I can't be the only one who's noticed that we've seen this before

Freedom. What could that mean to Iraqis? Many things. What did it mean? Looting. Baghdad, which surrendered virtually intact, was soon torn apart by mobs of scavengers sacking government buildings, pillaging the great museums, ransacking the struggling hospitals, vivisecting the electrical guts of the national infrastructure just to strip copper from the wiring. Meanwhile the American soldiers on the scene stood by, and watched, and did nothing, because nobody told them to do otherwise and, anyway, there weren’t enough of them on the ground to impose order.

When asked that week about the chaos sweeping Baghdad’s streets, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld had a simple explanation. “Freedom’s untidy,” he said. “Free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things. They're also free to live their lives and do wonderful things, and that's what's going to happen here.”

Iraqis are still waiting for that last part, and their hopes are fading by the day.

Here's what you do when you know there's an emergency coming: Don't take people out in school and municipal busses before the storm hits (and more than a day after Greyhound, the only option the carless had if they could afford to use it, stopped running). Then after the storm hits and (to the enormous surprise of no-one but the unqualified political appointee Our Fearless Leader appointed to preside over the demise of FEMA and the man himself) the levee breaks right where you saved some money by cancelling repairs? Don't get them food. Don't get them water. Don't get them out. Don't send in the national guard, 'cause they're busy just now. Don't address price gouging or the looming fuel shortage. Don't, whatever you do, let those greasy frostbacks in.

No cop is going to shoot someone who's just lost their home for taking food that's going to rot on the shelves, that insurance is already paying for, when that person has no other way to get food. Unfortunately, with the law broken down along with everything else, people are going to start getting some funny ideas about what their rage entitles them to.

Just like they did in Baghdad.

Shame Mr. Bush can't think of any mistakes he might have made. He might have learned something from his flawed prosecution of the war that would have left a lot fewer people dead in New Orleans and environs.