Posted on 09/09/2005 7:20:15 AM PDT by ExitPurgamentum
Fri Sep 9, 6:06 AM ET
Colin Powell, the former U.S. secretary of state seen as a potential leader for Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts, has joined the chorus of Americans criticizing the disaster response at all levels of government.
"There have been a lot of failures at a lot of levels -- local, state and federal," Powell said in an ABC interview for the "20/20" program to be broadcast on Friday evening.
American political figures from both major parties have assailed the slow response to the hurricane's assault last week on the U.S. Gulf Coast, which devastated New Orleans and killed hundreds, possibly thousands, in the region.
"There was more than enough warning over time about the dangers to New Orleans. Not enough was done. I don't think advantage was taken of the time that was available to us, and I just don't know why," Powell said in excerpts on ABC's Web site.
He said he did not think that race was a factor in the slow response, but that many of those unable to leave New Orleans in time were trapped by poverty which disproportionately affects blacks.
Powell was the highest-ranking black official during U.S. President George W. Bush's first term and chairman of the military Joint Chiefs of Staff during the 1991 Gulf War. He is among various names mentioned in Washington as a potential "hurricane czar" to take over the long-term recovery effort.
Two senators from Bush's Republican party on Thursday proposed that such a job be created. White House officials have not ruled out the option, saying it is among several being discussed.
Some black leaders, including Democrats in Congress, have charged that racism contributed to the misery of New Orleans' predominantly black storm victims.
"I don't think it's racism, I think it's economic," Powell said. "But poverty disproportionately affects African-Americans in this country. And it happened because they were poor."
I don't know, he makes some good points
Feel free to elaborate
I have a lot of respect for him. He made a mistake, then owned up to it and resigned.
Powell hits the nail on the head. Why is it so difficult to comprehend for some people?? Blacks are DISPROPORTIONATELY at the lower end of the economic scale. It's a fact of life. The FACT that 80% of NO is black is ANOTHER no-brainer reason. And from the language that some of these people used, you can see that they are also not educated.
Actually, poverty breeds poverty.
Colin Powell, proof that Bush does sometimes make bad appointments.
"I'm having a hard time finding something in his remarks to disagree with. There were a lot of mistakes made at all levels of government and we did not make the best use of time ahead of the storm."
I agree - although the "we" in government should refer to "they" as in local gov't. The article fails to deliver the SLAM that Powell was supposed to have delivered - it is really just a statement of opinion and rebuttal that racism played a role. He states is was poverty.
Powell is still a dissappointment to me however and I am still baffled by GWB's allegiance to him.
Except that there were not "alot" of failures on the federal level. He might want to catch up with the news before he opens his trap.
Which mistake was that?
What about FEMA?
The whole Iraqi 'WMD' debacle.
What about it. It is NOT a first responder group.
Don't you think that there's a correlation between economics and community values?
I was struck by the fact that helios were available after a 140 mph storm. Does anyone know where they were from?
THe more I read and the more I find out, the more and more I think the Feds did a pretty good job.
The State of Louisiana and the City of New Orleans were very poorly served by their elected leaders.
It wasn't a debacle. Every intelligence agency on the planet thought Saddam had WMDs. It wasn't Powells mistake if some proved to be untrue.
Yet I'm still very convinced that Saddam ferried what stockpiles he did have out of the country. ANd so are alot of very smart spooks.
Of the many causes, that is certainly one.
Powell has done very well. Others like to forget, but I remember a few years back when Iraq turned very bad as the insurgents implemented some new tactics and spiked US casualties one particular month.
Powell crawled out of a hospital bed where he'd had surgery for cancer and answered reporter questions on camera just outside the hospital door. He defended GW Bush and the administration effort in Iraq. He did this while our conservative senators were cowering under a table all week long. Nary a one was to be found in front of a microphone defending the administration.
Powell did what the rest of the entire GOP would not do that day. Performance above and beyond the call of duty.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.