Sep 05 2005
Katrina: Criminal Charges
My wife and I live in Ocala Florida. We are “intimately” familiar with Hurricane preparedness, and recovery procedures. While we have been Very lucky so far, experiencing only minor damage and several extended power outages, we are experienced in the “watch, and Prepare” procedures for anyone susceptible to Hurricanes.
When Katrina was parallel to Ocala, enroute to the New Orleans area, pet, my wife, came to me crying, and asking what was going to happen to those millions of people who could not get out. She like the vast majority of us in this area, knew full well that the low areas of the three states affected were populated the capacity of the roads to evacuate everyone, and that there are always those that “choose to stay”, or do not have the “means” to do so.
I told her that while this storm had the ability to do more damage than either the recent Tsunami, or the A-bomb on Hiroshima, and take as many lives, that our “Government”, through the Armed Forces, would be already gearing up to “take care of the surviving victims”.
When she asked how we could get into those areas with enough help, I listed the following:
I told her that: The US Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and Marines in the region were already staging for deployment, and that before she even hit, they would be rolling towards the area.
That the Army would be dispatching troops, supplies, and medical assistance, including MASH units, and Tent Cities, from at least several bases outside the “Target” area, and that they would be on site when the winds died down just enough to move in.
That the United States Navy had capabilities that few Americans were aware of: Fully loaded supply ships with just about every commodity you can think of, including clothing. Assault Landing Craft, capable of landing Thousands of Troops, ( even Tanks), and Heavy equipment on ANY kind of land. That they had the ability to land and resupply entire Divisions of troops. That the Marines had Helicopter Carriers, the Navy had not only Rescue, and SAR (search and rescue Helos), but that Pennsecola probably had a bunch of them used for training. That Helicopters, troops and even C-130’s could be flown in from as far away as Ft. Campbell Ky., iand be “Operational”, On Site, in less than 24hrs, with literally thousands of trucks/semis/amphibious troop carriers, loaded with supplies and Medical teams, “On Site”, in LESS than 48 hrs. That the Coast Guard, and National Guardsmen would be on scene within HOURS, from ALL of the surrounding areas (States).
In other words…….While we can’t prevent Mother Nature from ravishing the area, we CAN help the survivors within Hours!!!!!!!!!
Boy was I Full of Shit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It seems that Everyone but the people with the ability to help, saw what was coming……..
FEMA has done MANY studies on the results of a CATASTROPHIC Hurricane strike in this area, the NOAA people (They are great, and do ALL they can), gave them ILLUSTRATIONS of the storm surge predictions!!
And FEMA, and the President……..SAT ON THEIR ASSES and “watched”………..
I Voted for all three of the Bush family, and backed them to the hilt…… Until Now……
I hold the “Politicians”….FEMA, and the President, responsible for the MAJORITY of the lives lost “After the storm”….Those families, babies, old folks, etc, who died days after the storm. Who died from lack of water, food, medication, and Medical assistance, who drowned days later……….Because our “OFFICIALS”…..SAT ON THEIR ASSES……..
ANY Officer in Any of the armed forces who was on active duty for a single year, could have, and would have handled the LOGISTICS, and the MEANS, to help everyone possible, if they had the AUTHORITY….
FEMA, is under the PRESIDENT of these United States, and I hold them Jointly responsible for Thousands of Deaths, and the misery, and nightmares, experienced by theose victims that COULD have been helped…..We could not have helped them All…..I know that, ….but by DAMN we could have done one Hell of a lot more if we had the LEADERSHIP, and AUTHORITY we EXPECT !!!!!!!
Re: Jeb Bush……….. Having had his “Adopted” state(Florida) on a Number of occasions, experience, to a lesser degree, the wrath of a “Cane”, I expected him to have everything he could muster, rolling before the storm blew through the Gulf Coast……and to ask ALL of the Supermarket chins, Department store chains, the Bottled water producers, etc, to “please donate all that you can, and have “your” trucks lined up as a “convoy” ASAP…..led by the Florida National Guard……….
Well I was Full of Shit AGAIN…………….
NOW we need a modern version of the “WPA”…..let’s see how long it takes our “Leaders”…..To figure out that the way out of the “Great Depression”, should offer us SOME means of putting people to work, and building for their future!!!!!!!!!!
New Orleans is GONE!!!!!
Most of the people in the area Live……
Let’s ALL find a way to help them to live again…..(Elsewhere).
GOD BLESS AMERICA………Now let’s ALL act like AMERICANS, and help those in need.
John
