Katrina's SMOKING gun

If Bush can emerge from this blow, the man is unimpeachable.

In dramatic and sometimes agonizing terms, federal disaster officials warned President Bush and his homeland security chief before Hurricane Katrina struck that the storm could breach levees, put lives at risk in New Orleans' Superdome and overwhelm rescuers, according to confidential video footage.

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Bush listened in to the August 28 briefing by video link from his Texas ranch, where he was on holiday. He asked no questions but did say "I want to assure the folks at state level that we are fully prepared".

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Katrina struck on August 29, killing more than 1300 people, many in New Orleans. More than 2000 people are still officially listed as missing.

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Michael Brown, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), was heard saying "this is, to put it mildly, the big one".

Brown expressed concern about the Superdome saying the giant New Orleans sports stadium where thousands of residents had sought shelter is about four metres "below sea level".

"I don't know whether the roof is designed to withstand a Cat Five hurricane," Brown is heard saying in the videotape obtained by the AP.

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Max Mayfield, head of the National Hurricane Center, said during a briefing there was "very, very grave concern" that New Orleans' levees could be topped by Katrina.

However, Bush said in a television interview four days after the hurricane hit: "I don't think anybody anticipated the breach of the levees."

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"There's nothing new or insightful on these tapes," [a Homeland Security spokesman said.] "We actively participated in the lessons-learned review and we continue to participate in the Senate's review and are working with them on their recommendation."

New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, a critic of the administration's Katrina response, had a different take after watching the footage Wednesday afternoon from an AP reporter's camera.

"I have kind a sinking feeling in my gut right now," Nagin said. "I was listening to what people were saying - they didn't know, so therefore it was an issue of a learning curve. You know, from this tape it looks like everybody was fully aware."

Bush either deliberately and ruthlessly ignored these warnings about Katrina, or he's hopelessly incompetent. Either way he is UNFIT for office.

If you haven't signed Senator Byrd's petition, now's the time to do it.

While you're at it, stop by afterdowningstreet.org, because there's more than one way to impeach this president.