This evening the local news ran a story about a family arriving back to Madison after living the last 10 years in New Orleans. The mother didn’t miss the opportunity to blame the Federal Government for her problems. I suppose she will fit right into the majority Madison mindset, but really, what an ungrateful bitch for everything being done to salvage and restart their lives after her family’s decision to live below sea level in a hurricane zone. I have no sympathy for any survivors who are not grateful for the nations help after the storm struck.
Remember how bad this was: Katrina: A Photographic Timeline: (Warning: very big file – lots of photographs)
The near total evacuation of the major American port city of New Orleans, Louisiana was accomplished between Tuesday afternoon, August 30 and Friday afternoon, September 2, 2005. This evacuation occurred while other search, rescue, relief and evacuation operations were simultaneously being conducted throughout the Gulf Coast between approximately Lafayette, Louisiana, on the west and the Florida panhandle on the east -– an area of about 90,000 sq. miles, or the size of the entire nation of Great Britain.The skills being used to rescue people have been developed in large part by the United States Armed Forces in their continuing goal of using force only against evil individuals while protecting themselves and the lives of innocent civilians.
I'd say this amazing achievement is the opposite of slow. I'd say that it's a stunning accomplishment and one that demonstrates superb organization, remarkable logistics flow, and the greatness of the American spirit.
Dr. Sanity: Even in peacetime. The media's breathless tabulation of casualties in Iraq--now, over 1,800 deaths--is generally devoid of context. Here's some context: between 1983 and 1996, 18,006 American military personnel died accidentally in the service of their country. That death rate of 1,286 per year exceeds the rate of combat deaths in Iraq by a ratio of nearly two to one.American military power is approaching the point where deadly force can be used with speed, precision and distance. This is the reality of the modern world and is why I want the power controlled by leaders who value principles like individual liberty, rather than group goals to be achieved by majority imposition.
Balad of the Hellfire: The act of attacking U.S. forces becomes increasingly difficult as the U.S. military leverages its technical abilities. … Within one minute, the firing location of the mortar tube is determined. Somewhere between two to four minutes, a Predator is on site, and begins shooting video. Within ten minutes the terrorist safe house is identified and attacked. All of this was done without a soldier having to get out of his seat or the need for legal approval.I suppose the right to blame and complain is the price we tolerate for our freedom, but I do wish the whiners would be cut out in the editing rather than featured as the hook.
It is quite possible the delay in detection of the insurgents to the firing the Hellfire missile was intentional. The operator of the Predator was no doubt interested in where the mortar team fled to, and hoped to maximize enemy casualties. Had the operator decided to attack upon immediate detection, the turnaround time from the firing of the mortar to the launch of the Hellfire would have been four minutes, plus or minus seconds.
