Here is an excerpt from an article on the fallout of Hurricane Katrina by Felipe-Fernandez-Armesto, lecturer at Tufts University, Massachusetts.

When the terrorists struck on 9/11, Mr Bush could make any number of mistakes, and still gain in popularity, because there were aliens on hand to hate. He could launch and mismanage wars with impunity, counting on the electorate's fidelity in the face of the foe.

This time Mr Bush cannot rail against God or, with his environmental record, make an enemy of nature. He cannot bomb the sea or invade the wind. God and nature are on the same side; and they no longer look like America's coalition partners. Even in the context of a natural occurrence, where there is no real enemy, people still need to hate and long for vengeance. Slowly, inexorably, with a chilling uniformity, the accusing gazes are focusing on the White House.

The original, published by The Independent, UK: Apocalypse in the USA
An edited version published by The Age, Melbourne: Can Bush survive nature's fury?