The land of missed opportunity

I'm repeatedly told by those in positions of governmental leadership that we live in the greatest, most powerful country on the planet, which is why I share Brian Christianson's outrage at the snail's pace that aid and rescue efforts arrived in New Orleans. Where was Team America on this one? I don't usually agree with Christianson, but he's right on the money here.

From Free Will:

I wanted to see, no, expected to see, U.S. Army Rangers parachuting in; the sky clouded with cargo boxes of food, water, medicine, whatever, landing on every block of New Orleans.

I wanted to see, no, expected to see, U.S. Navy Seals and inflatable power boats throwing a wake; nearly capsizing from the weight of rescued children packed shoulder-to-chin.

I wanted to see, no, expected to see, U.S. Marines driving a convoy of 10,000 trucks from Camp Lejeune.

I wanted to see, no, expected to see, the U.S. Air Force, the U. S. Coast Guard, National Guard, Reservists, ROTC, even those currently in boot camp, deployed to New Orleans before the first nightfall.

Never, never, never, did I think I would ever see American refugees, dying in an American city, of starvation, dehydration, heat, lack of medical care.

The pictures I see on FOX, MSNBC, CNN are not images of Africa, Latin America, Haiti. This is America. And those are Americans, dying, in an American city.

Homeland Security? Rapid Response? I am disgusted by my government.

Additional comments circulating the blogosphere:

Keith Olbermann of MSNBC shares his own thoughts on the slow response

J-Walk blog highlights the Bush Administration's plan for recovery... of their reputation

The Republic of T appropriately rips Barbara Bush for her disparaging comments describing refugees in the Houston Astrodome.

From EditorandPublisher.com:

In a segment at the top of the show on the surge of
evacuees to the Texas city, Barbara Bush said: "Almost
everyone I’ve talked to says we're going to move to
Houston."

Then she added: "What I’m hearing which is sort of
scary is they all want to stay in Texas. Everyone is
so overwhelmed by the hospitality.

"And so many of the people in the arena here, you
know, were underprivileged anyway, so this--this (she
chuckles slightly) is working very well for them.