, and then were evacuated in total on Saturday.
I think the President will welcome an after action investigation of this operation when the crisis subsides. I would very much like to see the paper trail of the orders that the Governor issued to the National Guard. What she ordered them to do, and when.
And I applaud the President's team working out an innovative command and control organization to meet the demands of this crisis, save the lives and property of many NO citizens, and I think that he is a fair and gracious leader for getting the job done while saving "face" for this incompetent State Governor.
Bush was, after all, a Governor himself as well as a member of the National Guard (that much derided draft dodging rich man's faux miltary, according to the libs), and I think that his personal experience helped in this situation.
And I think this will raise some hard and necessary questions about our Constitution and further amendments that may be necessary to assure swift competent command and control in event of the next large national emergency on our soil that requires military involvement.
jmho
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