In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, the US adinistration appeared more concerned about protecting small consumer goods from looters, than delivering aid quickly. ?

On average, everyone agrees with nonconsensus between 232 voters.

Reasons To Disagree

Looting is enevitable in such a situation. Its a matter of survival and if the aid for hospital services and food arrived sooner the looting would not have been as bad. I dont believe the lack of aid was as a consequence of looting alone it was more likely because the people in local control were not up to the job - lieing on the CV about previous experience Mr Brown?? A very sad situation and a human rights failure.

New Orleans was my home city for more than 50 years and until I came to New Zealand six years ago. I know my city, I know it's people, and now I know CNN for the inaccurate, rabble rousing, slanted, disgrace to journalism organization that it is. In my opinion, those involved in the early days of the rescue effort did a magnificent job. Consider these points: There was essentially no communication; even cell phones didn't work. There was no electricity; without it you can't pump petrol - even if vehicles could travel in water up to 20 feet deep on streets that couldn't be seen; boats with underwater propellers were quickly abandoned when they hit submerged automobiles and power lines. Helicopters were in great danger from power lines, but, nevertheless, they rescued 49,000 people in the first four days. (I believe those figures are correct.) These were U.S. Coastguard helicopters from a base in New Orleans; they knew landmarks and could work efficiently. Now ask these questions: How do you get buses in and out of the city for rescue through up to 20 feet of water? How do you bring in food and water and distribute it when you can't get through the floodwaters and don't even know where people are? Even if you could get people out, where would you take them? It takes time to arrange accommodation. As for the looting, that happens every time it rains in New Orleans; it's a way of life among some people. The streets flood often, and those people are always out looting. I have no doubt at all that they deliberately declined to evacuate in order to be able to loot. And, finally, after things had settled down a bit and such things could be given attention, it was determined that 53% of the people who did not evacuate could have done; they admitted it. This just scratches the surface.

More anti-American rhetoric! OK - they didn't respond too well. But e only need to look at the recent tsunami scare to see what a pig's ear our gummint would have made of that to see that we would have been every bit as ineffective in a hurricane aftermath. In any case - it is a responsibility of gummint to protect private property.

Reasons To Agree

Despite early warning of the cyclone, military and police arrived far earlier than any aid, and with no pretext to provide any help. There was no media coverage of any aid at all being delivered in the first few days, just police patrolling the streets. The whole place was a write-off, who cares if people "find" food in some shops, or even if they steal a few consumer goods.. The consumer goods are insured, but the first emergency attention should be on protecting and helping people, not consumer goods. It is shocking that the richest nation of earth cannot even provide aid to its own people, or perhaps no one there is in a hurry to help these predominantly black communities. Or perhaps they care more about their economy and oil prices, than their own people.

The US has long forgotten that people are its most valuable asset. New Orleans won't matter damn

BUSH IS A TWAT. WHY DIDN'T YOU EXPECT IT?!!!!!!

Americas about the 10% of the population that holds 90% of its wealth, not about the mislead modern day slaves, who have been fed massive ammounts of blame deferring propaganda by those who are ripping them blind

Bush and his cronies are villains.