[Mr. Silverback]

I disagree with the idea that any of this debacle was the fault of the Corps of Engineers. Bloodsucking pols decided that pet projects were more important than a proper levee system, and bloodsucking pols are happy when people blame the Corps.

[Asfarastheeastisfromthewest...]

Look... this isn't that hard. I'll repeat the question more slowly... 'what do you believe was the failure mechanism that caused New Orleans to end up under water'? As for disagreeing with the idea that this debacle was the fault of the Corps of Engineers, you need to take a look at the documents that were produced in the Katrina post mortem before coming out with such a blanket and sweeping statement as that... there is always lots of blame to go around.... those who design it, those who build it, those who operate it, those who maintain it .... and so on. The buck has to stop somewhere... where would your merry go round like it to stop?

[WatchOutForSnakes]

August 11, 2006
The head of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who in June admitted that design flaws in the levees his agency built to protect New Orleans caused most of the flooding during Hurricane Katrina, has asked to retire, the Army said on Thursday. In an after-hours announcement, the Army issued a statement saying Lt. Gen. Carl Strock, commander and chief engineer of the corps, had requested his retirement from the military "based on family and personal reasons," Reuters reports. The announcement came a bit more than two months after the corps issued a 6,100-page report admitting to its blunders in the design of storm walls and earthen levees that were supposed to protect the New Orleans area.

The corp themselves have admitted their design flaws led to the flooding. Of course you are free to disagree with them as well. Maybe you know something they don't.