Remember when the President said he didn’t think “anybody anticipated the breach of the levees”? Never mind.
“In dramatic and sometimes agonizing terms, federal disaster officials warned President Bush and his homeland security chief before Hurricane Katrina struck that the storm could breach levees, put lives at risk in New Orleans’ Superdome and overwhelm rescuers, according to confidential video footage” obtained by the AP.
Bush didn’t ask a single question during the final briefing before Katrina struck on Aug. 29, but he assured soon-to-be-battered state officials: “We are fully prepared.“
The footage — along with seven days of transcripts of briefings obtained by The Associated Press — show in excruciating detail that while federal officials anticipated the tragedy that unfolded in New Orleans and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast, they were fatally slow to realize they had not mustered enough resources to deal with the unprecedented disaster.
Watch the tape, if you can. It’s absolutely gut-wrenching.
UPDATE 10:45 PM: Some of you are already asking, “What does Katrina have to do with defense?” It’s pretty self-evident to me. But click here for an explanation.
UPDATE 03/04/06 5:09 PM: The AP issued this clarification to the story yesterday:
In a Wednesday story, The Associated Press reported that federal disaster officials warned President Bush and his Homeland Security chief before Hurricane Katrina struck that the storm could breach levees in New Orleans, citing confidential video footage of an Aug. 28 briefing.
The Army Corps of Engineers considers a breach a hole developing in a levee rather than an overrun. The story should have made clear that Bush was warned about floodwaters overrunning the levees, rather than the levees breaking.
The day before Katrina, Bush was told there were grave concerns the levees could be overrun.
It wasnt until the next morning, as the storm made landfall, that Michael Brown, then head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said Bush had asked about reports of breaches. Bush did not participate in that briefing.
To me, the “top” versus “breach” argument is largely semantic; what matters here is that the folks at the top were told in advance how bad Katrina was looking. But, check out the comments, and you’ll read a lot of people telling you otherwise.
You’re doing a heckofa job Dubya!
Hopefully this tape will convince the remaining 34% what the rest of us already know.
Tired of the endless administration bashing on this site, all of which is politically motivated. “Katrina” is not defense related, fyi.
As much contempt as I have for our current administration, I do find myself repeating frequently that it isn’t the federal government’s responsibility to prepare for predictable disasters on that scale. It’s the city and state that are responsible. FEMA is there to provide support if needed, but the city should have a plan in place so that FEMA can just step into whatever role they have been asked to fill. Did FEMA do a good job? No. Did W screw up? Of course, he usually does. But they were not responsible for the fact that New Orleans was simply and completely unprepared. They just didn’t pick up the ball when it was fumbled.
“Sorry Sarge you’ve been fooled … “
Oh, who lied to me, the “liberal” media?
“Did he order them to sit on their asses at the Dome?!?“
No, the national guard did … and would you care to enlighten us as to who was “sitting on their asses at the dome”? Would dat be dem lazy & shiftless sorts?
People without transportation were told to leave, and the could not.
The old an infirm?
After the hurricane, they tired to walk out, and they were prevented from doing so.
People DIED.
All George W. Bush had to do was pick up a phone and start helping people out. All he had to do was pay attention and, I dunno, LEAD!
He couldn’t even manage to realize there was a disaster until DAYS after the hurricane had hit.
He screwed up (again), and people died.
Your pandering, obfuscation and appeasement of those who made this disaster into a complete and unmitigated disaster only shows you to be dangerously febrile.
Now go and look for some weapons of mass destruction or ties to Al-Queda. The grown ups have a lot of work to do, cleaning up your mess (again).
Good Evening Folks,
You don’t screw around when Max Mayfield says this is going to be a bad one. Max is the most trusted man in America.
Max gave everybody a weeks notice about how dangerious Kartina could be, but Dubya was so enthralled and turned on by Cindy Sheehan he couldn’t focus on anything else.
Remember his drive by?
ALLONS,
Byron Skinner
How is any of this related to military technology?
Lame.
um katrina is defense related as it shows the lack of preparedness on local, state and federal levels. we knew the hurricane was coming and everyone failed to do their job, bush, nagin, everybody. obviously nobody could have prevented katrina, but we could have probably done a lot more to prevent deaths, injuries, and the suffering in the aftermath.
Can anyone tell me the difference between “breached” and “topped”? Bush said breached and the weather guy said topped. Do they mean the same? Also, I recall experts say that 20–60 thousand people would die if the city was flooded. But an unfortunate 1100 died. Maybe FEMA didnt do it job (are they first responders?), but some one did a good job if the experts can be believed.
What planet do you people live on? Of course it’s the federal government’s responsibility to provide assistance after a major natural disaster. Local and state governments don’t have anywhere near the resources to deal with events like Katrina on their own. What the %%#$! do you think FEMA stands for?
Anyway, the point here isn’t who dropped the ball, or at what level, the point is that once again Bushlet stood in front of the American people, looked them in the eye and lied his a** off.
Of course, videotape or not, he’s going to get away with it. Just like he did with 9/11. And Iraq. And and and…
…I give up.
Yeah “mako”, yeah “brad”, those of us who live in target #1, AKA the nation’s capital, find it extremely reassuring that the New Orleans fiasco is completely unlike a terror attack.
Idiots.
Take your meds sglover, I don’t want you blowing a blood vessel and checking out before you can send your $5 campaign contribution in to old Hillary for 08.
Lighten up Francis. And no, this has nothing to do with Homeland Security. At all.
I come here for defense issues, not this tripe. Correction, I once came here…
What should Bush have done?
http://biglizards.net/blog/archives/2006/03/into_the_breach.html
goodness sakes the president LIED. this is relevant because it tests how prepared we would be for a terrorist attack. Looks to me like we were a good deal more prepared than many many people (Incluidng me) previously thought. But they just went on turning away all offered help and so many people died. oh and by the way there are something like 5000–6000 people missing but the administration is still counting them as missing rather than dead.
Nothing, not even videotapes of the fraternity boy muffing it, can penetrate the muscular doublethink of Bush shills. Impressive.
This is old. Fact: It was the mayors responsibility to get the people out. Fact: If you live in a hole you better own a boat. Fact: You can’t make people save themselves, they were told to leave! The President called the Gov. and the Mayor and told them 2 days before to get the people out. Sure Fema was overwhelmed, the damage was over 600 miles, but you don’t see the other 3 states whining. Why was L.A. the highest state on welfare? Where did all the money go we have been spending there for years. Before slamming Fema, where did the money go for the levee maintenance? Also better look at what Fema uses as resources. The primary villians in this is local N.O. and The governor.
While I agree with many of the criticisms out there, it may seem like a little thing to you, but there is in fact a large difference between “topping” a levee and “breaching” a levee. Topping a levee indicates spill over. Breaching a levee indicates a failure and therefore a much larger volume of water penetrating the area. You seem to use the words interchangeably, and they are not the same.
**This is old. Fact: It was the mayors responsibility to get the people out.**
Actually, when it comes to disasters of this scale, the federal government is responsible for ensuring state government has a plan, and is trained. You might want to check out Presidential Directive HSPD-5, signed by Bush in 2003, which says “The Federal Government will assist State and local authorities when their resources are overwhelmed, or when Federal interests are involved. The Secretary will coordinate with State and local governments to ensure adequate planning, equipment, training, and exercise activities. The Secretary will also provide assistance to State and local governments to develop all-hazards plans and capabilities, including those of greatest importance to the security of the United States, and will ensure that State, local, and Federal plans are compatible.“
Given New Orleans importance as a port, among other things, it’s fair to say that Federal interests were involved.
**Fact: If you live in a hole you better own a boat.**
The lack of federal preparedness affected other things than citizens. Chemical plants and biolabs spring to mind.
**Fact: You can’t make people save themselves, they were told to leave!**
People who are elderly, poor, sick, or in wheelchairs have no way to leave. And the roads out of New Orleans were so congested as to be almost impassible. But I guess I don’t quite understand the “Culture of Life.“
**Sure Fema was overwhelmed**
Five years after September 11, FEMA was overwhelmed by a disaster that THEY SAW COMING. If you’re OK with that, fine.
**Why was L.A. the highest state on welfare? Where did all the money go we have been spending there for years.**
Welfare and levee strengthening are two different issues, and the funding comes from different places. You’re so busy blaming the victims that you can’t be bothered to understand that New Orleans was an American city, and that what happens to it affects the economy, the availability of goods, and so forth.
**Before slamming Fema, where did the money go for the levee maintenance?**
Bush slashed it in 2003 to pay for the war in Iraq and his tax cuts, before the work was finished.
Frankly, people like you make me sick. Spitshining Bush’s tarnished image is more important to you than protecting American states. How this gets to be called “patriotism” is beyond me.
Guys– there is a complete different between “breaching” and “topping”.
As for the preparation in N.O.-lets remember that the Clinton weas slashing budgets in this area too and that there were no significant cuts after 2000.
Sarge…sigh.…
The poll you sight.…34%.…that’ll happen when you don’t poll many Republicans-which they didn’t-that came out a few days ago, but apparently you weren’t there.
If you really want to re-hash WMDs and Al Quaeda, well we know EVERYONE thought he had WMDs and he did have thousands of pounds of weapons grade materials and the investigations after the war indicated that Saddam planned to re-start the program big time as soon as scrutiny was off of him.
As for Al Quaeda, well we know Saddam supported terrorism, that people within Al Quaeda has at one time or another showed up in Iraq-but we know that Al Quaeda was religious fundamentalist and Saddam secular. The two of those working together would be like the Nazis and the Imperial Japanes working together or like Roosevelt and Stalin working together.…… You see my point.
“All George W. Bush had to do was pick up a phone and start helping people out. All he had to do was pay attention and, I dunno, LEAD!“
He did pick up the phone and the governor there told him things were okay!
That’s why Mississippi had fewer of these problems!
“Your pandering, obfuscation and appeasement of those who made this disaster into a complete and unmitigated disaster only shows you to be dangerously febrile.“
Only it wasn’t an unmitigated disaster in Mississippi. That’s where the State and local governments were competant.
My temperature is fine thanks Sarge, you’re foolish, I wonder what service you were actually from. Don’t worry about messes, I continue to wonder what messes you’re cleaning up again with your crayons.
People around here really make me sick. Louisiana had a total and complete failure of services after the being warned days before.
Several other states had no problems of this nature and got hit just as hard! Somehow it’s Bush’s fault! Pointing this out isn’t patriotism, it’s logic.
“The AP video does not include footage of Chertoff asking Brown whether he needs any other help or of Chertoff asking whether Brown wants him to approach the Department of Defense. Transcripts show that to both questions, Brown indicated that no additional assistance was needed.
In the transcript of a briefing the following day, Aug. 29, Brown is quoted as saying that Bush “is very engaged, and he’s asking a lot of really good questions I would expect him to ask.“
Uh.…. maybe we should have seen the whole video.…maybe Defense Tech should’ve done it’s homework and pointed out that the transcripts show a different story than the highly edited video.
Uh-maybe we should remember that Bush called Nagin and suggested a mass evacuation days before the hurricane.…
Guy-this above quote was on Instapundit-I’m glad Reynolds is into telling the whole story, becuase he’s a bit more professional than Defense Tech.
Good Morning Folks,
I enjoy reading all the responses from the Bush apologists out there, I can only come to the conclusion that Katrina is still a very sore rub.
The defensive comments that are presented in the poastings here are that Katrina and weather are not military events and thus should be of no interest to the folks who read this site, wrong.
Since it was Marines from Camp Lejeune, Navy ships for Norfork and a Battalion from the 82ed. ABN Div. that finally squared things away in New Orleans, Katrina is very much a Military event.
Responding to domestic emergencies be it Natural Desasters or Civil Disobediences is one of the missions of the U.S. Military. The recent activation of the Northern Command under this administartion show this White House understands that relationship.
Weather of course is of prime Military consideration, that should go unquestioned.
During Katrina President Bush was holed up in Crawford Texas fixated with Cindy Sheehan who seemed to have done her role in deverting his attention. The made event in San Diego during Katrina is just another example of the lack of focus of this administration.
This week President Bush will finally get to say he was in Vietnam. I can’t wait to General Pace, the new Rumslefd lap general since General Meyers retired, greeting President Bush ay Andrews AFB with the rack of Vietnam Service Medals and maybe even a Bronze Star, for flying over Vietnam airspace, I guess he could get an Air Medal also.
ALLONS,
Byron Skinner
No, Katrina has nothing to do with defense. Just another way for someone who hates Bush to foam at the mouth. After all the damage done to our defense by Clinton and liberal Democrats, we now have a website the pretends to support our defense etablishment, yet it is just a front for MoveOn.org.
If Katrina had nothing to do with defense, then why were there so many troops there? Search and rescue, disaster response, domestic breakdowns of law and order, these are all defense issues since the military and especially the National Guard are going to be called out for them.
If you read the tabs on the left side of the screen you’ll see a catalog of everything the site covers. It is Mr Shactman’s site, after all, and it’s about whatever the hell he says it’s about.
Katrina was a spectacular test of FEMA, the Homeland Security apparatus, and the DoD. What it revealed was considerable disarray at all levels. Up until now the Administration and its apologists have maintained that the scope of the disaster was unexpected and, in the hours immediately after the breaching of the levees, largely unknown outside of New Orleans. These excuses have steadily eroded: there were plenty of warnings about what was likely to happen in the event of a major hurricane, some going back years, and it is now known that FEMA was immediately aware of the crisis but was unable to respond effectively.
In short, Katrina revealed that the US Government, and especially the military, is stretched painfully thin, with few reserves available. Blaming it all on the locals is foolish. Local law enforcement and the local governments were the victims of the same hurricane that destroyed the levees. The police stations and city offices had to be evacuated along with everything else. They simply weren’t in any condition to make intelligent decisions about what was going on. You’re acting like an emergency room doctor who petulantly wants to know why a gunshot victim didn’t stop his own bleeding.
What is the logic of FEMA after all, if it is not to step in and support local governments that are collapsing under the strain of unprecedented disaster? And the loss of New Orleans was unprecedented, the worst event in the sad history of the Gulf cities. Sniping at the locals for not sending their forms in correctly is moral cowardice, but we’ve seen so much of that from this Administration that it hardly registers anymore.
Katrina was a test of our ability to respond to a major disaster/attack. Imagine if there was just a minor category one or two hurricane to swell the rivers and terrorists set off bombs breaching the levies. The result would have been much the same.
You’ve confused breaches of the levees with overtopping of the levees. Bush said it wasn’t anticipated that the levees would be breached; the famous video that everyone is watching doesn’t contradict that statement-It talks only about the possibility of levee overtopping.
Riiiight. And of course to Bush, whose background in engineering and hydrology is well-known, this is a crucial distinction, not mere semantic masturbation. Gotcha.
This is sad because of people like Sglover and James, that you guys would be pathetic enough to comment about other people’s noggings and not even admit that Louisiana leadership screwed up and for the most part people liked Bush SAVED THEIR ASSES!
If you calm down, you might find grammar easier. Here’s a mental exercise that might help you collect yourself: Ponder what Bush’s Homeland Security Department spent four years doing. It obviously wasn’t disaster planning.
Aw hell, this site doesn’t read HTML tags. Please put quote marks around the first paragraph of my 6:47 post, which is a reply to max’s splutter.
Regardless of administration or how well you like that administration, lets simplify the facts. Somebody that knows stuff told the pres.
“It’s big, its bad, it has a big storm surge as well as a lot of moisture inside the hurricane itself.” If the pres. says anything like, ” well then, maybe we better do this, or do that”, shouldn’t everybody down the line do something?
Instead, those that had the power on different levels down the line, sat there and watched it on CNN go from bad to worse and then after the hurricaine watched the levee’s breech,
and then suddenly there’s way too many people in the superdome and then watched as they sat there waiting for the rescue which took the better part of a work week to happen. Duh people!!!
I blame everyone that had anything to do with the decision making process all together!
Get off your duffs and do your darn jobs!
You certainly get paid enough to serve in your positions! Certainly any decision would be better than none!!! Are you qualified to do your jobs? Do you need somebody to tell you when to really, really go to work? You should all know when to go above and beyond the call of duty! It isn’t just for the military! Those people that pay your salaries, whether you do a good job or not, may really need you help one day!!!
Your lack of correction regarding your accusations about Bush knowing about “breeching” possibilities as opposed to what he was actually briefed on which was possible “topping” shows your partisanship.
I don’t mind thoughtful and honest discussions, but please belly up to the table when you’ve misspoken.
Cheers!
Dan
Give it up guys. Noah is one Kos short of joining the Michael Moore tinfoil hat brigade. Anyone so drenched in partisanship that he’s still taking swipes at the “Mission Accomplished” speech after Baghdad fell, will never admit that everything under the sun, including this unpredictable thing called “the weather”, is not the fault of George Bush or some Halliburton inspired oil conspiracy.
Dan:
I wouldn’t read into things too much. My “lack of correction” shows that I was busy on other projects — deadlines for Fast Company, the NYT, and Pop Sci. It doesn’t have a thing to do with “partisanship.” The AP’s clarification is up now.
I do my best to update stories as new information comes around, and admit mistakes as I make ‘em. Here are two quick examples:
* http://www.defensetech.org/archives/001525.html
* http://www.defensetech.org/archives/001604.html
There are many — and will be many — more, I’m sure. In the future, the quickest way to be a correction or clarification is to e-mail me, defense-AT-defensetech-DOT-org.
nms
ps What’s with the spaceship?
actually there is more similarities between a topping and a breach than you are letting on… to be fair.
it is totally conceivable that a major topping would flood the pumping stations as the breach did. making the pumps inoperable. turning a temporary flooding into a more permenant affair. the government would still be needed to respond and help with getting things going. of course as we well remember the MEXCIAN federal government did almost as good of a job getting military “assets” into New Orleans as the US military.
so i am not sure if this is as big an oversight as you make it out to be.
1. This need not be a Left-Right cage-debate. Bush seems to be backing Hillary, and Willy golfs with Poppy.
2. Problem-Reaction-Solution. Create a crisis (or turn a problem into a bigger crisis). Let the crisis moulder and grow until people scream.
3. Offer a solution: More funding, more power.
Not only was FEMA actively blocking doctors, water, and other aid, private military contractors like Blackwater thugs (www.stangoff.com ret Special Forces) with exclusive contracts acted as private mercs shooting civilians.
Instead of massive federal help — including people to drive the busses — NOLA got to experience a military police state drill — turning one American city into Fallujah.
The same thing was done in Seattle, as Clinton was preparing to turn the US over to Global Govt via NAFTA — hired “black bloc” thugs who were given free housing and free reign to loot, caused the suspension of normal First Amendment activities by normal citizens, and detention of said mainstream middle class civilians into Sandpoint Naval Brig. A training exercise for the public.
This was why REAL Conservatives hated Clinton — a dictatorship in the making. But when Bush does the same type of thing, it’s glorious.
I’ve heard and seen that Bush also uses Secret Service and local police to arrest middle aged, middle class dissidents. With this kind of “freedom” who needs to worry about communism?