By Andrew L. Jaffee

Self-criticism, introspection, self-regulation, self-determination, participation, accountability… All concepts incomprehensible to much of the Arab/Muslim world (e.g., the reaction to the Mohammed cartoons). From the BBC:

Inexperience and a lack of planning, discipline and leadership undermined the US response to Hurricane Katrina, a White House report has concluded.

Federal disaster response plans had “significant flaws”, it says.

Among 125 recommendations in the report is a call for more control to be handed to the Pentagon in similar disasters.

The report is the latest in a string of critical judgements on the response to the hurricane which hit last August, killing about 1,300 people.

Compiled by White House homeland security adviser Frances Townsend, the report highlights 11 key areas in need of improvement in case of future disasters.

Can you imagine the office of Syrian President Assad, Egyptian President Mubarak, or Iranian President Ahmadinejad publishing such a report?

Read the full White House report: The Federal Response to Hurricane Katrina: Lessons Learned