Le. Sigh.

In the wake of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation, the U.S. government failed to take advantage of millions of dollars in foreign aid from its allies, The Washington Post reported Sunday.

The U.S. has collected about $126 million and used just $40 million of the $454 million in cash that was offered, the newspaper reported, citing U.S. officials and contractors. Some offers were rescinded or redirected to organizations such as the Red Cross. Other offers were tied up in bureaucracy, the paper said.

…

Wasted aid included medical supplies from Italy that spoiled in the elements for weeks after Katrina caused massive flooding and other damage in Louisiana and Mississippi, the report said.

“Tell them we blew it,” one disgusted State Department official wrote, according to the Post.

Also, the Department of Homeland Security accepted, then later rejected, an offer from Greece to use two cruise ships as hospitals or to house displaced residents for free because the ships could not arrive soon enough, the Post said. The government paid $249 million to use Carnival Cruise Lines vessels.

WTF.

I got sunburned SO bad today - this story completely outrages me and makes me so incredibly sad, but I am so tired from the sun and from getting only 3 hours of sleep last night that I really can’t write any commentary. But I assure you. I’m pissed off about it. #$%^ing #$%^s.