Response to the Avian Flu

Katrina complainers, now look what you’ve done!

Bush considers using military against avian flu outbreak

This reminds me of a joke I saw on, I think it was the Tonight Show. When asked what his response to the West Nile epidemic would be, Bush responded that he intended to invade the West Nile to eliminate the virus.

President Bush, increasingly concerned about a possible avian flu pandemic, revealed Tuesday that any part of the country where the virus breaks out could likely be quarantined and that he is considering using the military to enforce the decision.

Well, I guess the President decided to get out in front of this considering the scathing attacks he endured in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Remember Katrina? First the Bush haters attacked FEMA, which has no on ground resources and is simply a relief management agency, for not doing multiple tasks which they were never intended to do. Then Bush was attacked for not sending in troops. Then he was attacked for invading New Orleans. Who can blame him for putting his two centavos in early on this one?

"The best way to deal with a pandemic is to isolate it and keep it isolated in the region in which it begins."

The president was asked if his recent talk of giving the military the lead in responding to large natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and other catastrophes was in part the result of his concerns that state and local personnel aren't up to the task of a flu outbreak.

"Yes," he replied.

And there you have it. There are other ways of dealing with such a crisis. One might be to politely ask China to clean up their stinking chicken farms. Almost all forms of the flu come from the filth in China, and yet no one seems to think that approaching China to enter the First World in regards to sanitation is an option. And then, as noted here months ago, there is this option:

I'd rather have the Bird Flu...

I can’t help but think we should consider the old saying that begins, ‘Watch out what you ask for…’

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