Regarding FEMA, There are countless examples of how FEMA DID NOT PERMIT "authorized relief: food, water and clothing as well as rescue workers and trauma medical staff into the Katrina disaster area for the first 10 days.

The reason is not a racist conspiracy or a premeditated political conspiracy of any kind.

The reason is that FEMA was entirely set up to respond to small pox and radiation attacks - not a natural disaster.

The department was downsized and all the emphasis went into containment, quarantine and news conferences to give a sedatitive effect and minimize panic.

Some of the few groups that did side step FEMA to give relief was the search and rescue teams from Canada and a local Sheriff who had to send armed police to take back the diesel fuel that FEMA had confiscated from the Bernard Parish emergency response center. FEMA eveh cut down that Sheriff's emergency broadcast antenna, supposedly to make room for a FEMA antenna.

Certainly in the case of a viral outbreak many of these FEMA strategies would be understandable. In the case of a biological attack, FEMA is empowered to quarantine, disable communication and allow for the eradication of certain populations should the need arise.

In an attack scenario, Homeland Security is prepared to make tough choices that seem heartless, ruthless and Machavellian.

So it was not just inaction by FEMA but a confused inappropriate response by an agency that is now restructured to have no business reponding to a natural diaster.

In short it was like you having to call the fire department and instead they sent a SWAT team - with forms that needed to be be signed in triplicate, forwarded, reviewed, approved and sent to commitee for recommended action.