How New Orleans is Like Iraq by Steve Hammons

The connections between the disaster in the Gulf Coast and the disaster in Iraq seem to be growing. They are thought provoking and disturbing. In Iraq, civilian officials in the Pentagon went in with inadequate personnel, inadequate supplies and inadequate equipment. This occurred despite warnings from experienced four-star generals, other military experts, the State Department and others about the need for adequate resources to prevent disaster. As a result, mayhem and anarchy spread in Baghdad and large parts of the Iraq war zone. It has become very costly, in money and blood, to try to get the situation there under control. In the Gulf Coast hurricane zone, the federal authorities have gone in with inadequate personnel, inadequate supplies and inadequate equipment. This occurred despite warnings from experienced emergency and disaster experts about the need for adequate resources to prevent further disaster. As a result, mayhem and anarchy spread in New Orleans and large parts the Gulf Coast hurricane zone. It has become very costly, in money and blood, to try to get the situation there under control. Is it incompetence, arrogance or part of some strange and covert agenda that these events have unfolded this way Is there some value in creating this kind of disorder and disruption that we average citizens do not understand Is there some kind of reason that Baghdad and much of Iraq were allowed to spiral down into the mayhem, death and destruction we see now Is there some kind of reason that New Orleans and much of the Gulf Coast were allowed to spiral down into the mayhem, death and destruction we see now The other obvious connection is that thousands of National Guard troops who would be on hand to help their communities are halfway around the world, trying to secure Iraq. They are bravely trying to accomplish this difficult and dangerous mission after a highly questionable invasion based on reportedly slanted and fabricated intelligence and apparent deception of the American people, Congress and the international community. Of course, the hundreds National Guardsmen who have been killed or horribly injured in Iraq may not be able to help with disasters at home. What happens if “The Big One,” the inevitable major earthquake on California’s San Andreas Fault occurs What if Los Angeles and much of the California coastal area is hit with a massive earthquake disaster and there is no water, no food, lawlessness What happens if the earthquake fault off the Pacific Northwest coast slips, and the tsunami that is predicted there quickly hits Seattle and the coastal region What happens if more hurricanes hit the southeast United States September is a more active month than August for hurricanes, and reportedly up to 12 more could form in the near future, according to some experts. Preparedness for national emergencies has been a top priority for years and years, even before the 9-11 attacks. Scenarios are examined. Response drills are practiced. Needed resources are identified. Just like military planning, and often utilizing the expertise and resources of the military as well as local, state and federal officials. But then there was supposedly much discussion and planning for the invasion of Iraq. And it has not gone well. There was supposedly much discussion and planning for a disaster such as Hurricane Katrina. And it has not gone well (Steve Hammons is the author of two novels about a ten-person intelligence and military research team, MISSION INTO LIGHT and the sequel LIGHT’S HAND. See the IntelDesk.com “Recent links” section to visit the home page for the novels. More information on the books is available in the IntelDesk.com books section.)

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