CHARLES BROOKS INTL LET US TALK ABOUT IT

9/11: Hurricane Katrina
Raises A Question

Hurricane Katrina and the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks should never be forgotten, nor should the victims of both these tragedies. People should not compare Hurricane Katrina with 9/11 but they do. Some say that Hurricane Katrina was the Department of Homeland Security's first test since the Sept. 11 attacks to prove themselves.

Which raises an interesting point. Katrina was known to be headed into New Orleans a few days in advance, and the potential damage was known and understood years ahead of time. Yet this "unexpected" event threw the US Government into total confusion.

In contrast, the aftermath of 9-11 seemed quite well coordinated, which strongly suggests that 9-11 was not "unexpected" at all, especially when one considers that all the various players, including FEMA, were already in position for a "terror drill" the day before it happened. Hurricane Katrina's devastation of New Orleans -- and the delay helping stranded people get out or even get water and food -- is raising questions that U.S. cities may be ill-prepared to cope with a potentially worse disaster: a major attack. ... As Americans reeled at images of death and desperation among the city's refugees, experts on domestic security said a nuclear or biological attack on a big U.S. city could cause greater mayhem, and unlike the storm, come without warning. [AlertNet]