The Oregon Flood Dec 2007
I stood up groggily and stretched, wincing with pain as my back reminded me I wasn’t a young grunt anymore. The chair of the audio-visual station was extremely uncomfortable, especially after six hours. Taking a long swig of the cold congealed coffee in my paper cup, I got the urge for another stimulant. So I sauntered over to my usual desk while trying to ignore the officer’s briefing going on in the front of the room. As I fumbled around for a pack of cigarettes in my top desk drawer I saw my calendar. The date said December 3rd. “Tell Anna ‘I told you so.’” was the cryptic note I had written myself. I was almost in shock, but then the logic of it fit neatly. On November 5th I had made a prediction to Anna. “We’ll be busy on December the third.” I had said. “How can you know that?” was the expected reply. “Listen, this guy has a theory…”
US Anti-Semitism 
Why do we mess with Israel? What makes us think we can alter God’s plan or help it along? Are we ignorant or arrogant beyond all belief? I am talking about the Annapolis conference of course. Annapolis was President George Bush’s latest attempt to craft a legacy from the Middle East, an abysmal failure of course. Perhaps a better executed event than Clinton’s Camp David shenanigans. When we look at the history of the failed Annapolis proceedings we see blatant anti-Semitism and a disregard for Israeli sovereignty. We see Condoleezza Rice and her shocking statements identifying with the Palestinians. Quoted by the Washington Post Rice said “I know what it is like to hear you cannot go on a road or through a checkpoint because you are Palestinian, I understand the feeling of humiliation and powerlessness…” Wow, I am not sure how to be insulted. Should Israelis be insulted on the basis that Rice portrays them as bigots and racist, or should Americans be insulted by Rice comments that being black in white America is like being oppressed under the Palestinian authority? I give Rice credit for pissing everyone off at once. Even the Palestinian press did not like be equated to “listless African Americans.”- Al Jazeera The NAACP balked at being compared to Palestinians. I guess being a black female Secretary of State qualifies you to commiserate about American inequality and oppression.
Incur God’s wrath?
The point being William Koenig has a theory and I think people should pay attention, after all our very survival may be hanging in the balance. Koenig states that US disasters are directly linked to US involvement with Israel, specifically US pressure on Israel to release land to the Palestinians. It is a fascinating theory by any measure, one that can be historically evaluated. Go to www.watch.org for more details.
The Perfect Storm:
Based on data given by Koenig and altering the parameters slightly, I evaluated the forlorn Annapolis conference and made my prediction. I was not very sure about the variables, and it was early November, so I did not feel very precise about time, place or what. December 3rd was my prediction. What would it be a terrorist attack or an industrial accident, maybe a severe storm? “December 3rd Anna, were going to be busy.” We were very busy indeed.
“It started as a glint in a weatherperson's eye. As a full-grown storm, it stretched from below the International Dateline to Idaho, dumped a couple of feet of rain and zipped winds past 125 miles per hour before the power went down and the gauges blew off their stands.” – Clark Gallagher, The Oregonian
It was indeed a monster. Six people lost their lives, and we are still counting the cost. FEMA will probably write us a check for a quarter of a billion dollars. Isn’t that real money to someone anymore? Did you notice down there, you people in New Orleans? The people who came and helped you out in 2005 just had the same thing happen to them. No one batted an eye, where is the outrage at President Bush’s abject silence? Thousands were displaced and a town was wiped off of the map. Don’t worry, Oregon is tough.
That’s where we entered in. I work for the National Guard in the Emergency Operations Center. I will not glorify myself in this. I do offer the following on behalf of my stalwart coworkers.
“If there's any doubt about how effectively the state of Oregon responded to early December's storms, listen to Tony Hyde of Vernonia. ‘This was a textbook example of how to perform in a disaster,’ he says. ‘The governor and his team were superb.’” – The Oregonian
“Most dramatically of all, the Oregon National Guard raced to Vernonia, where the 125th Special Tactics Squadron rescued scores of flood victims in a dangerous, dead-of-night operation.” – The Oregonian
I am a registered Republican, but I have to tell you, Gov. Kulingoski will have my vote in the future. Good leadership is good leadership, even if you can’t stand the man’s stance on social issues. (That’s why we have a congress and senate) The hard work and determination I saw not just from the Oregon Guard, but from the entire State government was a testament to competency throughout the state. Every Oregon employee in this situation deserves high praise.
Next week: Part 2
References (see completed references at end of part 2)
http://www.oregonlive.com/argus/stories/index.ssf?/base/columnist/1197049966146080.xml&coll=6
http://www.oregonlive.com/oregonian/stories/index.ssf?/base/editorial/1197582904185300.xml&coll=7
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/1207/freund121307.php3?printer_friendly
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