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[bluedeath]

The title of this post reflects the title of a BBC article that asks why the World's Richest nation needs outside help.

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The world's only superpower has been forced to turn to aid agencies to speed up the humanitarian effort in the wake of Katrina.

Seemingly unable to draw on its wealth at short notice to immediately respond to the disaster, charities in other countries, such as the British Red Cross, are now launching appeals to raise money.

In addition half a million military ration packs worth an estimated £3m have been flown out from the UK and more are expected to follow.

I see people pouring in and out of stores like Costco and Sam's club and wonder why we are accepting aid from other nations.  Are we as a nation so disorganized that we are haphazardly throwing relief efforts together for Katrina.  I thought homeland security was supposed to be preparing for events like this.  What would happen if a nuclear/biological weapon was unleashed on New York City?  Would they show up like the keystone cops and fumble around like they did with Katrina?

The Source

[xmedia2004]

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I thought homeland security was supposed to be preparing for events like this.

Yeah I know A Rabs can still get visas to come here and plot to kill us, here in the US but the Bill O'Reilleys say its okay as long as we keep out the Mexicans.

I was watching that sorry sack of Homeland Secerity Secretary, fumble and mumble like that idiot in the White House. But I am sure he will not get fired
a reoccuring theme in current admin NO ACCOUNTABILTY.  

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What would happen if a nuclear/biological weapon was unleashed on New York City?

WTF?? Saddam is in jail havent you heard. The mushroom cloud has been diverted.

[Heet]

Ya, I think we should stop giving aid to all of the other nations that have their hands out everytime they need it.  Then maybe we wouldn't be short when something happens to us.

[damam]

i have no idea why we are accepting aid from other countries.  It seems absurd to me.  dont get me wrong, I am appreciative that other countries are finally willing to come to our aid for once, but we really dont need it.

[BILLS]

QUOTE(Heet @ Sep 6 2005, 03:25 PM)

Ya, I think we should stop giving aid to all of the other nations that have their hands out everytime they need it.  Then maybe we wouldn't be short when something happens to us.

[hugoboss1]

I was most shocked to hear that of all people fidel castro siad he would send doctors and aid to new orleans.wow

Did you know that after cuba was hit by huricanes the us offered help and they refused

we better do the same ..

[thewickedjester]

QUOTE(Heet @ Sep 6 2005, 02:25 PM)

Ya, I think we should stop giving aid to all of the other nations that have their hands out everytime they need it.  Then maybe we wouldn't be short when something happens to us.

[The unProfessional]

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I was most shocked to hear that of all people fidel castro siad he would send doctors and aid to new orleans.wow


The devils game, make your enemies look worse (or make you look better) in comparison. He's not doing it because he cares, he's doing it to try and show he's a nice guy.

Also note that fidel didn't actually make an official offer.  It was all a media stunt.  He has not contacted the US gov't (source: CNN).

New Orleans was actually supposed to have a transit system (buses) set up for an event like this.  It would be intended for evacuating the less fortunate, but not necessarily for those who refuse to leave.  That system wasn't properly managed (by the city/state, feds had nothing to do with it) so it failed when it mattered most.  Jester has a good point that idle evacuation buses would be the first to get cut from the budget.  Hindsight is 20/20, my friends, and when something like this happens, everbody thinks they're a master planner.

[xmedia2004]

QUOTE(thewickedjester @ Sep 7 2005, 04:04 AM)

Heres another thing, New Orleans wasnt hit to bad (edit: I'm in no way trying to say that what happened WASNT a disaster, I'm just saying there were some places hit worse, NO does have a lot of damage, but there are quite litterally towns gone, not distroyed, GONE), they just got the shit flooded out of them. And for them to be crying like they are, they shouldnt. Its not the federal governments job to help them, its their states, and their cities job. Why didnt the mayor of New Orleans have a stockpile of fresh water and possibly food for just such an occasion? As for getting evacuated, what do they want the government to do? Its not like they have 500 busses just sitting in a stockyard waiting to be used... And if we did, it would come under attack after a year or so because they werent being used and considered a waste of time and money to upkeep and maintain.

[thewickedjester]

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What is the purpose of fed governemnt then

If you read what I said, my point was that its not the job of the government to clean up after this mess, its the states job. Its the federal's job to give out the money and possibly man power, its the states job to have a plan for when this happens.

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But I actually cant believe u think fed shouldn't get involved in 9-11,
where 3000 died they are talking upwards of 10,000 fatalities

Your right, its not George W. Bushes job to clean up after 9-11, its New Yorks job. What would the fed government use anyways? Its not like they have a stockpile of bulldozers to use, they rely on NY equipment.

[damam]

QUOTE(xmedia2004 @ Sep 6 2005, 09:04 PM)

What is the purpose of fed governemnt then, I pay fed taxes all I ask is they protect me from A rabs, killer bee's and the occassional bad weather.
But I actually cant believe u think fed shouldn't get involved in 9-11,
where 3000 died they are talking upwards of 10,000 fatalities

Its the United States of America, not the Federal Government of America.  Mayor Giuliani (not governor, not president, but Mayor Giuliani) did an excellent job of doing his duty after 911.  Unfortunately N.O. had a couple of elected buffoons who in their defining hour proved to the world they were less than qualified.  Granted, bush should have stepped in the minute it became clear that both of the buffoons were totally incompetant.  But that is all behind us now.  Cant we all just get along.  I love how the General dude on the news put it:  "You cant vote away the water!"


When i see disasters like this handled in this way it gives me a rare opportunity to thank g-d that I live in a mormon dominated state.  Say what you will about their religion, they know how to handle a crisis.

[Baner]

Is this another one of those "Damned if you do, Damned if you don't" situations? America rejects help from China, Russia, various Middle Eastern countries, the lsit goes on... and America is criticized for being stubborn. Then, when America does accept some help, they are called weak?

[damam]

QUOTE(Colonel32 @ Sep 7 2005, 04:20 PM)

I agree Dman, but until you also slam the Fema director... Who Bush appointed with no experience and was a major part of this disaster... you will regrettably be  lumped into 'that crowd' with the 'bush bashers' too.

I do agree that he should have stepped in much sooner than he did.  His performance has been less than adequate here (and his performance as president has not been great either).  But keeping in line with my own political beliefs which is staunchely anti-federalist, a state should try to be as independent as possible.

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I don't know what the deal is but your posts have increasingly been filled with rhetoric in my opinion. . . .

sadly you are right.  i havent slept more than 30-60 minutes at a time in weeks (daughters been sick or teething non stop for over a month).  it takes a toll on you after a while and find myself argueing for the sake of argueing and not because i actually believe what I am saying.  g-d please let me sleep

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*gasp* did you move to UTAH !!!

no just slightly north.  
Check out the teton dam breach in 76.  It totally wiped out 2 towns that were never rebuilt and flooded/destroyed several others.  25,000 people were homeless.  By the time the feds sent someone out their, the mormons had the entire thing under control.  That included starting cleanup efforts, crowd control, finding homes for the displaced, clothing and feeding them, etc.  The feds actually played second fiddle to branch presidents (a leadership role in the mormon church) out their and did what they told them to do for the remainder of the summer.  I know it is not exactly an apples to apples comparison, but it is an example of what can happen at the local level when strong leaders are in place with good plans.  A church community did this with out the funding or aid of the federal govt.  With all the resources at the fingers of the govorner and mayor, I simply dont understand why they could not have done something similar.  It truly is sad.

[Boba_Fett]

QUOTE(damam @ Sep 8 2005, 06:30 AM)

g-d please let me sleep

[damam]

QUOTE(Boba_Fett @ Sep 9 2005, 07:39 AM)

I just got to ask: What is up with self-censoring the word "God". Afraid He will smite you for using His name? Don't want to give the man any recognition or props by properly spelling His name? Very curious 

just doing it out of respect and because of tradition.  The early Jews never mentioned his name at all, and in fact the name given to moses, referred to as the Tetragrammaton, is not even pronouncible.  

I dont think anything bad is going to happen if I do, and occasionaly I do slip, the sky wont fall, the world wont cease to rotate, yada yada yada