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[heinrich]

QUOTE

In early 2001, the Federal Emergency Management Agency issued a report stating that a hurricane striking New Orleans was one of the three most likely disasters in U.S., including a terrorist attack on New York City. But by 2003 the federal funding for the flood control project essentially dried up as it was drained into the Iraq war. In 2004, the Bush administration cut the Corps of Engineers' request for holding back the waters of New Orleans' Lake Pontchartrain by more than 80 percent. Additional cuts at the beginning of this year (for a total reduction in funding of 44.2 percent since 2001) forced the Corps to impose a hiring freeze.

http://www.salon.com...index_np.html?x

QUOTE

"It appears that the money has been moved in the president's budget to handle homeland security and the war in Iraq, and I suppose that's the price we pay," Maestri said. "Nobody locally is happy that the levees can't be finished, and we are doing everything we can to make the case that this is a security issue for us."

http://www.tpmcafe.c...8/30/212451/290 (Quoted from the June 8th, 2004 edition of the NO Times-Picayune)

QUOTE

New Orleans had long known it was highly vulnerable to flooding and a direct hit from a hurricane. In fact, the federal government has been working with state and local officials in the region since the late 1960s on major hurricane and flood relief efforts. When flooding from a massive rainstorm in May 1995 killed six people, Congress authorized the Southeast Louisiana Urban Flood Control Project, or SELA.

Over the next 10 years, the Army Corps of Engineers, tasked with carrying out SELA, spent $430 million on shoring up levees and building pumping stations, with $50 million in local aid. But at least $250 million in crucial projects remained, even as hurricane activity in the Atlantic Basin increased dramatically and the levees surrounding New Orleans continued to subside.

Yet after 2003, the flow of federal dollars toward SELA dropped to a trickle. The Corps never tried to hide the fact that the spending pressures of the war in
Iraq, as well as homeland security -- coming at the same time as federal tax cuts -- was the reason for the strain. At least nine articles in the Times-Picayune from 2004 and 2005 specifically cite the cost of Iraq as a reason for the lack of hurricane- and flood-control dollars.

http://news.yahoo.co...phehavetohappen

[thesideinguy]

about the military aid thing, let me fill you in on just a little taste.

[kevinlekiller]

Heres some information on katrina (this is were I was looking from day 1)

http://en.wikipedia....rricane_Katrina

[melongstrike]

hey kevinlekiller thanks for the best news site on Katrina I have seen thus far!


Has anyone seen a movie that predicts hurricane Katrina, the series of events before, and the disaster for years to come after?

My g/f says sh watched it about 3 months ago where they named it Katrina and it was to hit NO and take out part of the oil reserves...

it's content should be similar to the link below ... pretty interesting story.

hopefully, I added hyperlink in correcly. check it out

If anyone knows of the story (movie) I am asking for please advise Thank you.

The Oil Factor: Behind the War on Terror

read pag then scroll down and enter site click exert for a clip

Oil Factor http://www.theoilfactor.com/

[Arvarden]

http://news.bbc.co.u...cas/4207202.stm

"US troops, armed with a shoot-to-kill policy, are being sent to New Orleans to quell growing lawlessness, four days after Hurricane Katrina hit."

If the State provided food, water, clothing and transport for the people of N.O maybe they wouldn't have to resort to stealing.  Instead of providing security why doesn't the government get it's act in order and get the people out instead of flexing it's muscles?

[reidtheweed03]

QUOTE(Arvarden @ Sep 2 2005, 11:03 AM)

http://news.bbc.co.u...cas/4207202.stm

[Lord Magnus]

Man, I can't believe the video that Arvarden posted about wal-mart... "To serve and protect" hu? What have we come down to?

On the other subject... try to read independent media... that's where you find out the truth about what's going on. No matter if it's about N.O. marshall law, or the real motives behind "Iraqi Freedom". CNN, FoxNews, and most (if not all) of the big news entities never tell the full story.

Just my opinion.

[Wong Hung Lo]

QUOTE(Arvarden @ Sep 2 2005, 05:26 AM)

http://www.zippyvide...ing-in-walmart/

[awal]

That is really sad. I think what bungie is doing is great http://www.bungiesto...p?idproduct=322
I want one bad.

[Baner]

QUOTE

and told to shoot-to-kill, but they just arnt as good at it

Not sure if you are talking about in this situation or in basic police training... but the average everyday policeman is trained to shoot only when either shot upon, or they feel there is an immediate risk to ones life. and they are trained to shoot to deter. If killing them is the only way, then that action must be taken.

QUOTE

do you not realize that people have to be picked up at their homes by helicopters because you cant drive, dont you think those people that are trapped would get in their cars and drive away, or do you think that they just like sitting on top of roofs for no reason.

If everyone followed the law in the first place, they would not be trapped. There was a mandatory evacuation a day or two before the arrival of the storm. Also, that doesn't mean everyone in the area will be shot, but those carrying guns, threatening a civilian's, officer's, or military personnel's life, have a good chance of being shot at. (Amen)

BTW Blue: My statement was suppose to be a joke, a metaphor comparing America's actions to one of a toddler that is learning to do things on thier own, and denying help from anyone. I'm not sure how that was ignorant, since that was the government's exact mentality when they turned down the offers.

[bluedeath]

QUOTE(Baner @ Sep 2 2005, 09:18 PM)

BTW Blue: My statement was suppose to be a joke, a metaphor comparing America's actions to one of a toddler that is learning to do things on thier own, and denying help from anyone. I'm not sure how that was ignorant, since that was the government's exact mentality when they turned down the offers.

[reidtheweed03]

QUOTE(Baner @ Sep 3 2005, 05:18 AM)

Sorry... after I saw pugs post about blaming this on Bush... it made me laugh.

[Arvarden]

QUOTE(Juniorman030790 @ Sep 3 2005, 06:50 AM)

Ok that statement pisses me off big time

[heinrich]

QUOTE

If everyone followed the law in the first place, they would not be trapped. There was a mandatory evacuation a day or two before the arrival of the storm.

So you are saying its their fault?  How the fuck are some of the nations poorest citizens supposed to get in their non-existant cars, pay for gas with the money that they dont have, drive hundreds of miles to hotel, again, with no money.  The entire evacuation plan revolved around people getting out the city on their own.

And now that the storm has come and gone, people CANNOT just "leave".  Even the FNC was covering this during H&C last night - there is a checkpoint exitiing the city, you cant just get up and walk out of the city - they are literally locked in their till the gov't takes them out.. 4, 5, 6 days later..

[heinrich]

QUOTE

"I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees. They did anticipate a serious storm. But these levees got breached. And as a result, much of New Orleans is flooded. And now we are having to deal with it and will."

The Mayor of NO's said that the levees would not hold on sunday when he ordered the evacuation.