In light of some recent discussions about who's to blame for the colossal failure of government to protect and serve its citizens, I thought it would be helpful to get an outside perspective — one not so skewed by the right or the left in this country.

From the BBC:

Multiple failures caused relief crisis

The breakdown of the relief operation in New Orleans was the result of multiple failures by city, state and federal authorities.
By Paul Reynolds
World Affairs correspondent, BBC News website


There was no one cause. The failures began long before the hurricane with a gamble that a Category Four or Five hurricane would not strike New Orleans.

They continued with an inadequate evacuation plan and culminated in a relief effort hampered by lack of planning, supplies and manpower, and a breakdown in communications of the most basic sort.

On top of all this, there is the question of whether an earlier intervention by President Bush could have a made a big difference.

> Read the article.