I think this is weird:

An ITN news crew can get into (and out of) Gulf City (or whatever it's called), but the powers that be can't get in water and other essential supplies. Pathetic in a nation that claims to be the richest, most sophisticated etc.

I note that no charity donation line has been set up (that I'm aware of as someone outside the country), so it seems that money is not the problem. Interesting also to note that money isn't always the solution.

But if you think about it, if you can't get in by road, you must be able to get in by air or water. In a nation with so many resources, why can't they even figure out how to ship in essential supplies? And why are they threatening to execute looters with no trial? Surely theft is the least of everyone's problems.

Is it a class/ethnic thing? "Oh, it's not New York or Boston, they're all just hillbillies anyways, so no need to make too much effort."

A taster of times to come when Americans finally hit the wall of reality where they realise they can't drive their SUVs anymore because there's a shortage of oil. Bush has somewhat conveniently eroded civil rights in the aftermath of 9/11, so that it will be much easier to contain the population once the civil strife starts. Would you rather be free, and have a 0.0001% chance of being blown up by a terrorist, or be shackled and have a 0.0001% chance of being blown up by a terrorist? (As if the odds changed because of the Patriot Act!). Ironic for a country supposedly built on the principle of freedom.

Sorry to tangentialise. I can't help seeing the parallels.

Jane