Do we need New Orleans?

I'm attaching an essay sent by a friend of a friend named Julie in response to my posting, "New Orleans is Sinking". It's a great essay. George Friedman acknowledges my central arguments for not rebuilding New Orleans. Then he demolishes them.

For example, I said we should rebuild the city on higher ground. He acknowledges “It is a terrible place for a city to be located," but then he adds with an air of authority, “it is exactly the place where a city must exist.” (Did he mean for "must" to be italicized?)

I’m inclined to say, hey, if George Friedman says so, then that’s good enough for me. The guy is obviously smart, informed, passionate, and he gives a shit.

On the other hand, is George willing to help pay the bill for rebuilding an entire city in a dumb place?

Jim

P.S. Is it possible to just rebuild the physical shipping infrastructure without restoring the city "to its former glory" (as I'm sure some city booster must have put it)?

http://www.stratfor.com/news/archive/050903-geopolitics_katrina.php