Why is the Red Cross not in New Orleans?

From the American Red Cross courtesy of ECHIDNE OF THE SNAKES:

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.

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.

Click here for the rest.

That's completely insane. The Salvation Army is there--Bush was trying to send residents to them yesterday afternoon. Why allow the Salvation Army but not the Red Cross? The cynic in me suspects that the answer might have something to do with the Salvation Army's fundamentalist leanings being more valued by the Bush administration than the Red Cross' new-agey inclusivity. The pragmatist in me, however, suspects that the answer is simply gross incompetence. At any rate, this is totally outrageous.

UPDATE: Scratch the cynical thought. The Salvation Army thing was actually in Biloxi. Nonetheless, keeping aid agencies out of New Orleans because they "would keep people from evacuating and encourage others to come into the city" is just plain nuts. Thousands of people are slowly dying there. They need help right now. This is total insanity.

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