First time doing this CNN international Poll

Do you think federal, state and local responses would have been better if the United States was hit by a terrorist attack instead of a hurricane?

Cnn internationl, can get there from cnn homepage

but here's another one: http://www.cnn.com/

http://edition.cnn.com/

Do you think federal, state and local responses would have been better if the United States was hit by a terrorist attack instead of a hurricane?

Yes 57% 2135 votes

No 43% 1610 votes

you cannot really compare massive natural disasters with man-made

If there was a super-volcano to be triggered in the Yellowstone (which is actually possible) within two weeks most of the USA (up to the east coast) would be covered by a thick, sometimes meter deep of lethal ashes. The USA would collapse and the population would have fled to the few remaining intact states, Canada and Mexico. It would take a generation to put the country back on feet.

I have difficulties to imagine terrorist attacks on the scale of Katrina by chemical, biological or radiological means. The only attack that could "match" Katrina would be a nuclear attack on a single town. But the results would be relatively different since most of the area would be obliterated. The problem would be to gather burned and radiation sick people and it's relatively easy (if FEMA is not in charge).

Maybe would a simultaneous MULTI-nuclear attack on trhe US create a similar situation.

The problem is basically that the US relies on private solutions instead of "civilian" ones.

Last night a town and an area of the size of NO was flooded by heavy rains in my vicinity (Nîmes). The water level went up to 1.5 meters (5 ft) in many places. About 10 000 people where evacuated under the night IN FLOODING CONDITIONS because it came unexpected. This was done by firemen, police, army and the equivalent of FEMA. The pictures I saw on TV were very equivalent to NO in places (destruction). No one dead, children trapped in schools had a warm meal this morning.

OK the difference is that the water will recede rapidly and that there was no wind damage. But still...

after was DEFINITELY man-made. So if they don't respond well with 2-3 days notice, why on earth would they respond well with a surprise attack?