Tuesday, January 24, 2006

"I Don't Think Anybody Anticipated the Breach of the Levees. They Did Anticipate a Serious Storm"

Thus spoke Fredothustra.

YRHT and Suspect Device provided the links--and they're all worth a look.

Short version: the only federal official NOT anticipating the Breach of the levees was the clown at the top. Here's how HE spent August 29th:

And here he's showing some leadership on August 30th:


As Hurricane Katrina approached the Gulf Coast, President Bush's top disaster agency warned of the likelihood of levee breaches that could leave New Orleans submerged "for weeks or months," a communications blackout that would hamper rescue efforts and "at least 100,000 poverty-stricken people" stranded in the city.

Those remarkably accurate predictions were in a 40-page "Fast Analysis Report" compiled by the Department of Homeland Security on Aug. 28. Documents show that the report was sent by e-mail to the White House Situation Room at 1:47 a.m. on Aug. 29, hours before the deadly storm made landfall.

The report raises an important question: If the highest levels of the government knew the likely impact of Hurricane Katrina, why was the initial response so slow and uncoordinated? That is the focus of a hearing scheduled for today on Capitol Hill by the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, which has been investigating the flawed response to the largest natural disaster in U.S. history.


Again, August 29th:

August 30th:


"Why was the initial response so slow and uncoordinated?" The answer ought to be easier than getting credit for spelling your name right on the test...

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