Katrina and 9/11 part I

We just had another 9/11 anniversay and we are still primed to mistrust an Arab or muslim looking person. Meanwhile our nation and the earth in fact, continue falling apart as evidenced by Hurricane Katrina. The Privateer put it succinctly when it says:

"The facade is washed away". What is left is devastation made much
worse by a desperate government need to "control" the situation and worse still, by their attempts to control the perceptions of those involved in it and witnessing it.

The events of 9/11/2001 ushered in a more intensive phase in the way in which the elite manipulate and control the populace via control of our perceptions. The goals of the neo-cons at one time just goals, was accomplished that day. In the midst of suffering, disbelief, denial and urge for someone to do something about our crazy world (read: environment, disease, poverty), there is a lockout on basic rights for mainly the muslim or arabs. There was a reduction in the rights of everyday Americans as well. We were however, distracted by fear of those same Arab/Muslim terrorists who could get us at anytime because they hate our freedoms. By implication they were also jealous of American wealth. Mr President, do you think they still want to get us now that we have very little freedoms left to hate and as the New Privateer Global Report newsletter details, little wealth as well?

Before I go into the issue of wealth keep this in mind:

Just as the Iraq War has been a Petri Dish for the neoconservative foreign policy agenda, rebuilding the Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Katrina could prove to be the mother of all testing grounds for a passel of active Heritage Foundation's domestic policy initiatives.

This stuff is about more control by the neo cons and their policies.Now to get to the facade of American wealth. You need to subscribe to get the full report but you can get free sample here. I would advise anyone interested in the state of our economy and the social crisis that is bound to result, that is happening now (review the hurricane Katrina gulf coast situation) to subscribe while they can. Some of the current report below:

....The 26-nation NATO alliance said it too had received a request for
aid from Washington. A statement from Brussels (NATO Headquarters) said that the United States has asked for NATO relief support in the form of food rations (yes - FOOD rations) for the thousands of people evacuated from the Gulf Coast.

According to European diplomats, badly needed foreign aid has been delayed for many days by backlogged US federal agencies. This includes a complete portable Swedish water purification system with its own energy supply, a full German cellular telephone network and two Canadian rescue ships. Canadian doctors and specialised emergency personnel have been held at the border.Still They Came - Even The Poor

Bangladesh, one of the world's poorest countries where millions of people live on a monsoon and flood prone delta, has pledged $US 1 million to Katrina's victims and offered to send its specialist rescuers to inundated areas.

We got used to images of these things happening "over there" i.e Iraq. Our good fortune is part of the reason acording to the neo-con "they" attacked us. Their government could only exploit the people and harbor terrorist so we were saving these people from their governments. Can you see how brutal it gets when ones life, way of life is on the line, look at New Orleans. We also saw how callous and indifferent government and the wealthy elite can be when it's not their house, or job that is threatened. When the neo cons speak of the greedy and evil governments in poor countries exploiting their people, they are really describing themselves. Who is going to save us from our evil leaders? We better get up to the challenge ourselves because it's about to get worse. Consider the Iraq war and the present hurricane induced energy crisis. That can and will impact the economy resulting in further societal breakdown. In the meantime the wealthy elites will look on from the safety of their presidential jets, helicopters and big houses (a la the Bush in the gulf coast) while making plans which may result in more disasters.

The White House has told US refiners to postpone all their scheduled maintenance in a drive to maximise petrol and diesel production in the wake of hurricane Katrina. This is, potentially, a deadly dangerous move. The entire system is now labouring under a "diminished capacity". To throw maintenance out of the window in what now remains of the rest of the US refinery system - already working flat out trying to cover for the lost output of the refineries missing in action - is to expose the remainder of the system to more and possibly full production breakdown. If any more US refineries suffer a full breakdown, the US eastern seaboard is cruising towards a systemic crash.

By this order, one which no politician would dare to make in an even "semi-free" society, the Bush Administration hopes to have enough refined oil in hand at the end of this period to keep prices down. We in this position precisely because of Bush's fight against terrorists. Note we are not free for no leader in even a "semi-free society" would dare what ours do. The Privateer asks:

Do you remember the message as the government ramped up spending in the wake of 9/11? It went along these lines: "Money is no object - FREEDOM has been attacked".

Our fate in the long run may not be much different than those who suffered Katrina or worse the citizens of Iraq. Money is no object now in rebuilding New Orleans. Why? Is it because Carl Rove infamous for patronage, lies and manipulations will be in charge? See http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/15/politics/15bush.html for more details.

Anyway, more from the privateer:

The official estimate is that the war in Iraq and Afghanistan has cost $US 300 Billion. Now, so far unofficial estimates are claiming that the "final" cost of the Katrina devastation could be another $US 300 Billion. With just under three weeks to go in fiscal 2005, the increase in US Treasury debt for the year
stands at $US 571 Billion.

There is also trillions in national debt. As for Katrina recovery:

Mr Bush signed an Executive Order on September 8 which permits FEDERAL CONTRACTORS rebuilding in New Orleans and elsewhere in the Gulf States to pay below the "prevailing" (read minimum) wage. This "accomplishes" a number of things. It ensures that only those firms "approved" by Washington DC will get the contracts.

Keep in mind that many of Katrina's victims were stuck because they were too poor to get out. Their jobs, if they had any were minimum wage. Then keep in mind that it's the favorite companies of Bush and pals that reap the profits, companies like Blackwater security, The Shaw group, Halliburton et al. Some concerns about it was even published in the NY Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/17/national/nationalspecial/17memo.html