Would you like to see some links where some are proposing that Katrina was a scalar-war designed to cause massive damage, just so Cheney/Halliburton could get the clean-up contract, which they were give yesterday?.......Colin

You are correct as the other post states. But the failure was "MORE" at the state and local level to act than it was at the federal level. The Governor bears the ultimate responsiblility to take point in any kind of relief effort. She bears the bilk of the responsibility here. The gaurd works for her, noy Bush. Only if he had federalized the gaurd troops, could he have taken control, and no Governor will take kindly to that action. George could have, and should have, acted earlier, but he was trying to give the governor the chance to get it right. All the while people died.

Don't get me wrong here. The President should have stepped in 24-48 hrs. earlier. It was plain to see Governor Blanco was in over her head by Tuesday morning. But to do so would have required Bush to step on a lot of toes, that simply refused to be stepped on .

This doesn't make a bit of difference to the poor shmoe waiting for help to come. But legally and politically certain things must happen before the president can act.

The case of LA, even at the late hour he acted, Bush ursurped some of Gov. Blanco's authority. I'm sure there will be some fall out over that.

Anyone who thinks the government didn’t take too much time or dragged their feet getting help and assistance to the gulf coast for this storm would be a short lived person if they had balls to voice that opinion in one of the area's that is still being evacuated.
Did the locals fall down on the job? Maybe so, but the feds knew this was going to be a major disaster before it even hit. There could have been trucks and supplies waiting upstate for the first break in weather.

Hind sight is always a great thing and what I can see pretty clearly is that there are people who are not capable of handling this kind of situation. Does it matter if they are elected or hired? Political or private sector? The people heading up organizations and groups cant be allowed to sit around in wonderment.

To think, FEMA did a study in NO itself, just last year as a practice run from the threats of the big hurricane last fall. Among other things it was found that the levees would most likely fail with a category 3 and greater hurricane and the city would flood.

The idea of people looting grocery stores for food and supplies although not legal should be acceptable under the emergency situation for survival.
The looters taking things not needed for survival, raping and pillaging the communities, shooters and gangs running like dogs should all be corralled up like the animals they are and sent to Guantanamo.
For that matter, the gas stations that all raised the price of gas this past week for product still in their holding tanks should be spanked equally. Nothing like a little supply and demand frenzy to rile up a good gouging.