911
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Katrina (829)
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Attack by 19 terrorists
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Lousy weather and some really bad levees
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Foreshadowed and predicted by responsible agencies.
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Intelligence and law enforcement criticized for not preventing the 911
attack.
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Engineers and emergency planners criticized for botching the
preparation and response to the 829 attack.
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Slow federal response to 911 measured in minutes and hours
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Response to Katrina measured in days, weeks, months and years.
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3,000 deaths in a couple of hours
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2,000 deaths over a period of a few days
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Destruction of 10 city blocks, two of the world's largest office buildings, four airplanes and damage to a large
federal office building
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Over 200,000 buildings destroyed or
substantially damaged. 1.5 million people evacuated for a month. 100,000's unable to return after a year.
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Police and firefighters glorified
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Police and firefighters criticized.
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Congressional investigations. Recommendations widely ignored
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Billions committed to improve airport security.
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Billions committed to rebuild the levees
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Direct federal aid to electric utility companies damaged on 911
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Direct aid denied, recommendation contrary to settled law that investors bear the cost, CBDG monies ultimately used in partial fullfilment of requirements.
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Federal payments to survivors of victims on the order of a few million
dollars each.
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Federal payments to evacuees on the order of a few
thousand dollars each. Up to two years living expenses provided to some. CDBG grants up to $150,000 funneled to 100,000 underinsured victims.
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Local government praised
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Local government vilified.
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Damage resulting from hostile attack
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Damage resulting from hostile neglect.
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Wars launched in Afghanistan and Iraq
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829
response includes pledges of over $100 billion in federal assistance
but after a year only a few billion has been spent outside of flood
insurance payments , first response and debris removal
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Crazy conspiracy theories that the US government was somehow behind the attack
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Crazy conspiracy theories that the levees were purposely blown up
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