Video: Bush, Chertoff Warned Before Katrina

[Renaissance]

As this video shows, Bush and his administation were aware of the destructive capacity of Katrina had, prior to it hitting land.

During this event SotT ran an article about a young 20-something blogger who had predicted the damage Katrina would bring. This video, of course, can't come as a surprise to anyone aware of what is going on in the world. These people are appalling criminals. We are as well, if we do nothing.

Video at Truthout.org

Newly released video footage shows how, in dramatic and sometimes agonizing terms, federal disaster officials warned President Bush and his Homeland Security Chief before Hurricane Katrina struck that the storm could breach levees, put lives at risk in New Orleans' Superdome and overwhelm rescuers. Bush did not ask a single question during this final briefing before Katrina struck. Four days later Bush declared "I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees" that gushed deadly flood waters into New Orleans.

Video: Bush, Chertoff Warned Before Katrina


By Margaret Ebrahim and John Solomon
The Associated Press

Wednesday 01 March 2006

Washington - In dramatic and sometimes agonizing terms, federal disaster officials warned President Bush and his homeland security chief before Hurricane Katrina struck that the storm could breach levees, put lives at risk in New Orleans' Superdome and overwhelm rescuers, according to confidential video footage.

Bush didn't ask a single question during the final briefing before Katrina struck on Aug. 29, but he assured soon-to-be-battered state officials: "We are fully prepared."

The footage - along with seven days of transcripts of briefings obtained by The Associated Press - show in excruciating detail that while federal officials anticipated the tragedy that unfolded in New Orleans and elsewhere along the Gulf Coast, they were fatally slow to realize they had not mustered enough resources to deal with the unprecedented disaster.

Linked by secure video, Bush expressed a confidence on Aug. 28 that starkly contrasted with the dire warnings his disaster chief and numerous federal, state and local officials provided during the four days before the storm.

A top hurricane expert voiced "grave concerns" about the levees and then-Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Michael Brown told the president and Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff that he feared there weren't enough disaster teams to help evacuees at the Superdome.

"I'm concerned about ... their ability to respond to a catastrophe within a catastrophe," Brown told his bosses the afternoon before Katrina made landfall.
(...)

 

[Mr. Premise]

The big question about this video is who leaked it? Was it Cheney in revenge for Bush leaking the Plame emails last week?

 

[Yossarian]

Wow. To me personally, this video is very very very damning of Bush and his administration. This proves they knew and did not respond. (we knew this already, but this should be proof to all but the deliberately blind) I wonder if this would wake anybody up?! I would think even the biggest skeptic or Bushie would have to think hard about this one-- Remember all the lies saying it was the state that didn't ask for help or the Mayor that didn't do his job?--there's Bush promising all kinds of help and being told there's a great chance the levies will breach--just empty words--no questions asked, no action taken.