Why did our government Contract "Blackwater" (mercenaries) to patrol the streets of New Orleans(katrina)?
602009
So many of the Police Officers had vacated thier duties and the National Guard needed time to mobilize what was left of the forces here in the Nation. Blackwater, along with Dynacorp are Security Operatives who contract U.S. Government as part of thier high price bids. Blackwater is equivolent to an army of SWAT officers. Very usefull in a Disaster area.\n\nJohn\nCriminal Justice Student
344659
Stay away from Iraq.  The contractors are screwing with the labor force there - inticing them with big money offers and then reducing wages and in some cases not paying at all.  And that's besides kidnapping and beheading.\n\nNew Orleans is probably not as dangerous, but some news sources say that many trades people are there with no steady work. Also Homeland Security says they don't have to pay prevailing wage rates.\n\nContact unions and find out what's needed, they may know. Peruse online and NO newspaper classified listings - the Times Picayune is the local paper.   Good luck!
43433
As someone who deployed with the National Guard to Louisiana to help clean up, I can say without hesistation that Mayor Nagin and Governor Blanco are two of the most inept, incompetent public servants I have ever had the displeasure of working with. Some claim that they were just caught in a bad situation - Good leaders rise above the situation NO MATTER WHAT IT IS. Just like Mayor Guiliani.\n\nNo, Mayor Nagin is incompetent and should not be mayor. But just like the idiots who just re-elected Mayor Kilpatrick in Detroit, New Orleans will get exactly what it deserves if it does not find new leadership.
547745
Because New Orleans was being run by a dumb *ss who sat back and waited for the Feds to come handle everything for him. And his contingency followed his idiotic example. \n\nHere in FL, we didn't have those problems, despite being hit by four hurricanes in a row. We got off our butts and prepared. Lesson learned? \n\nNo, they still think it's W's fault.
424319
This is only one of A THOUSAND different stupid ways the government spends your money.\n1) Don't give the gov't anymore money.\n2) If you care about the homeless, you have to take direct action, you can't trust in the gov't to help on any problem. Ask the people of New Orleans.\n3) If you care about any other issue, you have to run for office yourself. The only way we'll have people we can trust in gov't- is if we start taking those offices ourselves.
847646
They did it in new orleans last year after katrina..the national guard went door to door(poor and rich) confescating guns from people.  If you didnt give up your weapons you had some real problems on your hands.  The media didnt even cover this.  So dont think it cant happen.  Let something pop off and they declare martial law..what are you going to do when 200+ national guardsmen with m-16's are standing at your door telling you to hand over your weapons.  Are you going to die for what you believe is your right?  I dont think i would.  I dont know too many americans that would either.  Things are going on around us that we seem to be blind to..uh, guess what, its coming and there aint nothing you can do about it.
798544
it's all about federal money.  the feds are giving your city money for taking in victims of hurricane Katrina.\n\nAlthough your city does get money from the federal government for the homeless, it isn't anywhere near the amount of funds for the Katrina victims.
330372
Yes. The government also has a weather machine that produced Hurricane Katrina. Oh yes, and the Tsunami also. You see, we are in contact with aliens who told us to do it. Gee, I sound as stupid as you.
76631
no, New Orleans was a hazard waiting to happen and nothing substantial should have ever been developed there, the people who lived there were in danger the whole time they've been there, it was just simply overlooked
257753
as compared to our "normal" police force?\n\ncompare:  both are enlisted to control mobs and maintain order.\ncontrast:  a hired mercenary knows his trade.  Our "badge and gun" officers don't care.  Unfortunately, we have too many "badge and guns" walking their beat.
1092391
Well, they were like that way before the hurricane.  They were just trying to take advantage of the govt, when in fact we-the working taxpayers, are being taken advantage for because we pay for all this crap.  Why do you think the giant didn't wanted to help them right ways-so it clears the area a little bit from such people.
634220
The Posse Comitatus Act of 1878 prohibits federal military units from interfering with local law enforcement, except in time of war, insurrection or national emergency.  By using unarmed national guard units in supportive roles Bush is hoping slide this one past the lawyers. He apparently has given up his argument that anything goes because we are in a state of war.
155962
Purposely? No.\n\nBut was the attempt to help people in and out of the city done competently? No.\n\nI don't think it was rasict or malicious...just incompetence, from poorly selected managers and a Homeland Defence Department that is mainly focused on terrorists.\n\nThey should have left FEMA out of the DHS and put a disaster specialist in charge instead of a political crony.
623889
The money's in the pockets of the people who are supposedly "keeping us safe". They do nothing, but the government spends a ton of money, giving it to their friends companies who are supposedly protecting us, but instead they're buying bigger yachts and houses with our money. Welcome to reality.
339733
Gees...another "blame it on Bush" answer.  Fact is the death toll on Katrina lies squarely on the shoulder of the state gov't of Louisiana and the city of New Orleans and it's residents.  It was their responsibility, not the federal government's, to ensure they were prepared for a natural disaster.  Those who could have left should have when they had the chance and let's not mention all the misappropriated funds by one of the most corrupt state and local governments in the history of the U.S.
461287
They were WARNED that they MUST evacuate.  Busses were running full time to get people out, yet so many refused to leave.  Some were on the news dancing in the streets of the French Quarter as the storm approached.  After the storm, they all ran for the Superdome, and there were not enough supplies for the additional people, so that screwed the people who originally went to be sheltered there.  Something else angers me: The National Guard gets blamed for not responding, but the storm was over Tuesday, and TV cameras broadcast National Guard at the airport on Thursday.  This pretty enlisted female told the reporter that they arrived Wednesday, and were setting up relief.\n\nThen cops are out there looting Wal Mart (caught on video).  It would have been one thing if they were getting food, but, well you know the rest of the story.  \n\nPeople cry for the idiots in New Orleans (no, the ones who evacuated are NOT idiots), while Rita pretty much levelled some towns in Southwest Louisiana.  Places where there were towns were now just a bunch of cement foundations.  One person found their house a few miles away.  Nobody even talks about these people--Mississippi gets more attention.
120343
Yes !!! I live in New ORleans (one of the ports). My family has been hear long before the LOuisiana Purchase. We are Americans rather that French today only because the America of 1803 had enough sense to realize the port of New ORleans was critical to the survival of the United States. During the War of 1812 we fought the Battle of New Orleans to stop the British from taking the port. During the Civil War the the first move of the Union Andaconda Plan was to seize the port of New Orleans and during WWII the first place combat occured between the U.S. and Germany was with German submarines trying to close off the port of New Orleans. Now, in 2006, we sell our ports to a country which helped produce the 9/11 highjackers? What is going on in Washington these days?