lastmoderate wrote:mysteryman wrote:I have to wonder at the ignorance or just plain stupidity of some of you people.
Some of you are complaining that the NG cant help because they are all in Iraq.
Do any of you even bother to do a little research at all?
According to this site...
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/agency/army/arng-la.htm
there are 11,500 members of the La National Guard.
According to this...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/01/AR2005090101661.html
There are 3700 members of the La NG in Iraq.
That leaves almost 8000 members of the LA NG available to respond to the hurricane.
Now,since the NG answers to and takes orders from the governor of the state,why didn't the gov of La mobilize them before the storm?
Where are they?
Why didn't the Gov call them up and have them act?
Those 8000 people could have helped immensely,they could have been way ahead on evacuations,they could have secured the city and restored order.
The mayor of NO has been crying and blaming Bush,but he bears some of the responsibility.
In any disaster,the order of response is local,state,then federal.
Why didn't the mayor commandeer the city buses and the school buses to help get people out?
Why didn't the gov order the La NG to start evacuating people?
All of us know that the federal govt takes a few days to respond to anything,but when they do its with overwhelming resources.
We are seeing that now,with troops moving in with convoys of supplies,and with the firepower to restore order and maintain it.
So,I ask again...What happened to those 8000 members of the La NG that aren't in Iraq?
Whose fault is it that they weren't mobilized before the storm?
Actually, had you continued your research on the subject, you would find this
http://www4.army.mil/news/article.php?story=7812
National Guard units from all over the four state area were being mobilized., including the LA. national guard. They were not under the control of any Governor, the were under control of U.S. Army, as stated on the U.S. Army web page provided. It's true, you did "a little research", but obviously, not enough. Nice try at protecting your wonderful President though, it was an admirable effort.
Had you bothered to read the link you provided (or perhaps more on that site), or done a modicum of research into the subject, you'd be aware that the NG has a dual role, federal and state. When federalized, they are under the control of the federal government. "At the state level, the governors reserve the ability, under the Constitution of the United States, to call up members of the National Guard in time of domestic emergencies or need."
SOURCE.
If not mobilized for a federal emergency, the La NG could have been mobilized by the Governor of La immediately. Why didn't that happen? Where is your condemnation of the efforts of the local/state government? "The governor can call the National Guard into action during local or statewide emergencies, such as storms, fires, earthquakes or civil disturbances."
SOURCE.
Great source you provided. Too bad you didn't read it.
Or perhaps you are just too preoccupied with bashing Bush.
