Department of Homeland Screw-Up

How is it possible that with the fourth anniversary of 9/11 almost upon us, the federal government doesn't have in hand the capability to prepare for and then manage a large urban disaster, natural or man-made? In terms of the challenge to government, there is little difference between a terrorist attack that wounds many people and renders a significant portion of a city uninhabitable, and the fallout this week from the failure of one of New Orleans' major levees. Indeed, a terrorist could have chosen a levee for his target. Or a dirty-bomb attack in New Orleans could have caused the same sort of forced evacuation we are seeing and the widespread sickness that is likely to follow.

From a Slate magazine article titled Department of Homeland Screw-Up - What is the Bush administration doing? By Tim Naftali

I saw Bush's speech today with Clinton and Bush's father at his side. From what I saw, W was more interested in the problems related to the oil supply than the urgency of helping people who are in dire need and a city that is in chaos. His performance on this disaster is nothing less than shameful.