Maybe I read different news from Kirsten. The news I saw was that at least one rescuer had already been shot (fortunately not fatally), and rescuers have been repeatedly forced to abandon attempts to rescue people due to coming under fire. All articles say that anyone going out on the street is risking their life, with armed gangs ready to kill anyone for what they're carrying. Latest was that five people were killed after they opened fire on armed police (nice job by those cops).

Looting by itself is not serious. However it's symptomatic of an utter breakdown in law and order, where people get to thinking that the usual rules don't apply. So control of looting is a side-effect of bringing law and order back.

As for why those soldiers and cops were stood around - well, if all the inhabitants of NO were peaceful then they could indeed be pitching in. However, since many people in NO are busy fucking it up for the rest, half the rescuers need to stand guard to protect the other half who are working. And the fault for the rescue effort being slowed due to that is down to the criminals in NO who are busy going round looting in armed gangs.

Graham.