Bush Admits Blame for Katrina Response

[centralnewyorki]

Originally Posted by DomLee

The natural disaster itself is not anyone's fault.

The problem is, the levees that surround New Orleans. That is what REALLY caused damage. These levees were lacking any sort of "real" engineering that could prevent water from getting through.

Basically, think of those levees as a wood/stick damn built by beavers. In fact, here is a picture of actual New Orleans levees taken in 1995. http://www.gpc.edu/~pgore/myphotos/neworlen/levee2.gif
http://gpc.edu/~pgore/myphotos/neworlen/levee1.gif

So this problem was ignored for years and years. Then Katrina came.

Someone or some people ignored the issue. So there is going to be some finger pointing.

Another problem, was the lack of immediate response to the millions of people in need. Those are the issues that Bush is taking responsibility for. Not the natural disaster itself, but the aftermath and the pre-existing problems that lead New Orleans to become flooded. Stuff that was preventable.

THANK YOU!!

No one is blaming anyone for a natural disaster- just the government's actions after the levees broke and the fact that the levees have been ignored for decades! It would be preposterous to blame anyone for a hurricane. When you live 7 feet below sea level in a hurricane area you expect to the levees to stand up against the hurricane-force winds so that your city doesn't end up under feet upon feet of water.

"Bush is planning to show sympathy for the misery brought on by the killer storm while charting a hopeful vision for the future..." I REALLY hope this is a poor choice of words on the part of CNN and not taken from an offical press release from the White House. I'm sorry- planning to show sympathy?? Could that statement make his actions sound any less genuine?! It's sounds like he's sitting in front of a mirror somewhere in NO practicing his sad face. You don't say to someone upon arriving at a funeral "I plan to look really sad." You either are sad and look sad, or aren't sad and are faking it. I REALLY hope that is not a statement that came from our administration.

[JCarlson2004]

Originally Posted by DomLee

The natural disaster itself is not anyone's fault.

The problem is, the levees that surround New Orleans. That is what REALLY caused damage. These levees were lacking any sort of "real" engineering that could prevent water from getting through.

So this problem was ignored for years and years. Then Katrina came.

Another problem, was the lack of immediate response to the millions of people in need. Those are the issues that Bush is taking responsibility for. Not the natural disaster itself, but the aftermath and the pre-existing problems that lead New Orleans to become flooded. Stuff that was preventable.

Well said. Preventative measures should have been taken well before Katrina struck.