AP: Bush Told U.S. Needs Post-Disaster Plan

[SillyGoose]

By DEB RIECHMANN, Associated Press Writer

SAN ANTONIO - Military officials told President Bush on Sunday that the U.S. needs a national plan to coordinate search and rescue efforts following natural disasters or terrorist attacks.

Bush said he has been interested in whether the Defense Department should take the lead in disasters "of a certain size."

"It's clearly the case in a terrorist attack," Bush said. "It's going to be a very important consideration for Congress to think about."

Bush got an update about the federal hurricane response from military leaders at Randolph Air Force Base. He heard from Lt. Gen. Robert Clark, joint military task force commander for Hurricane Rita, and Maj. Gen. John White, a task force member, who noted confusion in search and rescue operations after Hurricane Katrina.

more...
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050925/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_hk4

[Birthmark]

1. Isn't that what FEMA is supposed to do?

[SillyGoose]

2. That's what I thought...go figure. eom

[Pirate Smile]

13. Silly me, I thought they figured this out after 9/11.

[librechik]

3. we HAVE a national disaster plan: Send in the National Guard!

oh, yeah, we're wasting their lives in a foolish bid for brutal power overseas.

Sorry America! But Bush is NOT going to change his mind about that.

[madeline_con]

4. "Bush Told ..."

How come this moron has to be "told" everything?!

Can he form one thought on his own? Has he NO powers of reason?

Is he brain dead? I'll pull the tube if DU will help raise my plane fare!!!! :mad:

[tinfoilinfor2005]

23. Would you like Visa, Master Card or American Express?

Or I can offer a personal check or cash. How about a ride to the airport?

[librechik]

5. Wait, I sense another huge bureaucracy about to be invented

for the Bush "legacy" That's his solution to everything--anything to avoid ACTUALLY doing any "hard work."

[Cocoa]

6. dang, another homework assignment

Bush, "can this be a team project?"

"It's going to be a very important consideration for Congress to think about."

<snip>

Bush thanked White for his recommendations.

"This is precisely the kind of information I'll take back to Washington to help all of us understand how to do a better job," the president said.

[gizmo1979]

7. shouldn't we already have a plan?

What have we been working from?I thought we needed a new plan,not that we never had one to begin with.

[dubyaD40web]

8. What the hell have they been doing for the past 4 years?

According to every speech I've heard the idiot-king make for the past 4 years, that's been the number one priority.

[IDemo]

9. U.S. Post - Disaster Plan: Election 2008 n/t

[Cookie wookie]

10. we do not want US military forces to

take over control of national disaster response.

Federal disaster response was intentionally assigned to a federal civilian authority, FEMA, and the national guard (controlled by each state) because of the danger of bringing U.S. military forces into action in the US. Very dangerous.

If the Pentagon/US military is given the authority to work as a police force in our cities, then depending on who is in charge (Bush and company), what we have is a door wide open for a military takeover of the country.

If I were a conspiracy theorist (never, not me), I'd conclude that bush's announcement is another piece of evidence of a possible Pentagon plan to overthrow democratic government in the US from the inside. That plan would include creating military diversions overseas that weaken the country (except for the US military which grows stronger), move our national guard overseas, putting them into the "war", which blurs the lines of authority and disables the guard from protecting their states (and the states from protecting themselves), then cutting the legs out from under FEMA, and creating the Homeland Security, which is nothing but a money eating, crony led, phantom organization that is everywhere and nowhere and that doesn't do anything but create confusion and bottlenecks, fear and false hopes.

Of course this could never happen. Oh, wait, most of it has already.

[Cookie wookie]

11. Posse Comitatus Act

"Section 1385 of Title 18, United States Code (USC), states:

“Whoever, except in cases and under circumstances expressly authorized by the Constitution or Act of Congress, willfully uses any part of the Army or Air Force as a posse comitatus or otherwise to execute the laws shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.”

The PCA does not apply to the U.S. Coast Guard in peacetime or to the National Guard in Title 32 or State Active Duty status. The substantive prohibitions of the Posse Comitatus Act (PCA) were extended to all the services with the enactment of Title 10 USC, Section 375. As required by Title 10 USC, Section 375 the secretary of defense issued Department of Defense Directive 5525.5, which precludes members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps from direct participation in a search, seizure, arrest, or other similar activity unless participation in such activity by such member is otherwise authorized by law.

The PCA generally prohibits U.S. military personnel from direct participation in law enforcement activities. Some of those law enforcement activities would include interdicting vehicles, vessels, and aircraft; conducting surveillance, searches, pursuit and seizures; or making arrests on behalf of civilian law enforcement authorities. Prohibiting direct military involvement in law enforcement is in keeping with long-standing U.S. law and policy limiting the military’s role in domestic affairs."

http://www.northcom.mil/index.cfm?fuseaction=news.factsheets&factsheet=5

[leesa]

12. Impeachment sounds like the plan to me, followed by a lifetime jail

sentance for Bush and the rest of his Crime Syndicate.

[Pharlo]

14. "AP: Bush Told U.S. Needs Post-Disaster Plan"

Well, it's nice to see he's thinking about how America will be forced to cope once he's out of office.

But, to be perfectly frank, I do believe this is the first time he's ever thought this far ahead.

Gee, wonder how badly he can screw something up given a three year lead time......

[Cookie wookie]

15. Congress would have to be the ones to

authorize this change, and since we've never seen a single instance where Congress and Bush disagreed in the last 5 years, what are the chances something like this would pass....hmmmm, let me see.

And of course the Democratic Leadership wouldn't want to appear obstructionist when it comes to disaster response.....

Then there was the conspiracy theorist, republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower, who said in 1961:

"This conjunction of an immense military establishment and a large arms industry is new in the American experience. The total influence -- economic, political, even spiritual -- is felt in every city, every State house, every office of the Federal government. We recognize the imperative need for this development. Yet we must not fail to comprehend its grave implications. Our toil, resources and livelihood are all involved; so is the very structure of our society.

In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the militaryindustrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.

We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic processes. We should take nothing for granted. Only an alert and knowledgeable citizenry can compel the proper meshing of the huge industrial and military machinery of defense with our peaceful methods and goals, so that security and liberty may prosper together."
http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/presiden/speeches/eisenhower001.htm

[Turbineguy]

16. Do they mean

a plan to fix what the republicans are doing to this country?

[expatriot]

17. Wouldn't that be the National Response Plan? nt

[cassiepriam]

18. Wow, what a concept. He is too busy passing out $$ to friends. nt

[bemildred]

19. US told it needs a post-Bush-disaster plan. nt

[GeorgeGist]

20. The pre-disaster plans are working well...

now hear this:

"Bush said he has been interested in whether the Defense Department should take the lead in disasters "of a certain size."

Any question as to what the post-disaster plan is?

[TankLV]

21. We have one already - use CLINTON's plan - it worked GREAT.

Get rid of the repuke's FAILED "reorganization" and restore the DEMOCRAT'S structure - and rehire and replace the former COMPETANT DEMOCRATIC administrators in their positions.

Only then will we BEGIN to have a semblance of functioning "plan" or at least until the DEMOCRATS regain control!

[tanyev]

22. Nope, all he's responsible for is creating the disasters.

The post disaster plan will be the next president's job.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

24. #1. Disaster Plan: Head between knees, kiss ass goodbye.

#2. Post Disaster Plan: See #1.

[VegasWolf]

25. Disaster plan #1: Read "My Pet Goat." nt