PM (Blair) apologises to hurricane victims

Evening Standard ^

[jmc1969]

Prime Minister Tony Blair apologised to Britons caught up in Hurricane Katrina who complained of a lack of support from Foreign Office officials.

But the Prime Minister said diplomats had been working round the clock to try to help stranded UK citizens and some were now in New Orleans itself.

He promised they would do all they could to get any Britons still stranded to safety.

Mr Blair, speaking in a round of broadcast interviews in Beijing where he was holding trade talks, said: "It's been really tough for people, I know that, but it's been tough for our officials on the ground.

He went on: "I'm really sorry if there has been difficulties about this but I can assure you some of these staff have been working round the clock and because it's been a very difficult and confused situation it's been difficult for them, the staff, as well as the people for whom this has been a catastrophe."

[jmc1969]

Wow, they are even blaming Blair for the Hurriane problems.

[AntiGuv]

I wonder what Chirac has been doing for the French citizens in New Orleans..

[SeaLion]

A snippit from Ireland on Line: "Only two British families had come through the refugee-packed Astrodome, and consulate officials were planning to relocate to other Texas cities where buses were being sent. French officials planned to do the same after receiving only two French tourists. The US State Department on Friday said it had no figures on the number of foreigners reported missing."

It drives me nuts some of the media are using this disaster as a party-political soap-box--but I don't think that really matters that much in the long term. I agree with (and strongly support) President Bush, who has said categorically that the response of the emergency services in the aftermath of Katrina was 'unacceptable.' After all the usual suspects have made their usual whines, I hope we can all get down to sorting out that we are never caught so unprepared again.

And as an American currently working in the UK, I have been embarrassed by the shambles in the Gulf. We have, we can, we should do better than this.

[Leroy S. Mort]

I agree with (and strongly support) President Bush, who has said categorically that the response of the emergency services in the aftermath of Katrina was 'unacceptable.'

To be accurate, he said the SECURITY situation in New Orleans was unacceptable. Gov. Blanco has still not agreed to federalize the area. The mayor is planning on sending his police to Las Vegas on R&R. You just can't make this stuff up.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Actually, from what I've read, the British citizens were quite gracious about everything. They told about their horrible ordeal, but they were not as bitter as they had a right to be. They were just scared and then relieved when it was over.

America should be ashamed at how they were treated. And no, I do not mean Bush.

[HalleysFifth]

>America should be ashamed at how they were treated.

I'd say the shame is on the crybaby politicians in LA & the N.O. area (Blanco, Nagin, Broussard, etc.) who ran from their responsibilities.

I am eternally proud -- certainly not ashamed -- of America.

[guitarnick40]

He (Blair) shouldn't have to apologize.. America should apologize, except if we do then we are speaking for the filth that embarrased the country by their barbaric uncivilized behavior. My guess is that half of the offenders during the past week are all parolees that would be in prison or dead were it not for liberal judges.

For the visitors to New Orleans during Katrina, all I can say is:

Now you all know why we have Guantanamo, and think about this, the scum you met in the Superdome is nothing compared to the Osama wing down in Cuba.

So until the world collectively agrees to dismiss liberalism and socialism as a failed experiment, we will need Superdomes and Guantanamo's every 5 miles to protect the law abiding and altruistic.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Yeah, you're right. But as Americans, we the people are the gov't in the end. When we elect cowards or crooks, ultimately the blame lies with us.

[Hand em their arse]

"I wonder what Chirac has been doing for the French citizens in New Orleans..."


gave them each a quarter...

[Alia]

Good post.

And it was tender of PM Blair to apologize: It's the English way of commisserating: I'm so sorry. It's not the American apology: which has now become tantamount to begging a lawsuit. Fer shame on frivolous lawsuits and political identity politics.

[McGavin999]

Tony Blair needs to point out to his people to imagine the entire island of Great Britain being hit with a 20 ft tall wall of water that would wash completely across their country. Then imagine a city the size of Glasgow being submerged under 6 to 12 feet of water for days. Then let them bi*ch about how fast the response was.

[Jakarta ex-pat]

Tony Blair needs to apologize to all the Brits that he has sold down the river of "Multiculturalism".

No wonder the majority of Brits now see Australia as their only hope for leading a decent life.

God save John Howard!

[youngtory]

Good point.

[guitarnick40]

"And it was tender of PM Blair to apologize"

That it was and it is sad that he has taken so much international crap for standing by the President & the "Land of Liberty & Justice" through thick and thin.

In a way we have all let him down, but only because of the sins of the few. In other words, these damn looters have demonstrated that even in America, it's not fair to judge the majority by the actions of the micro-minority.

The very argument that the worldwide Muslim population has used in the defense of 9-11. How can we now condemn their radical faction when our radical underbelly has shown it's ugly face and worse yet against their own people.

[SeaLion]

Leroy, thanks for the reply to my post -- but I've still got a question about the context of our President's comments. I don't mean to be pedantic, it's just that I'm posted overseas and the most readily available news is via the BBC, which is not an unimpeachable source. This is how they reported the text of President Bush's broadcast speech of 3 September:

"I also met relief and rescue workers who are performing heroically in difficult circumstances. They've been working around the clock, risking their own lives to save the lives of others. Yet despite their best efforts, the magnitude of responding to a crisis over a disaster area that is larger than the size of Great Britain has created tremendous problems that have strained state and local capabilities. The result is that many of our citizens simply are not getting the help they need, especially in New Orleans. And that is unacceptable."

I don't read that to mean just the security situation--but maybe the quote has been mysteriously altered (won't be the first time I've seen that happen!)

And you're right, some of this stuff you just couldn't make up. My oldest nephew is a chopper pilot with the Coast Guard, stationed in Mobile, whose spent the week helping winch folks off rooftops, but I'm pretty sure no one is going to be sending him off for R&R in Vegas!