-----Original Message-----
From: Natural hazards and disasters
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Ilan Kelman
Sent: Monday, 05 September 2005 00:32
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Day by day graphics, chrono of Katrina & New Orleans

>Offers of assistance CAME from Canada and a dozen or more other nations -
>voluntary OFFERS of assistance.

It is unusual, though not impossible, in diplomacy for offers to be made 
without having first contacted the recipient privately.  


[CT] Apparently, neither of us, probably Wisner included, then know for
sure.

>A number of those offers - Venezuela's included - have political overtones
>not even worthy of discussion.

That sounds like a political diatribe!  
[CT] No, at worse a veiled political statement.

Please provide some evidence, 
including the other examples implied, for this statement.  I am not making 
any claims regarding the motivations or possible sense of humour of Chavez 
and other leaders without significant popularity in DC.  I would request 
verifiable details of what actually happened and why the leaders made such 
offers.
[CT] Information which I would not have access to.  Given your background,
have a go and let us know.  My comments are far less threatening and foster
a better debate it seems than those of Wisner.

>Your last paragraph is outrageous on its face and does little to further 
>the
>discussion of natural hazards and disasters to which this list is 
>ostensibly
>dedicated.

The piles of literature on hazards and disasters from fields including but 
not limited to anthropology, geography, sociology, and philosophy strongly 
suggest that politics, inequity, social systems and conditions, poverty, 
ethnicity, and culture amongst other factors strongly influence what happens

before, during, and after natural hazard events and disasters.  While I 
appreciate that some might disagree with Ben Wisner's specific comments, it 
would be a disservice to our field to assume that the issues he raises are 
irrelevant to this discourse.

[CT] My statement did not discount relevance.  There is a polite manner in
which to propose debate, Wisner's statements hardly followed any reasonably
acceptable form.

Care to review some other possibilities?
The response failure - and a failure it was - has a multitude of reasons
including:
a) State and Local (city) autonomy. It is sacrosanct or near to it.
The National Guard cannot enter a jurisdiction before being called up and
authorized by the local state and municipality.  Don't forget that Louisiana
Law is not the same as what you may be used to - it is founded on Napoleonic
Law and that does change things.
b) Federal resources had started to deploy when the President signed
emergency declarations for all three states (Louisiana, Mississippi, and
Alabama).  Some people forget that this storm ravaged more than three states
and was moving south to north/northeast - the same route, but opposite
direction, relief was supposed to use to come in to the area.  Do not forget
the devastation extends far beyond New Orleans both east and north!
c) Local authority failed abysmally (I would like to see their plans
if they had comprehensive plans and how much they actually followed
them....) when communications was lost.  There was no Giuliani in New
Orleans that day.  The Mayor was impotent at best and demonstrated it quite
ably on the radio and TV.  Further, the New Orleans PD is well known as "NO
PD" and "the best that money can buy."  When over 20% (allegedly) of the
force bailed on Monday that was a crime in its own right.  Loss of
communications resulted in loss of leadership and command & control.
d) We live in a free society that endorses (and is proud of) the
ability of its citizens to exercise free will. Unfortunately, so many of its
citizens don't understand that with free will come some obligations.  Two
near-simultaneous disasters in New Orleans proceeded by voluntary and
mandatory evacuations with some (albeit little) assistance in
evacuating...hey, they knew where they lived. (If you think I'm personally
being callous, we lost several houses, but no lives, in this event).

Were there federal delays?  Probably but I expect hindsight will show
(politics aside) that they were due more to a lack of local reaction (city
and State) and communication than the willingness or ability of Federal
resources to deploy.