A Clue to the Lack of Good Intel in NOLA

[Keith Lane]

(N/A) A Clue to the Lack of Good Intel in NOLA

Yesterday, on the way home from work, I listened to this piece on NPR's "All Things Considered".

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4828771

I encourage you to listen to the interview with Secretary Chertoff. It concerns the situation at the N.O. Convention Center, not the Superdome. The secretary, despite numerous national news reports was unaware of the people at the superdome, and their plight. I was stunned th hear his lack of knowledge as to the real situation on the ground. I post this not a any criticism of the government, rather as an indication of how lack of information is literally killing people.
As a followup, the Department of Homeland Security called back (to NPR) to say they had confirmed the story and were acting.

 

[Greebo]

One official has said that pockets of people are coming out of the woodwork right now, as they exit their homes looking for help, congregating in different areas.

They have NO idea how many people are still stranded in NO.

This is just going to get worse and worse before it gets better.

 

[mikea]

On last night's Nightline Ted Koppel interviewed the head of FEMA. "We had no official data on the situation at the Superdome."

Koppel: "How can that be? Don't you folks ever look at a TELEVISION?"

"I said, official data ..."

Only a bureaucrat can think like that.

Listen to the show here:
http://a.abcnews.com/podcast/050901ntl.mp3

It reminded me of the British general in "Ghandi" when they gunned down a stadium full of protesting peasants, "We would have supplied aid if any had applied."

 

[Michael]

He doesnt have the time to sit around and watch CNN all day either, He is a busy man i would assume. The blame should fall on his advisors if any.

 

[mikea]

One official has said that pockets of people are coming out of the woodwork right now, as they exit their homes looking for help, congregating in different areas.

They have NO idea how many people are still stranded in NO.

This is just going to get worse and worse before it gets better.

Some in the crowds at the Convention Center were people who weren't there who rushed in when they saw it was an evacuation point, but many being interviewed were dropped off there and told they would be evacuated only to wait for days.

 

[Greebo]

I know Mike - I'm not talking about the CC per se - just the overall state of lack of intelligence and how the woodwork types are simply confounding the efforts to simply get a handle on the situation.

 

[mikea]

Re: (N/A) A Clue to the Lack of Good Intel in NOLA

Yesterday, on the way home from work, I listened to this piece on NPR's "All Things Considered".

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4828771

I encourage you to listen to the interview with Secretary Chertoff. It concerns the situation at the N.O. Convention Center, not the Superdome. The secretary, despite numerous national news reports was unaware of the people at the superdome, and their plight. I was stunned th hear his lack of knowledge as to the real situation on the ground. I post this not a any criticism of the government, rather as an indication of how lack of information is literally killing people.
As a followup, the Department of Homeland Security called back (to NPR) to say they had confirmed the story and were acting.

The reporter kept asking about the Convention Center. He kept talking about the Superdome. He really, really, really had no idea. I think he had no idea there was a different location. I thought Chertoff was fairly competent during his confirmation hearings.

As I said yesterday the head of FEMA got in front of the reporters and said, "What problem at the Superdome?"

With GW saying the response has been unacceptable, heads are gonna roll. In the meantime he's off to visit for photo ops so his TFR can get in the way. He'll probably bring a case of water to hand out.

Saddam had no problem with using CNN as an intelligence source. Maybe they should think about it.