Pamela Brown Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 (edited) Many of us are wondering how sites related to the JFK assassination, such as the Oswald's apartment and the Reily Coffee Company on Magazine Street, survived Katrina and its aftermath. Here is a link to a flood map that shows current and highest flooding of the different areas. http://www.mapper.cctechnol.com/floodmap.php It looks as though Magazine Street survived ok, although I have also heard that David Ferrie's apt. on Louisiana Ave. was flooded. Edited September 11, 2005 by Pamela McElwain-Brown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Dolva Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 Many of us are wondering how sites related to the JFK assassination, such as the Oswald's apartment and the Reily Coffee Company on Magazine Street, survived Katrina and its aftermath. Here is a link to a flood map that shows current and highest flooding of the different areas.http://www.mapper.cctechnol.com/floodmap.php It looks as though Magazine Street survived ok, although I have also heard that David Ferrie's apt. on Louisiana Ave. was flooded. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> An empty city with old buildins scoured by federal agencies? Hmmm..wondering who is monitoring what they find in the old boxes tucked away in the attics? ..........Anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Mauro Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 (edited) Many of us are wondering how sites related to the JFK assassination, such as the Oswald's apartment and the Reily Coffee Company on Magazine Street, survived Katrina and its aftermath. Here is a link to a flood map that shows current and highest flooding of the different areas.http://www.mapper.cctechnol.com/floodmap.php It looks as though Magazine Street survived ok, although I have also heard that David Ferrie's apt. on Louisiana Ave. was flooded. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> An empty city with old buildins scoured by federal agencies? Hmmm..wondering who is monitoring what they find in the old boxes tucked away in the attics? ..........Anyone? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> ****************************************************************** Well, as long as Bush's Department of Homeland Security finds the Blackwater Mercenaries method of security measures applicable to New Orleans, his loyal constituents and lobbyists have nothing to fear. Wouldn't you agree? And BTW, is there anyone out there, besides myself, who thinks that the name, "Department of HOMELAND Security" leaves alot to be desired? Such as the use of the initials, "DHS" as possibly being counter-productive since they are the same as those used by the "Department of HEALTH Services?" Not to mention the hokey-sounding "HOMELAND", which is more indicative of a bread factory, or bakery, rather than that of a NATIONAL police force, in charge of the defense of everything within the borders of the UNITED STATES with which it's supposed to be identified? How about The Department of NATIONAL Security, for instance? The DNS? Or better yet, The Department of The NATIONAL Police Force, or The NATIONAL Police Force Department, or NPFD? Or, The NATIONAL Police Department, or NPD? Anyhow, you get the idea, don't you? ANYTHING but "HOMELAND." "HOMELAND" sounds like a Kindergarden security system. Can't this administration be a little more creative than to think up anything less innovative than, "HOMELAND"? Or, is this merely a reflection of the level of demented originality, acceptable to the citizens of the U.S.? And, as in the article below, the name "Blackwater". Was the deployment of this group of organized thugs and mercenaries something the Department of Kindergarden Security figured was applicable to the City of New Orleans, based upon the color of the water under which the city is now submerged? ___________________________________________________________________ Blackwater Mercenaries Deploy in New Orleans By Jeremy Scahill and Daniela Crespo t r u t h o u t | Report Saturday 10 September 2005 New Orleans - Heavily armed paramilitary mercenaries from the Blackwater private security firm, infamous for their work in Iraq, are openly patrolling the streets of New Orleans. Some of the mercenaries say they have been "deputized" by the Louisiana governor; indeed some are wearing gold Louisiana state law enforcement badges on their chests and Blackwater photo identification cards on their arms. They say they are on contract with the Department of Homeland Security and have been given the authority to use lethal force. Several mercenaries we spoke with said they had served in Iraq on the personal security details of the former head of the US occupation, L. Paul Bremer and the former US ambassador to Iraq, John Negroponte. "This is a totally new thing to have guys like us working CONUS (Continental United States)," a heavily armed Blackwater mercenary told us as we stood on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. "We're much better equipped to deal with the situation in Iraq." Blackwater mercenaries are some of the most feared professional killers in the world and they are accustomed to operating without worry of legal consequences. Their presence on the streets of New Orleans should be a cause for serious concern for the remaining residents of the city and raises alarming questions about why the government would allow men trained to kill with impunity in places like Iraq and Afghanistan to operate here. Some of the men now patrolling the streets of New Orleans returned from Iraq as recently as 2 weeks ago. What is most disturbing is the claim of several Blackwater mercenaries we spoke with that they are here under contract from the federal and Louisiana state governments. Blackwater is one of the leading private "security" firms servicing the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. It has several US government contracts and has provided security for many senior US diplomats, foreign dignitaries and corporations. The company rose to international prominence after 4 of its men were killed in Fallujah and two of their charred bodies were hung from a bridge in March 2004. Those killings sparked the massive US retaliation against the civilian population of Fallujah that resulted in scores of deaths and tens of thousands of refugees. As the threat of forced evictions now looms in New Orleans and the city confiscates even legally registered weapons from civilians, the private mercenaries of Blackwater patrol the streets openly wielding M-16s and other assault weapons. This despite Police Commissioner Eddie Compass' claim that "Only law enforcement are allowed to have weapons." Officially, Blackwater says it forces are in New Orleans to "join the Hurricane Relief Effort." A statement on the company's website, dated September 1, advertises airlift services, security services and crowd control. The company, according to news reports, has since begun taking private contracts to guard hotels, businesses and other properties. But what has not been publicly acknowledged is the claim, made to us by 2 Blackwater mercenaries, that they are actually engaged in general law enforcement activities including "securing neighborhoods" and "confronting criminals." That raises a key question: under what authority are Blackwater's men operating? A spokesperson for the Homeland Security Department, Russ Knocke, told the Washington Post he knows of no federal plans to hire Blackwater or other private security. "We believe we've got the right mix of personnel in law enforcement for the federal government to meet the demands of public safety." he said. But in an hour-long conversation with several Blackwater mercenaries, we heard a different story. The men we spoke with said they are indeed on contract with the Department of Homeland Security and the Louisiana governor's office and that some of them are sleeping in camps organized by Homeland Security in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. One of them wore a gold Louisiana state law enforcement badge and said he had been "deputized" by the governor. They told us they not only had authority to make arrests but also to use lethal force. We encountered the Blackwater forces as we walked through the streets of the largely deserted French Quarter. We were talking with 2 New York Police officers when an unmarked car without license plates sped up next to us and stopped. Inside were 3 men, dressed in khaki uniforms, flak jackets and wielding automatic weapons. "Y'all know where the Blackwater guys are?" they asked. One of the police officers responded, "There are a bunch of them around here," and pointed down the road. "Blackwater?" we asked. "The guys who are in Iraq?" "Yeah," said the officer. "They're all over the place." A short while later, as we continued down Bourbon Street, we ran into the men from the car. They wore Blackwater ID badges on their arms. "When they told me New Orleans, I said, 'What country is that in?,'" said one of the Blackwater men. He was wearing his company ID around his neck in a carrying case with the phrase "Operation Iraqi Freedom" printed on it. After bragging about how he drives around Iraq in a "State Department issued level 5, explosion proof BMW," he said he was "just trying to get back to Kirkuk (in the north of Iraq) where the real action is." Later we overheard him on his cell phone complaining that Blackwater was only paying $350 a day plus per diem. That is much less than the men make serving in more dangerous conditions in Iraq. Two men we spoke with said they plan on returning to Iraq in October. But, as one mercenary said, they've been told they could be in New Orleans for up to 6 months. "This is a trend," he told us. "You're going to see a lot more guys like us in these situations." If Blackwater's reputation and record in Iraq are any indication of the kind of "services" the company offers, the people of New Orleans have much to fear. ----- Jeremy Scahill, a correspondent for the national radio and TV program Democracy Now!, and Daniela Crespo are in New Orleans. Visit www.democracynow.org for in-depth, independent, investigative reporting on Hurricane Katrina. Email: jeremy@democracynow.org. Edited September 11, 2005 by Terry Mauro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerry Hemming Posted September 11, 2005 Share Posted September 11, 2005 Many of us are wondering how sites related to the JFK assassination, such as the Oswald's apartment and the Reily Coffee Company on Magazine Street, survived Katrina and its aftermath. Here is a link to a flood map that shows current and highest flooding of the different areas.http://www.mapper.cctechnol.com/floodmap.php It looks as though Magazine Street survived ok, although I have also heard that David Ferrie's apt. on Louisiana Ave. was flooded. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> An empty city with old buildins scoured by federal agencies? Hmmm..wondering who is monitoring what they find in the old boxes tucked away in the attics? ..........Anyone? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> ****************************************************************** Well, as long as Bush's Department of Homeland Security finds the Blackwater Mercenaries method of security measures applicable to New Orleans, his loyal constituents and lobbyists have nothing to fear. Wouldn't you agree? And BTW, is there anyone out there, besides myself, who thinks that the name, "Department of HOMELAND Security" leaves alot to be desired? Such as the use of the initials, "DHS" as possibly being counter-productive since they are the same as those used by the "Department of HEALTH Services?" Not to mention the hokey-sounding "HOMELAND", which is more indicative of a bread factory, or bakery, rather than that of a NATIONAL police force, in charge of the defense of everything within the borders of the UNITED STATES with which it's supposed to be identified? How about The Department of NATIONAL Security, for instance? The DNS? Or better yet, The Department of The NATIONAL Police Force, or The NATIONAL Police Force Department, or NPFD? Or, The NATIONAL Police Department, or NPD? Anyhow, you get the idea, don't you? ANYTHING but "HOMELAND." "HOMELAND" sounds like a Kindergarden security system. Can't this administration be a little more creative than to think up anything less innovative than, "HOMELAND"? Or, is this merely a reflection of the level of demented originality, acceptable to the citizens of the U.S.? And, as in the article below, the name "Blackwater". Was the deployment of this group of organized thugs and mercenaries something the Department of Kindergarden Security figured was applicable to the City of New Orleans, based upon the color of the water under which the city is now submerged? ___________________________________________________________________ Blackwater Mercenaries Deploy in New Orleans By Jeremy Scahill and Daniela Crespo t r u t h o u t | Report Saturday 10 September 2005 New Orleans - Heavily armed paramilitary mercenaries from the Blackwater private security firm, infamous for their work in Iraq, are openly patrolling the streets of New Orleans. Some of the mercenaries say they have been "deputized" by the Louisiana governor; indeed some are wearing gold Louisiana state law enforcement badges on their chests and Blackwater photo identification cards on their arms. They say they are on contract with the Department of Homeland Security and have been given the authority to use lethal force. Several mercenaries we spoke with said they had served in Iraq on the personal security details of the former head of the US occupation, L. Paul Bremer and the former US ambassador to Iraq, John Negroponte. "This is a totally new thing to have guys like us working CONUS (Continental United States)," a heavily armed Blackwater mercenary told us as we stood on Bourbon Street in the French Quarter. "We're much better equipped to deal with the situation in Iraq." Blackwater mercenaries are some of the most feared professional killers in the world and they are accustomed to operating without worry of legal consequences. Their presence on the streets of New Orleans should be a cause for serious concern for the remaining residents of the city and raises alarming questions about why the government would allow men trained to kill with impunity in places like Iraq and Afghanistan to operate here. Some of the men now patrolling the streets of New Orleans returned from Iraq as recently as 2 weeks ago. What is most disturbing is the claim of several Blackwater mercenaries we spoke with that they are here under contract from the federal and Louisiana state governments. Blackwater is one of the leading private "security" firms servicing the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan. It has several US government contracts and has provided security for many senior US diplomats, foreign dignitaries and corporations. The company rose to international prominence after 4 of its men were killed in Fallujah and two of their charred bodies were hung from a bridge in March 2004. Those killings sparked the massive US retaliation against the civilian population of Fallujah that resulted in scores of deaths and tens of thousands of refugees. As the threat of forced evictions now looms in New Orleans and the city confiscates even legally registered weapons from civilians, the private mercenaries of Blackwater patrol the streets openly wielding M-16s and other assault weapons. This despite Police Commissioner Eddie Compass' claim that "Only law enforcement are allowed to have weapons." Officially, Blackwater says it forces are in New Orleans to "join the Hurricane Relief Effort." A statement on the company's website, dated September 1, advertises airlift services, security services and crowd control. The company, according to news reports, has since begun taking private contracts to guard hotels, businesses and other properties. But what has not been publicly acknowledged is the claim, made to us by 2 Blackwater mercenaries, that they are actually engaged in general law enforcement activities including "securing neighborhoods" and "confronting criminals." That raises a key question: under what authority are Blackwater's men operating? A spokesperson for the Homeland Security Department, Russ Knocke, told the Washington Post he knows of no federal plans to hire Blackwater or other private security. "We believe we've got the right mix of personnel in law enforcement for the federal government to meet the demands of public safety." he said. But in an hour-long conversation with several Blackwater mercenaries, we heard a different story. The men we spoke with said they are indeed on contract with the Department of Homeland Security and the Louisiana governor's office and that some of them are sleeping in camps organized by Homeland Security in New Orleans and Baton Rouge. One of them wore a gold Louisiana state law enforcement badge and said he had been "deputized" by the governor. They told us they not only had authority to make arrests but also to use lethal force. We encountered the Blackwater forces as we walked through the streets of the largely deserted French Quarter. We were talking with 2 New York Police officers when an unmarked car without license plates sped up next to us and stopped. Inside were 3 men, dressed in khaki uniforms, flak jackets and wielding automatic weapons. "Y'all know where the Blackwater guys are?" they asked. One of the police officers responded, "There are a bunch of them around here," and pointed down the road. "Blackwater?" we asked. "The guys who are in Iraq?" "Yeah," said the officer. "They're all over the place." A short while later, as we continued down Bourbon Street, we ran into the men from the car. They wore Blackwater ID badges on their arms. "When they told me New Orleans, I said, 'What country is that in?,'" said one of the Blackwater men. He was wearing his company ID around his neck in a carrying case with the phrase "Operation Iraqi Freedom" printed on it. After bragging about how he drives around Iraq in a "State Department issued level 5, explosion proof BMW," he said he was "just trying to get back to Kirkuk (in the north of Iraq) where the real action is." Later we overheard him on his cell phone complaining that Blackwater was only paying $350 a day plus per diem. That is much less than the men make serving in more dangerous conditions in Iraq. Two men we spoke with said they plan on returning to Iraq in October. But, as one mercenary said, they've been told they could be in New Orleans for up to 6 months. "This is a trend," he told us. "You're going to see a lot more guys like us in these situations." If Blackwater's reputation and record in Iraq are any indication of the kind of "services" the company offers, the people of New Orleans have much to fear. ----- Jeremy Scahill, a correspondent for the national radio and TV program Democracy Now!, and Daniela Crespo are in New Orleans. Visit www.democracynow.org for in-depth, independent, investigative reporting on Hurricane Katrina. Email: jeremy@democracynow.org. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> --------------------------- Terry, et al.: I heard that the first name suggested was "Der Fuehrer's Department of Fatherland Security" [a-la Sicherheitsdienst]; but then they decided that it was a bit bold and premature, and that renaming it would have to wait awhile. Sieg Dubya Shrub !! Gerry Hemming ________________________________________ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ecker Posted September 12, 2005 Share Posted September 12, 2005 I heard that the first name suggested was "Der Fuehrer's Department of Fatherland Security" [a-la Sicherheitsdienst]; but then they decided that it was a bit bold and premature, and that renaming it would have to wait awhile. Indeed, I think for a lot of people the word "Homeland" immediately brings to mind "Fatherland," especially when coming from this administration. And as for Blackwater security, what immediately comes to mind is "Blackshirts." The article linked below appeared just a day or so ago in the Washington Post, about U.S. private security outfits shooting people in Iraq. Blackwater is mentioned, though ironically it has to do with four Blackwater employees who were killed by Iraqis. Live by the sword . . . http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...5090902136.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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