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Jordan`s King Abdullah Tours New Orleans

Jordan`s King Abdullah II toured storm-ravaged New Orleans and offered his country`s support for the community left suffering after Hurricane Katrina devastated the region last year. Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast on August 29 and was the largest natural disaster in U.S. history. It is blamed for killing more than 1,100 people.

"You have the sympathies and support of all of us in the international community," the king said. Abdullah spoke of how his kingdom tried unsuccessfully to get aid to New Orleans in the aftermath of the storm. "The minute it became apparent that there was a crisis here, the Jordanian government had prepared two field hospitals with about 400 to 500 people, within 12 to 18 hours of when we knew there was an emergency. For some technical reasons we weren`t able to reach you."

He spoke with Mayor Ray Nagin and praised rescue workers, religious and civic leaders for their efforts to rebuild the community after the storm. Nagin told reporters that Abdullah`s offer of assistance "didn`t get through the federal bureaucracy" in Washington.