It’s not reassuring, to say the least, that many cities and regions of the nation are still woefully unprepared for a major emergency or disaster, according to a new Department of Homeland Security analysis.
Ten months after Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans is still not ready for another catastrophic storm or disaster — only 4 percent of its plans met minimum federal standards.
But it’s more disturbing that New York City and Washington, D.C. — the two main targets on Sept. 11 — were also judged to have insufficient emergency plans.
Does that have anything to do with the fact that too large a share of national security funds is still being sent to places such as Fargo, N.D.?
Overall, despite the fact that America has spent $18 billion on homeland security since Sept. 11, the report concluded that shortcomings in emergency planning and response guidelines were cause for “significant national concern.”
Is it too much to hope that somebody is working on this?
Posted by Randy Scholfield
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23 Comments
The “necessity” for a Department of Homeland Security was born out of the “war on terror” and the use of the misguided importance of the word “terror” was designed to hide legitimate Arab grievances. Nothing more.
The larger question: Should we continue to use the misnomer “terror” to camouflage a hopelessly failed and flawed foreign policy or expose our tragic mistake?
To continue playing the “terror” game can only exacerbate a run-away and very expensive, self-defeating diversion from reality.
Problems in the Middle East have an intelligent solution. But they’re not to be found anywhere near our clumsy attempted adaptation to what has become little more than silliness.
Congress throws money at cockamamie politics while American households are breaking-down from the financial burden of what is little more than the result of a fancy version of gunboat diplomacy.
Our ship of State has a new Captain: meet Captain Ahab; who is of a mind that all his problems will go away, if he only had a better harpoon.
It has nothing to do with money. There is plenty, if not, too much money poured out for homeland security. It is government. They are not the most efficent way of handling their security needs. Lots of waste and patronage payouts. What do you really expect?
Wanna know the republican strategy for November?
http://www.mahablog.com/2006/06/18/their-strategy-for-victory/
KFG, here’s the Democratic theme courtesy of Ed Friedemann:
“America First”
Israel will come-out swinging with everything they’ve got, so if the Democrats won’t take them on { which is what the American People want but are afraid to say } then they might as well concede the 2006 election and congress to the Republicans right now.
Karl Rove has his “Cut and Run” hammer and the Democrats have had no rebuttal for that.
Ed Friedemann: Yeah, Karl, we Democrats want to “Cut” off your flow of money and “Run” America the way it needs to be Run.
…………………”America First”………….
Steal their thunder.
1. Pro guns….NRA
2. Choice…..Women
3. Minimum wage $10. { eliminates jobs for illegals }
4. Make peace with the Arabs
5. Israel/Palestinian ends at the “green line” with E Jerusalem as Palestinian Capitol. Trial for war-crimes.
6. Disband “Homeland Security” with stable Middle East.
7. Fix SS.
8. Fix Senior prescriptions.
9. Eliminate “pork.”
10. Have “W” come by and mow my yard.
11. Oh, forgot: Gasoline 1$ a gallon.
Ed,With his current track record, are you sure you want “W” mowing your yard?
Jed, The it looks right now, I’ll take anybody, even “W”
Yeah, that’s another immigrant thing, that guy Manual Labor I’ve been hearing so much about.
Or
………..”Let’s put America First”
How do we expect government to keep up with national security? They don’t have time to go after the terrorists. They’re too busy spying on us. What does it say about a government that’s so afraid of it’s own people?
The Homeland Security boondoggle can not be fixed anymore than America’s borders can be sealed.
The best strategy to protect America is to fix the threat, which we created and are continuing enlarge daily, by a poorly thought-out policy being acted-out by people in government with extremely bad judgment.
Those same people in government know that our policy is bad by the fact that they keep trying to cover it up.
In the regard, they have tried to hide the truth.
From hiding flag-draped coffins to killing foreign reporters, and coming close to bombing a respected Arab television station because it was delivering an accurate accounting of the so-called “war on terror,” of which there is no viable description.
Their definition of so-called “terror” carries such a loose interpretation as to apply to just about anything by simply prefacing it with “suspected.”
The White House shows its contempt for America’s constitution by referring to it, while holding a cabinet meeting, as “a G-d piece of paper.”
For the White Hose, violation of both domestic and international law, are nearly hourly occasions rather than just daily.
The shenanigans of the so-called Homeland Security may, in perspective, be the least of America’s worries.
XXX
There’s no such thing as a “terrorist.” That name was tagged to the Palestinians protecting the Villages, homes, farms, and families.
You can’t chase an illusion.
“W” used the excuse to attack Iraq and free the people. Now he calls those same people “terrorists” for trying to kick him out of their country.
So how did the People of Iraq suddenly become “terrorists?”
There is no such thing.
Here’s me in “The Local” in Sweden.
http://www.thelocal.se/discuss/viewtopic.php?t=2985
Homeland Security was never meant to protect us; it’s just another scam to funnel tax money to political cronies.
Speaking of terrorists, it can be a point of view. The old saying one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter.Got a great T-shirt in Taos the other day. Has a picture of four Indian warriors and the label: Homeland Security. Fighting Terrorism Sincd 1492.Thought it was pretty funny.
Since 1492
Dummy an Rummy may be getting out-foxed by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, as it looks as though Iran may be joining with the Russians and China and more in an anti-Terror organisation.
The US and Israel could be listed as “Terrorist States?”
I hope that doesn’t happen, as I’ll never stop laughing.
That no way to live.
If you start laughing, I don’t want to be held responsible.
http://en.rian.ru/world/20060615/49537755.html
Ed, of course there’s no such thing as “terrorists”. As everybody knows, they’re “Terraists”. That’s why our Great Leader keeps refering to the War on “Terra”.
You know, with that “Terra” thing, I thought he’d declared war on the planet Earth, or something. I’m sure glad he hasn’t decided to ruin the planet!
Oh, wait a minute…..
X– That is funny as hell- but don’t forget that if you “direspecfullnate himselfness”- you may get threats from the Dsrk Side.
International nursing agency offering permanent and temporary jobs for nurses in various countries like USA, UK, Australia, etc.