When the levee breaks

Who could have ever thought about the unprecedented level of damage done by Hurricane Katrina? Not only does this raise the issue of disaster management for the victims who suffered terrible losses, it also emphasizes the difference between politics and leadership. In a very different scenario, the Boxing Day tsunami in the Indian Ocean last year triggered the Aceh rebels to give up their weapons in a desperate sitaution. For some people, it would be a matter of political advantage to raise the issue of poverty and disparity among various communities in the United States. It is not a surprise that President Bush’s popularity ratings are at an all time low once again. The last time it was in the situation of the 9-11 attacks. However, he managed to wage war with Afghanistan and Iraq in order to bring back American pride and redeem his own position. Whatever can be done this time around to restore the livelihoods of the victims, there can’t be any war against nature.