Disasters

[Tonks]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "dumetella2000" 
<catbird25 at g...> wrote:
(snip) Where is the preparation?  Where is the foresight?  What 
> about the drained wetlands that could have absorbed the storm surge?  
> What about the levees that weren't raised and strengthened?  Where's 
> the planning?  Where's the funding?  Where is the equipment?  WHERE 
IS THE NATIONAL GUARD?    
> 
> We had days to get ready.  What happens if a dirty bomb goes off in 
> downtown Washington?


Tonks:
I just sent an e-mail to Bush and the congress. I agree with what you 
have said. Here is part of my letter:
-------
I am writing to express my concern about the recent event in New 
Orleans.  I fear that we have sent a message to our enemies that we can 
not prepare for a major emergency even when we know that it is coming, 
where and when. If I were an enemy of this country I would now be 
empowered and confident that I could do some serious damage and the 
U.S. would be totally unprepared and unable to deal with it 
effectively.  

Secondly I am also seriously concerned that we are using our National 
Guard to wage a war when that is the job of the regular Army.  We need 
to save our National Guard for the purpose for which they were created, 
which is to help us HERE in our own country.  If Bush doesn't have the 
ability to run a small war in Iraq and help the people of the U.S. at 
the same time
  (Snipping my own letter) 

Also fix the system that allowed this inexcusable situation to have 
occurred. What in God's name will we do when we are attacked by the 
enemy!! There is no excuse for this, and just firing the man at the top 
of the department will not be enough. The system needs to be fixed. It 
should be the finest and the best in the world. It now is a total 
disgrace to us all!!!
-------

I invite all of the list members who are in the U.S. to write to their 
representatives in Congress.  Thank you.

Tonks_op