Could it be that there aren't enough troops to help?

[Fleshdancer]

It doesn't make sense for the federal government to take this long to send in reinforcements. While I can't stand Bush, the idea that the entire system is THIS incompetent...well I don't believe it.

Our soldiers are fighting in two countries, recruitment numbers are too low, troops aren't allowed to retire and our National Guard is not only fighting on foreign soil, but doing it for a year or longer at a time. Could it be that they're dragging their feet because they can't provide the help they promised?

Is looking incompetent safer for national security than looking weak?

Do we know exactly how many soldiers we have right now?

[wli]

1. If casualties are vastly understated as some suggest...

This may very well be the case.

[KeepItReal]

2. As of matter of National Security, they would be able to lie on troop #s

Think about that.

They would NEVER admit we are low on troops domestically. Imagine what a *real* enemy would think? Although I don't know what a real enemy with power-projecttion capabilities looks like, anymore.

[Fleshdancer]

5. but if the whole world is literally watching right now....

The Governor of LA asked for no less than 40,000 troops and more later if neccessary. If people don't start seeing massive amounts of troops soon, they're going to start wondering....

[KeepItReal]

11. That's why they'll do close-in shots of 30 trucks and say "Troops Arrived"

Rove is gonna get the media message for Bush & Co back in line.

It has already started.

[Fleshdancer]

14. you're right.

what the government has told us (regarding troops and supplies sent) is a lot different from what reporters and others are saying at places like the convention center.

[tabasco]

3. Absolutely.

I was an officer in the 10th Mountain Division 1990-1994. 2 days after Hurricane Andrew, my battalion was on the ground in Florida taking supplies to people and cleaning up roads.

With the biggest part of the active Army deployed in Iraq, there just aren't as many troops left to spare.

[Fleshdancer]

7. exactly. the response after Hurricane Andrew was quick

and I can't remember who mentioned it, but last year when Florida was slammed by multiple hurricanes, the response didn't take this long.

[DeepModem Mom]

4. This is what my husband has said from the beginning --

he doesn't think we have the troops, he doesn't think we have the equipment. Everything's in Iraq.

[Spazito]

6. I honestly believe that is true

They keep quoting % of NG left in the US but that percentage could be primarily clerks, etc, anyone that has the NG designation but not necessarily as an active Guard.

I have thought that for a while, they always fudge the numbers so why wouldn't they do it to the Guard numbers at home as well.

[Fleshdancer]

10. I was thinking about the NG aspect earlier....

The news talked about how Governors from all over the country were calling the Governor of LA offering their available NG. Is that how it usually works? The individual states make the offer? I'm confused about that aspect.

[meisje]

8. The equipment is in Iraq - Helicopters and vehicles

[bribri16]

9. YES!! That's the big secret. We have a "phantom" military and NG

protecting us at home.

[KeepItReal]

13. I agree. We have a skeleton crew of troops here in CONUS.

Maybe that's why they are hell-bent to start closing bases IN THE MIDDLE OF A WAR with an unlimited defense budget.

[Fleshdancer]

15. crap, you're right.

I didn't even think about the base closings. damn.

[distantearlywarning]

12. I also have thought this many times this week.

I really think this is it.

They don't have enough troops to deal with this disaster because of Iraq, and they don't want people to know about it. They're trying very hard to cover that fact up.

[philarq]

16. there are plenty---maybe

But it is the constant refusals of assistance from such foreign counties as Chicago that are beginning to be beyond the pale.

Daley 'shocked' at federal snub of offers to help

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-050902daley,1,2011979.story?coll=chi-news-hed

[MidwestMomma]

17. My sister's theory...they had to fly the NG in from Irag

That's why it took so long for there to be a National Guard presence in New Orleans.

She thinks they are covering up that there aren't many National Guard left in the country.

I don't know if she's right but think about it...if they had to fly troops in from Irag, it would take a couple days. Things that make you go hmmmm....

[applegrove]

18. There are multiple reasons for doing what they did. The stood down.

It was supposed to pay off in a variety of ways.

[Fleshdancer]

19. how?

could you clarify a little for me? How would standing down pay off?

[applegrove]

22. It created a law & order crisis that pays off in new communion with his

base - the racists and the Southerners afraid of Black Violence.

It creates distrust of the federal government and its ability to step in in times of crisis and be a mother figure which is what Grover wants.

By letting the violence build - as if the Pentagon doesn't know about the cycle of anarchy in lawless towns - they can get to a situation where there is so much anger among AA that they can hog-tie the press and say " now CNN - you don't want to start race riots - report what we tell you to and support your government".

By diminishing the citizenship of AA one more time, they encourage apathy and will encourage people to leave America..which is what they want (Read Colossus by Nials Ferguson if you don't believe that is part of the end game).

By making governance look incompetent by putting purposefully incompetent or purposely anti-functionaries (or function -nots) like Wolfowitz in the WB, Bolton at the UN, Brown at FEMA, Bush succeeds in building distrust and makes corporations look good relatively speaking...because the organizations are being purposely disfunctioned and weakened - so corporations can take over.. a world where corporations will be the mummy's ..despite the fact that corporations like crisis..unlike human beings they see the opportunity for profit in the very first hours.

Making it a bigger crisis encourages more outside aid from places like Mexico and money comes into the country. The physical damage was set by Monday - a levy brake did much but it was already written that much was destroyed. The humanitarian crisis has only grown which results in more outside funding.

Making it last longer breaks the cycle of Cindy Sheehan and gives them cover for the legislation they try to pass in these next weeks.

Fear of anarchy in nearby states helps rebuild the fear than was waning after 9/11. Bush needs fear to keep his agenda going. He was loosing his control because he had no more "fear" to spend.

I'm sure there are more pluses. But I am feeling sick.

[Fleshdancer]

23. thank you for this post

all this time, the only "benefit" from their perspective I could come up with was the use of martial law. You have given me a lot to think about.

[applegrove]

24. I personally think what they did was not send in enough troops or Marshall

Law. That his how the crisis got so big so fast. Marshall law - where the nasty army becomes the biggest & baddest & most dangerous assholes on the violence food chain in the city..was needed earlier.

They don't even have enough troops in NO to stay "overnight". Tomorrow there will be twice as many National Guard. We might actually see some peace then. It didn't have to be Saturday. It could have been Tuesday.

[SpaceCatMeetsMars]

20. On New England Cable News this afternoon

they reported that 50 NG were going from New Hampshire, 100 from Connecticut and, I think, 100 from Western Massachusetts. No mention of any other New England states. I don't know what that means, but in normal circumstamces, you would think there would be lots more than that coming from this part of the country.

[proud patriot]

21. this thought crossed my mind but scared me too greatly

to ponder very deeply

[artemisia1]

25. No, because anyone who's ever served can tell you that half a

dozen C-130's could have kept both the Convention Center and the Dome supplied with water by airdrops - at least to a subsistence level.

[Fleshdancer]

26. what would keep the C-130's away then?

:shrug:

[artemisia1]

27. They need orders. nt