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Originally Posted by OynxCougar

1) If troops (cops, rescuers, whatever) with guns can get in to "control the crowd", why can't the crowd get out to food/shelter/water/supplies?

With only rare exceptions, there was no National Guard in New Orleans until Friday. Friday is when the National Guard and food first arrived at the Convention Center. 125 Special Forces sat north of New Orleans simply waiting for a mission. At a minimum, each soldier could have been deputized and assigned to New Orleans policemen. But that calls for intelligence in FEMA and the George Jr White House.

Previously quoted was a statement from the State Police spokesman of New Orleans cops literally resigning. This can only happen when they have zero support - as demonstrated in Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged". There was no National Guard, et al. Ted Koppel interview makes it woefully obvious why. Did you hear the WWL-AM radio interview of New Orleans Mayor Nagin? Why not? Why do you think at the end of that interview he started crying? Do you really understand how pathetic this president and his FEMA people really were?

Now 'the powers that be' are spinning it - blaming others - because just like on 11 September, the administration did nothing - nada - zero. Let me remind you that is a fact. On 11 September, the administration did not one useful action. Some even lied to the September 11 Commission about doing things they did not do.

Originally Posted by OynxCougar

2) Why aren't people simply leaving the Superdome? Seems to me MORE people are being rescued offsite, by the coast guard or whoever, than are being rescued from the superdome and convention center. I'd be a walking/swimming/crawling fool before I stand/sit/whine that no one is coming to rescue me.

Where do you think the Coast Guard, et al were delivering the 'rescued' to? The Superdome and Convention Center. Rescuers were doing what FEMA instructed. Why would the rescued have to rescue themselves? Why would people who have had no food or water for three days leave the only location rumored to be safe and where the food and water was suppose to be coming ... anytime now? Even the president said that food and water was coming. Or course, he lied. But how did those people know?

Look, top management of FEMA and the president of the US were lying. Where were those 400 trucks of food and water from Monday? One with an engineer's attitude immediately suspects a lie. The president provides no useful information so that news services could confirm that 400 truck claim. At what point do the majority of Americans acknowledge that this president is clearly a mental midget?

The people in the Superdome and Convention Center were doing what they were told because it was their only hope of living. Thank god for people like the press who reported this problem for days. Finally even FEMA learned of the problem three days later because they feared what you might think.

Originally Posted by OynxCougar

3) If people are being prevented from leaving, WHY are they being prevented from simply walking to somewhere safe, with supplies?

First off, there was no place with supplies to go to. There were no supplies being delivered for days. Second there were few known safe places. I am particularly struck by an Ohio girl who wandered for days with a group of fellow casino employees constantly running into life threatening situations. Once the reporter loaned her a cell phone, she called her dad in OH, begging him to come and get her out - and of course crying. They, like most all people, could not get out, found the city full of danger, AND for days no National Guard and no supplies were available.

I am particularly struck that almost 50% of this nation (in polls) says that George Jr did a good job in New Orleans. Michael Brown is his man. Responsible managers (ie Gen George Patten) would have been on the phone repeatedly every day getting reports and, most important, demanding to know directly from Michael Brown what FEMA needed this hour. Clearly the President did not do what any good manager does. But then this president was an MBA who never ran a successful organization; never even brought in one oil well. George Jr did exactly what MBAs do.

In hindsight, you would think that people would have started walking to the airport some ten miles away in the 90+ degree sun. Well, I ride a bicycle only ten miles and people actually think that is a major accomplishment - when fed and watered. Eight miles on a bike is about equal to one mile of walking which is actually considered a challenge to many people. But now you want them to walk ten miles to an airport down roads they don't know are open let alone safe? You want them to walk to someplace that has just as much no food and water? At least they had sun shade where they were. You want them to walk after not having water for three days? People die after three days of no water. Now you expect them to walk ten plus miles to something that may not even exist?

Most people did what they were told. They assumed top management was working for them. They did not understand that George Jr was spinning this crisis as he did 11 September and the Tsunami response. In fact, a challenger to every Cellar dweller who did not agree with my analysis of the Tsunami. Fess up now. Tell me George Jr was responsible back then? So many even in the Cellar are in denial of what is required from the boss.

In 11 September, the George Jr administration did not one action to avert or responsibly respond during the 11 September attacks. That made woefully obvious from the September 11 Commission report. Most people just assumed aid was coming to New Orleans as they had been told. Many believed a president who said that 400 trucks with food and water were enroute. So, of course, those people did not walk out.

Now you want to believe they will walk ten miles in 90 degree heat to someplace they don't even know is safe - after not eating or drinking for three days?

The devil is in those details - such as no water for three days. One detail that is woefully obvious is outright criminal neglect of New Orleans by Pres George Jr and by his personal agent on the scene - Michael Brown, Director of FEMA. Brown was a George Jr appointee without any experience in anything closely resembling emergency management. He is classic of what MBAs promote - people without any dirt under their fingernails - but a political supporter.

If you did not see the Nightline interview, then you don't appreciate how much outright lying and denial was Michael Brown. He respresents what other George Jr appointees did during 11 September. Did you see how Koppel literally seethed as Michael Brown avoided every damning question.