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New Orleans: A Geopolitical Prize
Strategic Forecasting ^ | 9/02/2005 | George Friedman

Posted on 09/02/2005 7:38:04 AM PDT by cll

New Orleans is where it is for a reason: The United States needs a city right there. New Orleans is not optional for the United States' commercial infrastructure. It is a terrible place for a city to be located, but exactly the place where a city must exist. With that as a given, a city will return there because the alternatives are too devastating. The harvest is coming, and that means that the port will have to be opened soon. As in Iraq, premiums will be paid to people prepared to endure the hardships of working in New Orleans. But in the end, the city will return because it has to. Geopolitics is the stuff of permanent geographical realities and the way they interact with political life. Geopolitics created New Orleans. Geopolitics caused American presidents to obsess over its safety. And geopolitics will force the city's resurrection, even if it is in the worst imaginable place.

Send questions or comments on this article to analysis@stratfor.com.

(Excerpt) Read more at stratfor.com ...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; US: Louisiana
KEYWORDS: aftermath; hurricane; katrina; neworleans; tropical
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There are many bright minds here in Free Republic. How about if we start tossing ideas on how to rebuild New Orleans (and Gulfport, Biloxi for that matter)? Let's get to work on the New Orleans Reconstruction Authority.
1 posted on 09/02/2005 7:38:06 AM PDT by cll
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To: cll

How big a city do you need to maintain a port?


2 posted on 09/02/2005 7:39:21 AM PDT by Mamzelle
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To: cll

First, raise the city about 100 ft.


3 posted on 09/02/2005 7:39:40 AM PDT by frogjerk (LIBERALISM - Being miserable for no good reason)
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To: cll

Ideally, I'd say move it upstream. However, the logistics of that are worse than even rebuilding where it is which is bad enough. I really have no idea!

Perhaps bring in a BUNCH of dirt?? Raise up the land? I dunno. They did that in Galveston in 1906.


4 posted on 09/02/2005 7:39:52 AM PDT by RockinRight (What part of ILLEGAL immigration do they not understand?)
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To: cll

Rebuild the ports, foreget the city. Camps or SMALL towns only and rotate the people.


5 posted on 09/02/2005 7:41:11 AM PDT by newbeliever
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To: cll
New Orleans is sinking - even before this tragedy.

Enough is enough - build somewhere else!
6 posted on 09/02/2005 7:42:15 AM PDT by nmh (Intelligent people recognize Intelligent Design (God).)
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To: Mamzelle

Full text here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1475135/posts?page=3196#3196


7 posted on 09/02/2005 7:42:25 AM PDT by cll
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To: cll

This is probably a silly question, but could they rebuild it--at least most of it--on higher ground?


8 posted on 09/02/2005 7:43:12 AM PDT by Savage Beast (Love is the ultimate aphrodisiac!)
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To: cll
I don't agree. Raze it and start over elsewhere. Another Category 4 storm and all that money wasted. This is a golden opportunity to learn from the mistakes of the past.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
9 posted on 09/02/2005 7:43:22 AM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: goldstategop

Keep the "charming" elements of NO as an expendable tourist attraction, but move the strategic elements to a better place.


10 posted on 09/02/2005 7:45:00 AM PDT by angkor
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To: cll

rebuild the city?

Right - build the city in the swamp, below sea level, on mud, in hurricane alley ... any other great method to commit suicide can you think of?

The democrats thought it was a great place for the plantations.


11 posted on 09/02/2005 7:45:10 AM PDT by hombre_sincero (www.sigmaitsys.com)
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To: Savage Beast
What higher ground? Its below sea level! Unless you build 30 foot high sea walls - I don't see how you keep the next monster tide out.

(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
12 posted on 09/02/2005 7:45:10 AM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives On In My Heart Forever)
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To: Mamzelle
How big a city do you need to maintain a port?

Exactly! Probably only need a city of 50,000 at the most. Bull Doze 90%, raise the ground in the remaining 10%. But what do you do with the thousands of welfare people that called New Orleans home? Maybe New York will take them.

13 posted on 09/02/2005 7:47:42 AM PDT by LongViewSC
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To: cll

So glad to see a fellow Stratfor reader. It's probably the best geopolitical analysis information source out there. I've been subscribed since '00.


14 posted on 09/02/2005 7:48:56 AM PDT by farlander
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To: cll
The obvious is don't allow any building to be built that does not meet Miami-Dade building code, and raise the first habitable floor to FEMA flood plain guidelines. That's what happened in Miami Florida after Andrew.

This should be applied to all hurricane prone areas.

15 posted on 09/02/2005 7:49:26 AM PDT by Tarpon
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Comment #16 Removed by Moderator

To: frogjerk

We could just make New Orleans the United State's Venice! Just keep it flooded 24x7. Can you say Gondolas?


17 posted on 09/02/2005 8:00:18 AM PDT by MarkeyD (Cindy - The new 'C' word! I really, really loathe liberals.)
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To: cll

I picture a New World Venice...with alligators.


18 posted on 09/02/2005 8:01:25 AM PDT by heartwood
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To: cll

Fine, but do it smart this next time. Build on pylons or build things which float.


19 posted on 09/02/2005 8:01:41 AM PDT by tamalejoe
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To: MarkeyD

beat me - but I get the alligators


20 posted on 09/02/2005 8:01:56 AM PDT by heartwood
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