[Sowilo]

Here in Germany our presenters and politicians complain that the German population do not spend enough money for the casualties of the hurricane.
For example the German red cross got only 980 785 $ (10 000 000 € tsunami). Reason is that the citizens think that the USA are an developed country and should be able to help their own population alone.
But our state tried to help. After the hurricane the opposition asked for the strategic oil reserves cause the high costs (which were effected by Katrina) at the petrol stations - 1 gallon = 6.8 Us$ - in Germany (we have an election in 2 weeks). Our chancellor declined cause the reserve is for shortage and not for low costs. But as the US president asked for the reserves he agreed.
A few hundret members of the THW (German governmental disaster relief organization) were send with pumps by airplane to New Orleans and 2 Bundeswehr (armee) airplanes (we do not have many of them^^) flew to the US too. 15 tons food or 20 000 EPa's (one man units) were send to the US. But the US government declined and forbid them to land cause they feared that the food could be contaminated by BSE. That are the same products which the US military eat in Afgahnistan together with the German troops and the NATO declared them as "BSE-free".
All aircrafts with food from France, the UK, Germany and Russia are not allowed to land in the US. At the moment our planes are back in Germany and and we are unlaoding the cargo cause the USA do not want this help. The real reason is not BSE, the US government do not want to see pictures like this:

(Care packets in the USA from China)

Other countries like Sweden want to help too but there are no requests - the US government ignore them. They have an airbus loaded with mobile machines to clean water, mobile radio equipment to create an communication net for the rescue forces and 50 000 persons. The Swedish governemnt said that the plane with technical crew can start immediately but the US government did not gave them an target area.

Cause here are a few users from the US I wanted to ask what you think about that and if you really do not need this help or just did not want it or both?

[Auroc]

Ok, it doesn't really has something to do with Gothic, but where should be a better place...


I think the US-government was very shy from the very beginning and is now really ashamed because of the fast reactions from the other countries.
They just try to disgiuse their own failure in this case (and IT IS really disgusting).


They are to proud to accept help of other countries. Now they have to take the responsibility for their mistakes.
Even though this will be covered by the rescue-operations for a while.

[rekinu]

well their country is really affected and alot (ALOT) of people died, so don't see why they don't want those products.maybe they are too orgolious and they don't want pitty(maybe its the wrong word) from other countries, because they think that they are to strong for that....well leave them alone coz they have alot of resurses and money and Bush really s**ks, b'coz he doesn't care about hes country only wants to profit and fight in Asia.....

[Thoronador]

A few hundret members of the THW (German governmental disaster relief organization) were send with pumps by airplane to New Orleans and 2 Bundeswehr (army) airplanes (we do not have many of them^^) flew to the US too. 15 tons food or 20 000 EPa's (one man units) were send to the US. But the US government declined and forbid them to land cause they feared that the food could be contaminated by BSE. That are the same products which the US military eat in Afgahnistan together with the German troops and the NATO declared them as "BSE-free".
All aircrafts with food from France, the UK, Germany and Russia are not allowed to land in the US.

I cannot understand why the US government does not accept the help. Judging from the reports and pictures on TV the USA could need the help, so why do they decline it?

I think the major mistake was that President Bush did not react fast enough to help the people in New Orleans. The US government promised to send help and to get the people out of the flooded area, but within the first days not much/ nothing happened. Now they finally send help, but they could have done so much earlier.

[Auroc]

Just have seen the picture from Sowilo. Delicious ^^...China is helping the mighty US of A.

I could imagine that this is a (or the) reason for the american embargo. That hurts, Mr Bush.

[Dez]

I must say that i'm VERY shocked how badly USA handled this.USa should have been the richest country in the world.I quess all the money has gone into war-activities and weapons.It is quite ironic that the first thing the goverment was able to do, was to send SOLDIERS with weapons instead of FOOD and WATER.One has to be astonished of their thinking.

People around the world have noticed that the need of help is urgent there, but The United States goverment is too arrogant to accept the help.I myself may not like the politics there, but i see the the desparate need of help from the ordinary people.I greatly sympathize those who lost their loveones and homes because of the hurricane

[WernerTWC]

Well, on this forum i thought i never get angry, but this topic makes me berserk!
This arrogant Mr. Bush and the goverment made mistakes which costs lives.
And now they´re to "proud" to take help,... i know that Mr. Bush don´t need help, he is sitting comfortly while people dieing in his own country,... but the people need the help. I think the people who need help whould be thankful for it.
I was last week for two days in a first-aid-training. The teacher was old but super-top-fit, he had seen alot of things, he was a second-world-war-kid (he must robber for some bad food), ... he was in Kuwait@war,... but when someone out of the group asked about Katrina,... it was like he was really near to explode!
What he said:" So many lives could be rescued,... [headshaking, sad looking],.. I don´t can speak about it, or i could say something wrong."

Another time Mr. MF-Bush has shown his incompetence and ingnorance of live!

I´m asking myself for years why this guy is not in jail in DenHaag!

[ArmyOfOne]

It is not only the fault of the President or the US government. No one expected this crisis to ever happen and these people handling it never had any experience for such a catastrophe.

The US government is not the first line of defense for this. The state's national guard is the first line and they did a terrible job. The Crisis Management Plan for just this emergency was never put in place. But here are a few items for thought. the national guards of texas, and arkansas were ready to go in the first day but couldn't get the required paperwork out of washintgon. Food and water arriving was still being held up on day 3 because decisions wern't being made as to how to allocate it; they were not prepared and you cant just instantly know where to send supplies. Millions of americans have donated generously to help the cause the the US govt cant even manage those supplies let alone foreign help. It isn't because they dont want the help, they dont want Germany or any other country to send a multi-million dollar plane to somewhere they arent sure of when they can quickly use the Domestic donations. The entire city of NO is gone... there is almost no man power to even distribute those supplies.

Pres. Bush's continued statements that help was on the way, who was that directed to, because I don't think anyone in New Orleans had access to a television. A level 5 hurricane was headed towards levys that were in disrepair and were only designed to withstand a level 3. So the complete lack of prepareness on both the local and federal level is reprehencible. The man power and the resourses were available but the leadership to put them to proper use was non existent. If this is how a forcasted disaster is handled how will we possibly deal with any future terrorist attack in wich there will be no warning. The Mayor of New Orleans has no right to put all the blame on the FEDS because the steps taken localy were confused at best. (but blaming the FEDS in the south never hurts you politicaly) However the federal gov't and FEMA shouldn't be taking any bows either they got beat.

http://gov.louisiana.gov/Press_Relea...ail.asp?id=973

if you check the date a state of emergency was declared before the hurricane even hit. No one gets to say they did a good job here. It was a cluster f... it took almost a week to get help to where we knew in advance it would be needed. the only thing to do is make up for lost time and hope to God we do better. the only way that will happen is when our leaders stop making excuses and trying to spin it that they really did react correctly. This was the first real test of Home Land Security,

[ArmyOfOne]

also, no offense to anyone but i am personally sick of people criticizing Bush, he is not a bad man. There is no way anyone can think that you know enough about Pres Bush to bash him. The US press spreads propaganda against Bush and then the European Press takes that and puts an even stronger liberal side to the story. It's like playing "telephone" and in the end the information is just comepletely skewed.

[ArmyOfOne]

I must say that i'm VERY shocked how badly USA handled this.USa should have been the richest country in the world.I quess all the money has gone into war-activities and weapons.It is quite ironic that the first thing the goverment was able to do, was to send SOLDIERS with weapons instead of FOOD and WATER.One has to be astonished of their thinking.

People around the world have noticed that the need of help is urgent there, but The United States goverment is too arrogant to accept the help.I myself may not like the politics there, but i see the the desparate need of help from the ordinary people.I greatly sympathize those who lost their loveones and homes because of the hurricane

Imagine that one of the major cities in Germany or whereever you are from just got wiped out in a few days. Just completely wiped out. It doesnt matter how rich you are, if you house is suddenly burned down, you are horribly struck and disabled. And OF COURSE you have to send soldiers! Did you read the whole article? was it provided for you that Citizens were rioting in the streets, some even killing others? Are you going to send unarmed people from the Red Cross with food that would just get beaten and robbed? You need to restore order first, build the relief establishments and then distribute the aid orderly.

I am not provoking any natural disaster to happen anywhere else but I highly doubt any other country can handle something like Katrina either. Everyone thought Katrina would just be any other tropical storm. Then they saw a hurricane develop but studies only indicated that it would become category 3 and MAYBE 4. No one saw a #5 coming.

[-Jaden-]

@ArmyOfOne.
Gee.. TRIPLE post

Actually I think nothing about this. Not my business. Let them do whatever they want. imo. You couldn't help or make this thing better anyway. It's just sad, and we can only watch what they do.

[Sowilo]

@ArmyOfOne

- First I do not hate the US. Cause the US Germany was not occupied totally by the red army. They didn't want revenge and send care packets for starving children. Later they supported the trapped Berlin. A sister of my father married an US soldier and they live together in Germany. After the first and second WW many members of my familiy moved to the US. I have a great-aunt in Washington DC. A half-cousin of me lives together with his American wife near LA. The girlfriend of my friend is au pair in LA too.
I accuse myself that I didn't take part at a student exchange program. Now its too late and I don't know when I could make a trip to this great country with it friendly inhabitants.

- The only one what I don't like is the behaviour of ur government and the foreign politic in the last 50 years. The US invaded countries and removed democratic leaders for US friendly dictators to open the internal markets of these regions for the US economy.
And what I as one who isn't a citizen of the US don't like is that I have no rights in and outside the US including my country (I have no rights at this whole fucking world). German which the US thought could be involved in terrorism were kidnapped - moved to Afgahnistan - tortured - and after they noiticed that they r innocent moved back to Germany with a little money as reparation. Nobody believed them only as we tested the hair (cause the specific radiation u can see where the water was from which was drinked by the one) we knew that its true that they were in Afgahnistan. Not-US-citizens have for the US army no rights if they r not inside US territory (in the US each person has a few rights).

- I know that G W Bush isn't alone guilty. He gave a unqualifed friend of him the position as the leader of the FEMA. He shortened the funds for embankments in NO. The guys who r responsible for the evacuation of NO planned evacuation points for the population who don't own cars but forget to think about that someone has to take them from these points. One of these guys said in TV (I look often CNN) that they had a good plan for Katrina but they didn't thought about that the embankments could break and the town could be flooded. After the hurricane helper wanted to move to NO but they were told that that isn't allowed cause its too dangerous.
In brief u can say that many things didn't works especially the cooperation between the FEMA and the homeland security.
As a German u can't imagine the size of this catastrophe cause we don't have a big region like this hit by sth.
I thinks too that the government isn't guilty alone the big mistake from the lokal persons was that they didn't evacuated the town complete cause the thought that the embarkments will be intact.

- But back to my question. Do u really need the help of the rest of the world our do u had all what u need but wasn't able to move the stuff to the persons or the persons to the help?
Cause our government wants to help but our population itself think that the US don't want and don't need our help (low donates by Germans and the US send our planes back).
(but there r exceptions for example one in this board was contact person for US soldiers in northern Germany and now he try to get information about relatives in NO of US soldiers in Germany).

[ArmyOfOne]

Sowilo,

I didnt think anyone here hated the US.... but I know alot of people hate Bush. I dont see anywhere in my post that I accused anyone of hating the US. Maybe I used bad wording I'm sorry.

But I dont agree with you claiming the US govt "invaded countries and removed democratic leaders for US friendly dictators to open the internal markets of these regions for the US economy."

Let's see, Iraq: If we really wanted Oil from Iraq, why is our Oil $4+ per gallon even before Katrina? Bush is having trouble keeping his approval rate from his citizens, why won't he suck the oil from Iraq to make citizens happy with cheap prices? The US did not invade Iraq for Oil. It was for Weapons of mass destruction and I personally believe that Saddam had the WMDs and found means of hiding, selling, or giving it away before the US invaded. We sold him the means for WMDs, we have the receipt, and everyone saw him using them against the Kurds. Saddam was a harsh dictator, not a "democratic leader", the majority of the Iraqis are glad the US got rid of Saddam and are glad the Soldiers are still in Iraq to resist the terrorists still lingering.

Afghanistan: There is no question, the US invaded them. It was a unaminmous vote in the Govt and the US citizens to bring to justice the ones responsible for 9/11 (which is today). Afgahnistan is also a better place now that Al Queda is gone. You would have to kill me to make me beleive that invading Afghanistan was not justified.

Yes the US wants aid from foreign countries.
Read these two articles:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2...na-world_x.htm
http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2...-katrina_x.htm

Both of them state that the US is definately welcoming and accepting Aid. But the process is slow because of a bottleneck at the airports. The airports are half-destroyed and so many planes are trying to fly in. In fact the only plane Bush rejected was one full of Oil from Iran. The planes you claim were probably rejected by the managers at the Airport having no room to put those planes and not knowing where the aid would have gone anyway; NOT BECAUSE Bush sent them back. Again, there isn't enough manpower around NO to sufficienly organize the releif efforts and they do not want food and supplies sitting there rotting. Those two articles state alot of countries having made donations to the US.

[Archibal]

K.Hope where finished with this post!This a gothic fan-forum!

[Sowilo]

K.Hope where finished with this post!This a gothic fan-forum!

Cause here is no seperate smalltalk forum we can talk about things like this too.

@armyofone

In the 2nd article is written:

Germany sent 25 tons of food. Italy shipped meals ready to eat (MREs).

I think this is the food which is back at Germany cause BSE. One German mag contacted the US embassy they said that they will accept this food now but now its back in Germany...
But ok I will believe that they were send back cause the chaotic circumstances. But its good to know that the help is welcome.

Cause them other stuff:

I am not for Saddam I am only not happy about the American tradition to join wars with faked reasons (Spanish American war - Vietnam war - Desert Storm - etc..).
I would be pro Enduring Freedom - if there were a concept for the time after the war (I mean for the ethnical groups not for the oil fields). U see today what happens. The Kurds want an own state. The powerfull minority of Sunnits want a big democratic Iraq and the Schitten? want n religious leader. There r the first terror acts between the groups not against the US congratulation u started a civil war.
But I am glad that u liberated the Iraq and I am thankful.

why is our Oil $4+ per gallon even before Katrina?

Germany had $6+ per gallon before and $7+ after Katrina. The reason is that oil isn't endless. So China and the US buy many oil from the international markets cause their economy needs much of it (do u know that the US wouldn't need to import oil if their cars would have the usage of an normal European car?).
There r several reasons for invading the Iraq.
1. There was a cruelly dictator (in the past supported by the US. But the good thing is that the US noiticed that that was wrong and provocated the Iraq to invade Kuwait so that the USA had a reason to attack the Iraq - after they said Saddam that they deal an imminent war with Kuwait as an internal Arabic conflict)
2. The US had only Saudi Arabia as platform to operate in this region and needed a 2nd "pillar" for there troops.
3. The European Oil groups had a good relation to Iraq. To secure the Oil for the US market, avoid that the Europeans cooperate with Iraq and make the European addicted from the US they invaded the Iraq. As winner the US could give the oil fields to US firms.

(The website project new Amercian century which is an republic thinktank of the US wrote a few of these reasons especially Europe at their webpage they don't want a strong Europe cause it could became able to compete with the US)

Cause WMDs. The Iraq was never able to produce them. They got during their war against the Iran weapons from the US, France and Germany. But these weapons rn't make for eternity. After a few decades they r useless.
The information (mobile laboratories) which were presented by Powell were delivered by the German secret service. We know it cause we sold them. But they rn't military laboratories. U can analyse earth regarding the possibility to use the region as field/cultivate plants - nothin else.

And, there is no coherence between Al Quaida and Iraq.

Afgahnistan - same like Iraq. U gave Saddam the power over the Iraq and the Taliban the power over Afgahnistan. Saddam cause u wanted that he is a kind of buffer against the Iran and gave the Taliban Afgahnistan cause u wanted (quotation of an US guy) "the Russian making a Vietnam".
There was a border between Russia and Afgahnistan. The US supported one military group in Afgahnistan (Taliban) and gave them equipment (Stinger) to fight the Russians. But the Russians didn't attacked. So the US gave the Taliban the order to support rebels in Russia. They did it and Russia felt forced to attack Afganistan cause it was the origin of these rebels. It worked Russia attacked Afgahistan and lost like teh US in Vietnam. But the Taliban had the power in Afgahnistan - after 9/11 u noiticed that it would be better not to support these groups.
Atm I am glad that u liberated Afgahnistan from the Taliban which u gave Afgahnistan years ago. Germany supports u there with our troops in Kundus and a few other points.

With this line "invaded countries and removed democratic leaders for US friendly dictators to open the internal markets of these regions for the US economy." I thought about:

- Nicaragua with Sandino/Garcia (1927)
- Guatemla with Arbas/Armenz (1954)
- Vietnam (1956)
- Cuba with Batista/Castro (1961)
- Iraq with Qasim/Saddam (1963)
- Congo with Lumumbas/Mubutu (1964)
- Cambodia (1969)
- Chile with Pinochet/Allende (1973)
- Panama with Torrijos/Noriega (1980)
- Nicaragua (1981)
- Grenada (1983)
- Afgahnistan with Taliban (1996)
- Venezuela with Carmona/Chavez (2002)
- 2b continued...

[maximus888]

If "they" can spend billions of dollars in playing war and huntig terrorists the financial demage caused by katrina is "peanuts".

[WernerTWC]

also, no offense to anyone but i am personally sick of people criticizing Bush, he is not a bad man.

It is a good discussion, so we all can see the point of view from each other,... that´s communication -> can´t be bad!... so you don´t offensed me!

It´s my opinion, that Mr. Bush is a bad guy. I think he´s far beyond reallity. He don´t see the lives that he destroys with his actions. He don´t care about his responsibility.

BTW.: I also don´t hate the USA or it´s people!

Edit:

If "they" can spend billions of dollars in playing war and huntig terrorists the financial demage caused by katrina is "peanuts".

You are right! But i think the main thing is not the money... it´s all about to rescue the most lives you can,... Katrina shows that you cann´t "buy" lives with money, only with actions, and the US-Gov missed their actions!

Edit2:

K.Hope where finished with this post!This a gothic fan-forum!

Well, @ the 9/11 i was chatting and watching TV at the same time,... the planes hit,... all the chat goes quiet ... and we all discussed about that!
What i wanne say is, that some kind of things that happens in this world should interesst us all (if it don´t interesst you, that´s OK, but some buddys in here wanna discuss about that).

[maximus888]

so we see what its like in reality... if this would have been a movie there would be thousands of people they want to help... and everthing would get OK... but in truth the american people isnt like that... unfortunately

the worst wasnt the catastrophe but the disaster after disaster... the government havent done enough for the humans in there...

lets hope that this disaster will not repeat..

[Spike Spiegel]

Transcript of radio interview with New Orleans' Nagin
Friday, September 2, 2005; Posted: 11:49 a.m. EDT (15:49 GMT)

(CNN) -- New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin blasted the slow pace of federal and state relief efforts in an expletive-laced interview with local radio station WWL-AM.
The following is a transcript of WWL correspondent Garland Robinette's interview with Nagin on Thursday night. Robinette asked the mayor about his conversation with President Bush:
NAGIN: I told him we had an incredible crisis here and that his flying over in Air Force One does not do it justice. And that I have been all around this city, and I am very frustrated because we are not able to marshal resources and we're outmanned in just about every respect. You know the reason why the looters got out of control? Because we had most of our resources saving people, thousands of people that were stuck in attics, man, old ladies. ... You pull off the doggone ventilator vent and you look down there and they're standing in there in water up to their freaking necks.
And they don't have a clue what's going on down here. They flew down here one time two days after the doggone event was over with TV cameras, AP reporters, all kind of goddamn -- excuse my French everybody in America, but I am pissed.
WWL: Did you say to the president of the United States, "I need the military in here"?
NAGIN: I said, "I need everything."
Now, I will tell you this -- and I give the president some credit on this -- he sent one John Wayne dude down here that can get some stuff done, and his name is [Lt.] Gen. [Russel] Honore.
And he came off the doggone chopper, and he started cussing and people started moving. And he's getting some stuff done.
They ought to give that guy -- if they don't want to give it to me, give him full authority to get the job done, and we can save some people.
WWL: What do you need right now to get control of this situation?
NAGIN: I need reinforcements, I need troops, man. I need 500 buses, man. We ain't talking about -- you know, one of the briefings we had, they were talking about getting public school bus drivers to come down here and bus people out here.
I'm like, "You got to be kidding me. This is a national disaster. Get every doggone Greyhound bus line in the country and get their asses moving to New Orleans."
That's -- they're thinking small, man. And this is a major, major, major deal. And I can't emphasize it enough, man. This is crazy.
I've got 15,000 to 20,000 people over at the convention center. It's bursting at the seams. The poor people in Plaquemines Parish. ... We don't have anything, and we're sharing with our brothers in Plaquemines Parish.
It's awful down here, man.
WWL: Do you believe that the president is seeing this, holding a news conference on it but can't do anything until [Louisiana Gov.] Kathleen Blanco requested him to do it? And do you know whether or not she has made that request?
NAGIN: I have no idea what they're doing. But I will tell you this: You know, God is looking down on all this, and if they are not doing everything in their power to save people, they are going to pay the price. Because every day that we delay, people are dying and they're dying by the hundreds, I'm willing to bet you.
We're getting reports and calls that are breaking my heart, from people saying, "I've been in my attic. I can't take it anymore. The water is up to my neck. I don't think I can hold out." And that's happening as we speak.
You know what really upsets me, Garland? We told everybody the importance of the 17th Street Canal issue. We said, "Please, please take care of this. We don't care what you do. Figure it out."
WWL: Who'd you say that to?
NAGIN: Everybody: the governor, Homeland Security, FEMA. You name it, we said it.
And they allowed that pumping station next to Pumping Station 6 to go under water. Our sewage and water board people ... stayed there and endangered their lives.
And what happened when that pumping station went down, the water started flowing again in the city, and it starting getting to levels that probably killed more people.
In addition to that, we had water flowing through the pipes in the city. That's a power station over there.
So there's no water flowing anywhere on the east bank of Orleans Parish. So our critical water supply was destroyed because of lack of action.
WWL: Why couldn't they drop the 3,000-pound sandbags or the containers that they were talking about earlier? Was it an engineering feat that just couldn't be done?
NAGIN: They said it was some pulleys that they had to manufacture. But, you know, in a state of emergency, man, you are creative, you figure out ways to get stuff done.
Then they told me that they went overnight, and they built 17 concrete structures and they had the pulleys on them and they were going to drop them.
I flew over that thing yesterday, and it's in the same shape that it was after the storm hit. There is nothing happening. And they're feeding the public a line of bull and they're spinning, and people are dying down here.
WWL: If some of the public called and they're right, that there's a law that the president, that the federal government can't do anything without local or state requests, would you request martial law?
NAGIN: I've already called for martial law in the city of New Orleans. We did that a few days ago.
WWL: Did the governor do that, too?
NAGIN: I don't know. I don't think so.
But we called for martial law when we realized that the looting was getting out of control. And we redirected all of our police officers back to patrolling the streets. They were dead-tired from saving people, but they worked all night because we thought this thing was going to blow wide open last night. And so we redirected all of our resources, and we hold it under check.
I'm not sure if we can do that another night with the current resources.
And I am telling you right now: They're showing all these reports of people looting and doing all that weird stuff, and they are doing that, but people are desperate and they're trying to find food and water, the majority of them.
Now you got some knuckleheads out there, and they are taking advantage of this lawless -- this situation where, you know, we can't really control it, and they're doing some awful, awful things. But that's a small majority of the people. Most people are looking to try and survive.
And one of the things people -- nobody's talked about this. Drugs flowed in and out of New Orleans and the surrounding metropolitan area so freely it was scary to me, and that's why we were having the escalation in murders. People don't want to talk about this, but I'm going to talk about it.
You have drug addicts that are now walking around this city looking for a fix, and that's the reason why they were breaking in hospitals and drugstores. They're looking for something to take the edge off of their jones, if you will.
And right now, they don't have anything to take the edge off. And they've probably found guns. So what you're seeing is drug-starving crazy addicts, drug addicts, that are wrecking havoc. And we don't have the manpower to adequately deal with it. We can only target certain sections of the city and form a perimeter around them and hope to God that we're not overrun.
WWL: Well, you and I must be in the minority. Because apparently there's a section of our citizenry out there that thinks because of a law that says the federal government can't come in unless requested by the proper people, that everything that's going on to this point has been done as good as it can possibly be.
NAGIN: Really?
WWL: I know you don't feel that way.
NAGIN: Well, did the tsunami victims request? Did it go through a formal process to request?
You know, did the Iraqi people request that we go in there? Did they ask us to go in there? What is more important?
And I'll tell you, man, I'm probably going get in a whole bunch of trouble. I'm probably going to get in so much trouble it ain't even funny. You probably won't even want to deal with me after this interview is over.
WWL: You and I will be in the funny place together.
NAGIN: But we authorized $8 billion to go to Iraq lickety-quick. After 9/11, we gave the president unprecedented powers lickety-quick to take care of New York and other places.
Now, you mean to tell me that a place where most of your oil is coming through, a place that is so unique when you mention New Orleans anywhere around the world, everybody's eyes light up -- you mean to tell me that a place where you probably have thousands of people that have died and thousands more that are dying every day, that we can't figure out a way to authorize the resources that we need? Come on, man.
You know, I'm not one of those drug addicts. I am thinking very clearly.
And I don't know whose problem it is. I don't know whether it's the governor's problem. I don't know whether it's the president's problem, but somebody needs to get their ass on a plane and sit down, the two of them, and figure this out right now.
WWL: What can we do here?
NAGIN: Keep talking about it.
WWL: We'll do that. What else can we do?
NAGIN: Organize people to write letters and make calls to their congressmen, to the president, to the governor. Flood their doggone offices with requests to do something. This is ridiculous.
I don't want to see anybody do anymore goddamn press conferences. Put a moratorium on press conferences. Don't do another press conference until the resources are in this city. And then come down to this city and stand with us when there are military trucks and troops that we can't even count.
Don't tell me 40,000 people are coming here. They're not here. It's too doggone late. Now get off your asses and do something, and let's fix the biggest goddamn crisis in the history of this country.
WWL: I'll say it right now, you're the only politician that's called and called for arms like this. And if -- whatever it takes, the governor, president -- whatever law precedent it takes, whatever it takes, I bet that the people listening to you are on your side.
NAGIN: Well, I hope so, Garland. I am just -- I'm at the point now where it don't matter. People are dying. They don't have homes. They don't have jobs. The city of New Orleans will never be the same in this time.
WWL: We're both pretty speechless here.
NAGIN: Yeah, I don't know what to say. I got to go.
WWL: OK. Keep in touch. Keep in touch.

That should describe the efforts the government has put into saving human lives. But hey, who cares about some thousand Caijun Rednecks getting killed? It doesn't hurt the government, helping them though would a bit. It's simply not worth it putting too much effort into it and hey, it might even distract attention away from some other stuff that doesn't appeal to the public.

Stuff like this makes me feel happy that I'm a german resident with a government that's not fucked up to the core. It just makes me mad how people get abandoned by their government, losing their lives because the President can't seem to handle the situation.

btw. It's stupid to say that people who ctitizise a foreign countrys government automatically hate americans. But I guess there'll always be stupid people.

[DeadlyArrow]

@ArmyOfOne
Wheell, if US attacked Iraq because of Weapons of mass destruction, why their soldiers are still there?

I can't say that I hate Bush, but the politics of US government is quite...strange somethimes.
This thing with food always was a problem, I know that one guy couldn't pass border with a sausuge, and was forsed to leave it at carantine, but nobody noticed that he has a dozen of hacked progs (like Autoshop).
Again I understand why they sent there soldiers, but there is ppl who can search for food or clothers in houses and be killed. They didn't evacuate ppl, and now many of them will be killed.
And another thing - I think you all remember Cunami in asian region which was some months ago, and there was big disaster too, but ppl were quite calm, they were working, building destroyed houses and so on; when I saw New Orlean ppl on TV, it was a panic. They just sit on the grass screaming "help". They believe that government will help them. Here in Lithuania ppl does not believe that government can help them, and everybody helps himself. In all movies US governmet says "we are working for ppl, we'll save all world if it will be needed", but why they can't save these poor ppl in New Orlean who believe in them?
And of course, they are too arrogant for help.
No offense everybody