USS Bataan was in -Gulf on Monday. Had 100s of beds, 100K galls of H20

[BurtWorm]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/05/opinion/05krugman.html?pagewanted=print

Killed By Contempt
By PAUL KRUGMAN

Each day since Katrina brings more evidence of the lethal ineptitude of federal officials. I'm not letting state and local officials off the hook, but federal officials had access to resources that could have made all the difference, but were never mobilized.

Here's one of many examples: The Chicago Tribune reports that the U.S.S. Bataan, equipped with six operating rooms, hundreds of hospital beds and the ability to produce 100,000 gallons of fresh water a day, has been sitting off the Gulf Coast since last Monday - without patients.

Experts say that the first 72 hours after a natural disaster are the crucial window during which prompt action can save many lives. Yet action after Katrina was anything but prompt. Newsweek reports that a "strange paralysis" set in among Bush administration officials, who debated lines of authority while thousands died.

What caused that paralysis? President Bush certainly failed his test. After 9/11, all the country really needed from him was a speech. This time it needed action - and he didn't deliver.

[mzmolly]

1. Oh my word.

So very sad.

[leftchick]

2. I have been so pissed about this

help right there from the start and people still die. Can it be any more obvious they want these poor people to die?

:cry:

[ngGale]

5. Agreed...

I'm afraid there is a lot more going on here than our worse dreams.

:cry:

[Redstone]

3. The fucking BATAAN? And they've just let her SIT THERE?

Excuse me, I have to go vomit again, for about the 375th time in the last week.

This awful news of utter incompetence never stops, does it?

Redstone

On edit: Why didn't the Captain take the initiative and just sail upriver? He's the boss on the ship, and could have done that.

[DoYouEverWonder]

9. This was not incompetence

This was a major FLOP - a Failure to Lead On Purpose.

Bush thought finishing his vacation and hiding from Cindy was more important then responding to the hurricane.

[Redstone]

13. But the Captain is master of his ship. He should have steamed north,

orders or no orders. I guarantee he was watching CNN.

This is a failure on all levels of command.

Redstone

[bpilgrim]

4. BBC video that says NORTHCOM was ready BEFORE Katrina hit --- > LINK

http://news.globalfreepress.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-2010

download link...
http://news.globalfreepress.com/movs/katrina/BBC_Katrina.mpg

psst... pass the word ;->

peace

[Beam Me Up]

6. "strange paralysis" indeed. They murdered New Orleans.

[RamboLiberal]

7. Here Trib Story Krugman references

ON THE USS BATAAN -- While federal and state emergency planners scramble to get more military relief to Gulf Coast communities stricken by Hurricane Katrina, a massive naval goodwill station has been cruising offshore, underused and waiting for a larger role in the effort.

The USS Bataan, a 844-foot ship designed to dispatch Marines in amphibious assaults, has helicopters, doctors, hospital beds, food and water. It also can make its own water, up to 100,000 gallons a day. And it just happened to be in the Gulf of Mexico when Katrina came roaring ashore.

The Bataan rode out the storm and then followed it toward shore, awaiting relief orders. Helicopter pilots flying from its deck were some of the first to begin plucking stranded New Orleans residents.

But now the Bataan's hospital facilities, including six operating rooms and beds for 600 patients, are empty. A good share of its 1,200 sailors could also go ashore to help with the relief effort, but they haven't been asked. The Bataan has been in the stricken region the longest of any military unit, but federal authorities have yet to fully utilize the ship.

Captain ready, waiting

"Could we do more?" said Capt. Nora Tyson, commander of the Bataan. "Sure. I've got sailors who could be on the beach plucking through garbage or distributing water and food and stuff. But I can't force myself on people.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0509040369sep04,1,4144825.story

[RamboLiberal]

12. Get this - Battan's loaded Landing Craft got to within 40 Miles

of New Orleans, loaded with food, water, doctors, generators, etc., and was ordered back to Bataan to sail to Biloxi!

Who the Fuck ordered this? And was loyal Repuke Brown noser Barbour getting more aid than NO.

I hear some in Mississippi are crying now that NO is getting more attention, and they may be right. I think Barbour is still shamelessly brown-nosing at the expens of his state.

But FEMA, Homeland Security and Pentagon should've been able to handle equally well in both states!

A 135-foot landing craft stored within the Bataan, the LCU-1656, was dispatched to steam up the 90 miles of Mississippi River to New Orleans. It took a crew of 16, including a doctor, and its deck was stacked with food and water. The craft carries enough food and fuel to remain self-sufficient for 10 days.

<snip>

Then the Bataan was ordered to move to the waters off Biloxi, Miss., and LCU-1656 was ordered to return. The landing craft was 40 miles from New Orleans, but it wouldn't be able to deliver its cargo.

"It was a disappointment," Fish said. "I figured we would be a big help in New Orleans. We've got electricity, and the police could have charged up their radios. We've got water, toilets. We've got food."

Now sailing within 25 miles of Gulfport, Miss., the Bataan has become a floating warehouse. Supplies from Texas and Florida are ferried out to the ship, and the helicopters distribute them where Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel say they are needed.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-0509040369sep04,1,1809874,print.story

[BurtWorm]

17. No one says who gave that order.

Another fact to be buried deep in the next useless Commission report this useless Congress commissions.

[Spazito]

8. Another excellent article by Krugman

He never fails to hit the nail on the head.

[fishwax]

10. Krugman's great, as usual

"The administration has always tried to treat 9/11 purely as a lesson about good versus evil. But disasters must be coped with, even if they aren't caused by evildoers. "

[bring_em_home_bush]

16. Krugman's wrong

This disaster was caused by evildoers.

[Lars39]

11. And how do you think the sailors feel now, knowing that they

could have helped? I'm bettin' they're really pissed right now, and making sure their families' know about it, too.

[DELUSIONAL]

19. I can tell you as a Navy brat -- the sailors are PISSED

real pissed. They are probably red hot pissed.

My earliest memories are of my dad coming back from helping rescue flood victims. He and the other Navy guys knew that if they hadn't been there that a lot of people would be dead. They plucked people off of roofs in the middle of the night.

Most military people are well aware of the capabilities of their ships, planes and equipment to do good for the citizens of the US in times of emergency -- as well as to be used in war.

For the men and women on that ship (female Captain) to be so close and not be called into round the clock duty must be a extreme disappointment.

I am so pissed about this. My congress Rep and Senators have already heard from me -- and I will be contacting them AGAIN and AGAIN.

The person responsible for this monumental screw up should be tried, convicted and hung. (or keel hauled)

WE NEED ANSWERS!

[xray s]

14. Possible explanation

There are a lot of BushCo VIPs coming and going now. Maybe they are keeping a nice, well equiped hospital ship around to take care of any of the BushCo Beautiful People who need medical care.

[RamboLiberal]

15. Battan was orderd to steam to Biloxi

And their landing craft that was loaded with supplies and doctors and fuel for 10 days had gotten to within 40 miles of New Orleans and was ordered back so they could go to Biloxi.

Did loyal Bushbot Haley Barbour's state get preference over NO?

I posted excerpt of story in a post higher above this one.

[SlowDownFast]

18. When does this outrageousness stop?

It makes me wanna go to sleep, so someone can finally wake me up when this madness is all over (which it will never be). I'm sick to death of this bullshit.

I got my fucking pitchfork ready. Have for a few years now. Where's OUR FUCKING LEADERS?