OPINION & EDITORIAL
Domestic readiness takes backseat to foreign entanglements
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Also by Josh Moskowitz:
- Taser experiments will help save lives (April 7, 2005)
- Planted articles hurt Iraqi democracy (December 14, 2005)
- DeLay's tactics catch up with him, finally (April 15, 2005)
- Iran key concern for Israel (January 26, 2006)
- Journalism out in jeopardy (April 25, 2005)
Related Stories:
- Wisconsin's helping hands (September 7, 2005)
- Disaster readiness needs top priority (September 21, 2005)
- Public bickering demeans tragedy (September 13, 2005)
- Help for hurricane victims stuck in Iraq (September 15, 2005)
- Debt burdens undergraduates (September 27, 2005)
by Josh Moskowitz
Wednesday, September 14, 2005
As the country comes to grips with its newest national tragedy in the form of Hurricane Katrina, many may have forgotten the passing of the fourth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks three days ago. Though Hurricane Katrina and the Sept. 11 attacks came at the hands of two uniquely different actors, by juxtaposing the two, the average observer can easily see how the Bush administration has failed this country and its citizens when it matters most.
After winning the presidency in 2000, Mr. Bush and his defense team publicly pondered the effectiveness of a ballistic missile defense system. In fact, it became a central tenet of Mr. Bush's national defense strategy. Though Ronald Reagan had endorsed this "Star Wars" system 12 years before (albeit without much public or scientific support), the Bush administration felt compelled to follow in the Gipper's footsteps and allocate millions of dollars for a similar system. This infatuation with an anachronistic Cold War-era project and the administration's early insistence on invading Iraq certainly contributed to the relative ease with which the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks were conducted.
Former counter-terrorism advisor Richard A. Clarke has repeatedly discussed how the Bush administration failed to heed his warnings concerning significant threats from al-Qaeda. In an interview with "60 Minutes" Clark said, "I blame the entire Bush leadership for continuing to work on Cold War issues when they [got] back in power in 2001. It was as though they were preserved in amber from when they left office eight years earlier. They came back. They wanted to work on the same issues right away: Iraq, Star Wars. Not new issues, the new threats that had developed over the preceding eight years."
Clarke has also discussed how Mr. Bush, in their very first encounter a day after the Sept. 11 attacks, instructed him to find a link between Iraq and the airplane hijackers. The administration's dogmatic and unrelenting belief that Iraq played a role in the Sept. 11 attacks has gone unfounded. Its insistence on linking the war on terror — a legitimate, worthy and necessary enterprise — with Iraq has led to the meaningless deaths of thousands of our troops and Iraqi civilians. Its refusal to incorporate objective information and intelligence that doesn't substantiate its claims has led to an unstable, chaotic vacuum in the Middle East.
One would think that, after Sept. 11, the Bush administration would do everything in its power to prevent another national disaster. Yet, with the destruction of Hurricane Katrina, Mr. Bush once again failed to heed visible, apparent warning signs.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency listed a major hurricane hitting New Orleans as one of the three most serious threats to the United States in 2001. Numerous scientific and engineering publications, including National Geographic and Civil Engineering Magazine, all produced pieces highlighting the devastating effects a hurricane would have on Louisiana and Mississippi.
From 2001 to 2005, the Bush administration cut approxiametely 50 percent of the budgetary requests from the Army Corps of Engineers for levee-augmentation projects in the New Orleans area. Citing budgetary restraints caused by the war in Iraq, the Bush administration neglected to fully support and fund the creation of levees that may have prevented the flooding of New Orleans. It's the funding of a war that has not enhanced the security of a single American individual that allowed for the destruction of one of America's most lively and idiosyncratic cities.
With every crisis that this country and Mr. Bush have faced in the last five years, the president has failed miserably every step of the way. By turning a blind eye to significant intelligence, Mr. Bush failed to destroy al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden before they unleashed terror in the heart of New York City. And by negligently ignoring the numerous reports detailing the possible devastation of a hurricane on the Gulf Coast, Mr. Bush was unable to stem the destruction and chaos that has ravaged Louisiana and Mississippi.
Our country deserves the best and the brightest in its executive office and at all helms of significant governmental agencies. While some may tremble at the thought of working for the government, our country deserves and needs competent, intelligent and pragmatic leadership — qualities that the current occupant consistently fails to exhibit in great times of crisis.
Josh Moskowitz (jmoskowitz@badgerherald.com) is a senior majoring in political science and journalism.
Anonymous (September 14, 2005 @ 6:22am):
Instead of running Josh's column every week, the Badger Herald should just link to moveon.org's latest content. It's pretty much one in the same. Seriously, Josh, get off the script once in a while and write something original.
Anonymous (September 14, 2005 @ 9:08am):
This is such nonsense, and it isn't even new nonsense. Richard Clarke had 8 full years with Clinton to "destroy Al Queda" and the state and local governments of Lousianna have had a century to deal with the fragile levee system in New Orleans.
Anonymous (September 14, 2005 @ 12:48pm):
"By turning a blind eye to significant intelligence, Mr. Bush failed to destroy al-Qaeda and Osama bin Laden before they unleashed terror in the heart of New York City"
Using your reasoning, I think you should be blaming Clinton. There's much more factual information about him ignoring al-qaeda than Bush. A lot more than a quote from Richard Clarke, a partisan, who openly worked for Kerry's campaign, who has repeatedly been caught in lies and contradictions
"And by negligently ignoring the numerous reports detailing the possible devastation of a hurricane on the Gulf Coast, Mr. Bush was unable to stem the destruction and chaos that has ravaged Louisiana and Mississippi."
Also not true. It was the LA governor and N.O. mayor who ignored the possible devastation. Bush actually called them before the hurricane because he was concerned they hadn't done enough. Blanco then just started crying, ignoring her duties as gov of her state. You're right, we do need better leaders in politics.
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/09/national/nationalspecial/09military.html?ei=5090&en=aa642b8c89c27c01&ex=1283918400&adxnnl=1&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss&adxnnlx=1126238795-dGCl9WlaN8lbkCHBy9hw2w&pagewanted=print
If you're going to blame Bush for (according to your opinion) not financing the levees in the last 4 years, why not just go back to the begining and blame the French for settling a city on a river delta.
Or maybe you could return to reality and realize this disaster's time and place was well know in advance, numerous studies had been conducted indicating the vulnerability of N.O. (none of which say spend more money on levees to fix the problem), and maybe, just maybe, you would see it is the local government's responsibility to inform and evacuate its citizens. That is where the leadership has failed.
Anonymous (September 14, 2005 @ 1:11pm):
How long was Bush in office when 9/11 occurred? 9 months? But it's his fault that al Qaeda was not eradicated by then.
Why didn't your boy Clarke and his pals eradicate al Qaeda 4 years prior if they knew how dangerous it was?
It's so easy for you to blame Bush for all the ills of the world, though, so keep going on right ahead.
Also, I would bet that the majority of the families of our fallen soldiers would disagree with you that their deaths were "meaningless", as you call them.
Anonymous (September 14, 2005 @ 5:12pm):
Wow, if this article were any more biased I would have to wonder if the author has spent too much time in "politically correct journalism 101" and no time in history. First of all if I remember right New Orleans has always been flood prone Moron, long before Bush became president. In addition it has always been A DISASTER, even before Katrina hit. Study the history of the city a little more than it's Mardi Gras (which is all most college students know about this dump of a city) and you can see it. Founded by Pirates, French Prostitutes, outlaws, gamblers and Haitian refugees, (if that isn't cause for pause what is considering the "wonderful" country Haiti has built for itself) slaves and Slave Traders. New Orleans is known for one natural disaster after another with a few human ones thrown in for good meausure. Let's see yellow fever, malaria, plague, bodies floating down streets, Reconstruction (where it was policy by the Yanks to rape women out on the street after dark). So these problems did not materialize on Bush's watch they have always been there. Yet what as the 3rd world country known as LOUISIANA done about them. Funny you would have thought some of the billions made off college students getting sh*t faced every Mardi Gras would have been used to oh I don't know FIX THE LEAVEE'S, store bottled water, food etc. In case such a disaster as had been predicted for 200 plus years came to pass? Already the city of New Orleans is planning this year's Mardi Gras way to go Louisiana (Lousyana) your people have not even had their bodies cleared from your city streets and you worry about when you can have your next drunk fest.
As for Bin Laden get off it, how long did it take to capture Al Capone stupid *ss and he was right here in our country the whole damned time? Bonnie and Clyde, the Green River Killer? Besides I didn't see Clinton doing his part to worry about it either nor the leavee's in an area HE GREW UP IN (Mississippi Delta region). Nope I do recall him involving us in such important wars as Somalia, Haiti, and Kosovo, yep all very important to America's well being (note the hint of sarcasm). So quit blaming Bush for all the world's ill's next you know it will be his fault for the complete and utter stupidity of Badger Herald Opinion piece writer's cause he cut the pell grants.
Ronald Pritchett
Ronald.pritchett@verizon.net
Anonymous (September 14, 2005 @ 8:15pm):
Josh, you are ignorant.
I'm REALLY curious what notes were written on the top-secret memos that Berger stole and destroyed. Maybe even some notations by Clarke?
"Yet, with the destruction of Hurricane Katrina, Mr. Bush once again failed to heed visible, apparent warning signs."
Bush was begging the local (Democrat) officials to do something before Katrina hit. I suppose you'd like it better if he had invoked the Insurrection Act and seized power from the obviously incompentent state and city officials? Rightttttt, then it would have been cries of "Bush is a tyrant" for usurping the local Democrats!
ps. The part of the levee that failed HAD been upgraded. There had NEVER been a plan to have levves that would stand against a cat 4 or 5.
Anonymous (September 14, 2005 @ 8:20pm):
Yet another disaster to blame on the Greenies!
Hours after Hurricane Katrina passed, New Orleans was underwater. Some experts say the flooding could have been stopped a quarter-century ago -- had environmentalists not interfered.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,169396,00.html
Anonymous (September 14, 2005 @ 8:34pm):
Ronald, you're awesome! Way to tell it like it is to these skulls full of mush!
Mike Burney (September 15, 2005 @ 1:25am):
You know you're in trouble Josh when they start quoting Fox News at you. Look at the criticisms being made here:
A. 9 months wasn't enough for Bush to stop al Qaeda, implicating Clinton
2. Blame the local and state governments, covering Bush's ass.
D. Changing the subject as exemplified by some of these recent Anonymous folks.
If Bush had the ability to stop a hurricaine from hitting land, I might be as awe-inspired of him as are so many of his ardent supporters. Sadly, he is a normal, run-of-the-mill human and this type of activity is slighty beyond his capabilities. What was disheartening were the gratuitous photo-ops with rescuers who could have been saving lives.
