The "Survival of New Orleans"

I wanted to post on this yesterday when BenT handed me some copy; posts from a blog called the Interdictor, but I also wanted to look for myself first. From the very fist line in the header comes this line, "This journal has become the Survival of New Orleans blog." And the entries are chilling, to say the very, very least.

Here are just a few comments from this blog:

Friday, September 2, 2005 -- 10:01 AM
During the recon, I spoke to some Federal Marshalls and NOPD. Morale is LOW. Very low. They're not seeing the military presence they say they were promised. I told those guys they can't possibly imagine how much we (the world) appreciate their dedication. I asked what civil rights the citizens have and the US Marshalls looked at me like I just fell off the turnip truck and chuckled. I asked if citizens can have guns for protection and he said if someone thinks he needs a gun, he should have already evacuated. He also said they are setting the city on fire.

The NOPD wants to know where "the two active duty brigades" were that he says they were told were supposed to arrive today. When I asked him what he would want to tell the world, he said Everyone keeps talking about the military presence in the city, and then asked me," Do you see any military around here" in disgust.

We reconned our roof also, to get a better view of the city and took... I hesitate to call them "amazing" pictures. My city... it has been punched in the face and is on the canvas being counted out.

And yes, that's smoke you see out of the windows. The city is under a haze from the fires. Smoke and ash are floating miles away from the fires.

Thursday, September 1st, 2005 -- 11:50 AM
In case anyone in national security is reading this, get the word to President Bush that we need the military in here NOW. The Active Duty Armed Forces. Mr. President, we are losing this city. I don't care what you're hearing on the news. The city is being lost. It is the law of the jungle down here. The command and control structure here is barely functioning. I'm not sure it's anyone's fault -- I'm not sure it could be any other way at this point. We need the kind of logistical support and infrastructure only the Active Duty military can provide. The hospitals are in dire straights. The police barely have any capabilities at this point. The National Guard is doing their best, but the situation is not being contained. I'm here to help in anyway I can, but my capabilities are limited and dropping. Please get the military here to maintain order before this city is lost.

Doing what we can, this is Outpost Crystal getting back to work.

Thursday, September 1st, 2005 -- 09:15 PM
"Outpost Crystal is still secured and still kicking. We've got people begging us to leave, but that's not going to happen. We might lose Charlie Squad depending on internect connectivity, but Alpha Squad and Bravo Squad are going nowhere until New Orleans' infrastructure is rebuilt or declared permanently and irrevocably destroyed. As far as I'm concerned, this building is my post, and it will not be abandoned until I'm properly relieved."

Michael Barnett, the blogs author, also questions whether the city should even be rebuilt...

"God help this city. Whether or not it ought to be rebuilt is secondary to the real issue: can it be rebuilt? Looking around, I wouldn't know where or how to start."

Personal Note: I can't believe what I'm seeing. Over the last 30 years I've rode out several hurricanes, but I have never seen anything like this. For myself, I concur with Mr. Barnett's assessment, but I have to go a bit further: I honestly believe New Orleans is done for. And I'll explain that last statement later. For now, I have things to do.