The statement that I quoted from the Red Cross' website on Sept 2, 2005 indicated that:

1."Acess to New Orleans is controlled by the National Guard and local authorities and while we are in constant contact with them, we simply cannot enter New Orleans against their orders."

2.The state Homeland Security Department had requested--and continues to request--that the American Red Cross not come back into New Orleans following the hurricane. Our presence would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city."

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I'm not sure who was in charge of the National Guard and who the "local authorities" were who supposedly denied the Red Cross access to entering New Orleans.

Even if it is true that the state agencies requested that the Red Cross not "come back to New Orleans following the hurricane" because that agency's "presence would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city," why didn't the federal authorities countermand that "request"? Surely they had the power to do so, since FEMA was ultimately in charge.

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Since there are so many "he said/she said" statements and so many contradictory charges & countercharges, it seems to me {and quite a number of other folks} that what is needed is an INDEPENDENT inquiry about Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.

Why don't the Republicans in Congress want an independent inquiry? Are they afraid learning the truth?