General Who Turned Around Katrina Response Criticizes Puerto Rico Efforts
Source: Bloomberg
By Christopher Flavelle
September 28, 2017, 4:00 AM EDT
The general credited with turning around the governments response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 said the Trump administration is bungling its efforts in Puerto Rico.
Russel Honore, a lieutenant general named to oversee Katrina operations by then-President George W. Bush, joined a growing chorus of criticism from Congress about the response to Hurricane Maria.
"Its kind of like Katrina: We got it. We got it. Oh, s--t, send in the cavalry," Honore, now retired from the military, said in an interview Wednesday. "This is a hit on White House decision making." He said more people and equipment should have been sent to the island in advance of the storm, and the Department of Defense should be given far greater authority over the response.
Only the military has the ability to move supplies quickly onto the island as many ports remain closed, he said -- what he called "expeditionary logistics," a mix of specialized ships, aircraft and other equipment that the National Guard cant match. Before the storm hit, the federal government should have positioned more personnel in Puerto Rico, he said.
Read more: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-09-28/general-who-led-katrina-response-criticizes-puerto-rico-efforts?utm_content=politics&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&cmpid%3D=socialflow-twitter-politics
DK504
(3,847 posts)Says the dude that degraded the NOPD officers that stayed and protected people. Half of NOPD left town and their posts leaving people underwater.
Says the dude that was sitting on the sideline with convoys of humvees and trucks filled with supplies. STFU Honoré.
I had a positive impression of Honore. I must have missed those details.
pnwmom
(108,925 posts)He did criticize the Bush FEMA people for not realizing what a crisis they had on their hands, and not sending in troops and supplies till thousands had died.
Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)but took firm control to get the situation in control. He got the people out of the death trap convention center, etc.
It was something to see.
I'm not familiar with problems with the NOPD, but there were some issues with some rogue out of control police officers. They had shot some innocent people walking out of the area over a bridge...they had been told not to let the "victims" cross the bridge into their area. Those people shot were identified and were people w/o criminal records,not armed....just victims of Katrina trying to get out. So I would fully expect Honore' not to allow that type of behavior.
pnwmom
(108,925 posts)for failing to see the enormousness of the job, and for failing to preposition supplies and troops before THOUSANDS died. He wasn't blaming the police department for not having either the staff or the resources to do that job.
Kolesar
(31,182 posts)Motley13
(3,867 posts)The life saving stuff is there, they need the means to get it to the people. The General Honoré is the man to do it.
Gothmog
(144,005 posts)Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)week, I think.
Achilleaze
(15,543 posts)* Comrade Casino, republican Draft-Dodger-&-Dotard-in-Chief
Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)"What a man, what a man, what a man, what a mighty fine man."
I'd listen to what he says, if I had anything to do w/Puerto Rico.
BigmanPigman
(51,432 posts)and operations, why didn't the fake prez? Two nights ago and again yesterday Puerto Rico's political officials were saying that supplies WERE there but just staying where they were unloaded and not going to the people and that even FEMA workers didn't know how and where to go for 8 hours and were completely frustrated.