Army 'to blame' for Katrina flood (BBC)

[eppur_se_muova]

The US Army Corps of Engineers says it was responsible for the failure of New Orleans flood defences during Hurricane Katrina.

Levees and floodwalls failed because of engineering and design problems, the Corps said in a report.
***
The 6,000-page report said that when Hurricane Katrina hit, New Orleans had a system of levees inconsistent in quality and design.

In May, an independent probe by the University of California, Berkeley, found that New Orleans flood protection was routinely under-funded.
***
New research published in the Nature journal has revealed that parts of the city were sinking much faster than previously thought before Hurricane Katrina hit.
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more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5039400.stm

[realisticphish]

1. someone taking responsibility?

surely you jest.

[jobycom]

2. Of course. Easier and cheaper than fixing the problem. nt

[fooj]

3. Once again...this administration places blame on the military...

as long as the rat bastards aren't busy blaming the CIA, FBI...

Wasn't Little Lord Pissypants the one who REFUSED to fund the levee project?

What they did (or didn't do) AFTER the flooding is what is criminal.

[allalone]

4. woo hoo

this is gonna be interesting. Insurance companies always pull the "act of god" crap to get out of paying damages. This report is saying "act of man". uh oh

[Lithos]

5. There were two failures due to Katrina

The mechanical failure which was caused by insufficient engineering and maintenance and the operational failure caused by the Bush Administration's incompetence and unwillingness to address the disaster not only as it unfolded, but in reconstruction. Of the two, the latter is the most significant failure as it likely caused the majority of the deaths and will have the most lingering consequences to the lives of millions.

L-

[eppur_se_muova]

6. I can see this report creating an impression of letting Bu**sh** off the

hook ... quite wrongly, of course. But with **Co footdragging and refusing to accept blame, the first ones to step forward and admit ANY kind of error do relieve the pressure for further questioning.

[Lithos]

8. Agreed

This does allow for the Spin doctors to step in and try and hide the blame for the Bush Administration's failures.

Course they did mention underfunding. Given the GOP controlled congress and the 5 years of Bush prior to this, there still is a fair amount of blame for the mechanical failure that can be thrown their way.

L-

[yellowcanine]

7. How could the Army Corps be to blame for what Clenis did?

Just askin'.

[fshrink]

9. And who is to blame for

this city not being back on its feet 1 year later? The very same. Not the poor Army who is busy doing nasty and deadly police work in an invaded country.