A question for those who want to blame Gov. Blanco

[Birthmark]

One of the arguments being used to deflect attention from the Federal Government's responsibility for the slow response to Katrina is that Blanco didn't ask for Federal troops. But according to this:

The United States Coast Guard Is Conducting Search And Rescue. The Coast Guard has rescued and assisted thousands of people in the affected areas, and its efforts will continue until all those at risk are safe.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/08/20050831-4.html

Federal Troops, in the guise of the Coast Guard, had already been rescuing people in Lousisiana prior to 31 Aug. How could this happen if Blanco hadn't asked for Federal help? Why could Coast Guard assets be used? Hmmm?

[shaniqua6392]

1. But why is she so quiet???

Why is she not defending herself loudly? Her silence is just not looking good to me. She has had nothing but praise for shrub and company. I do not get it and I think she can kiss her career goodbye because she is not speaking up.

[ohio_liberal]

2. That's a very good question n/t

[Birthmark]

4. OTOH

Her political career may not be her #1 priority just now. Weird thought, no?

[complain jane]

7. I'm hoping that's the case too. And,

I think the less she says right now, the better.

It only gives the Freeptards more info to distort and lie about.

[Birthmark]

8. I honestly have no idea

But whatever the reason, at least she's not out there lying like Bush and his people. That's worth something at least.

[complain jane]

14. Of course it is. I think the truth is on her side, that's why she

doesn't have to even respond to their juvenile garbage.

[meganmonkey]

3. From my understanding, when GWB announced a state of emergency for

LA and MS, he was accepting authority over using federal resources. And that happened on the 28th, I think....

[ComerPerro]

5. That's easy

Bush sent them in anyway, because he is a "take-charge" kinda guy and after seeing how bad things were, he couldn't just sit by and watch Americans die. So he acted on his own.


Next?

(I'm channeling a FReeper. Its easy to do. Just turn your brain off and surrender your will to Bush)

[Birthmark]

6. Why didn't he take "more charge?"

After all, people were dying.

[ComerPerro]

12. Because its hard work. Give him a break

Besides, he left his five week vacation almost a whole two days early.

God, the sheer willpower it requires to channel a freeper is making me ill.

[Birthmark]

13. Now you're just being silly.

Oh, wait! That's his REAL excuse, isn't it? :puke:

[Tennessee Gal]

9. General Honore quote

Thanks to media matters!

As Gen. Russel Honoré, commander of the Department of Defense's (DoD) Joint Task Force Katrina, stated in a September 1 briefing,
the governors of Louisiana and Mississippi had requested additional assistance from the federal government "as the hurricane was approaching," beginning with a request on August 26 that DoD command centers be set up in their states. And by August 28, Mississippi and Louisiana were collaborating with the National Guard Bureau to have additional security forces sent in.

From the September 1 Department of Defense briefing:

LAWRENCE DiRITA (Pentagon spokesman): You know -- it's Larry DiRita -- I think what people are interested in, if you know, is when specifically or if indeed did the governors specifically ask for additional security forces and when that might have been? And if you don't know that, we'll try and find it, but that would be -- I think that's a little more refined aspect of what the reporter's asking for.

HONORÉ: Yeah, that was incremental. The security force piece was executed through a process called EMAC . That started on Sunday, a collaboration between the adjutant general and the National Guard Bureau to flow additional capabilities to Louisiana and to Mississippi. That flow started approximately around Sunday. Forces started moving once the eye of the hurricane had passed and we could start moving forces in and assist the states, Alabama pushed forces into Mississippi as well as forces from Texas started to flow into Louisiana, as well as other states. But that's the approximate phase of the operation. Again, that was executed through National Guard arrangements to move National Guard capability where it's needed. And that is what is happening, an extension of that, now.

[Indy Lurker]

10. no communications

The largest problem was the complete breakdown in communications.

When the wind came through, most cell phone towers went down, and power went offline. backup power kicked in but only lasts for around 12 hours. In addition, most back-up generators are located in basements, so once the flooding started, nearly all power was out. That left battery powered hand held radios, which lasted another 8 hours at best. So by the time the flooding started, there was literally no communication. NO Police Officers couldn't talk to the station, NO police couldn't talk to state police, and so on.

On top of all this, is a bad national , which is for fema and the national guard to report to state athorities for orders.

Normally, this is a good thing, you don't want some out of towner deciding whats best for your town, and running over the local police.

Lots of people were ready to go, including the MN national guard, but no one knew exactly where they need to go. The US military (including the national guard) is very disiplined, and based on a chain of command structure. The people are trained not to do things without orders, lest the screw up the larger plan.


By contrast, the Coast Guard, is designed to operate in very small units, and are encourged to be indepenedent free thinkers, typically, just few to a boat or helicoptor, and no one or no time to back them up.

There is certainly plenty of blame to go around, but it is also important to remember the scale of this disaster, it's a record breaker.

Yes there were plans, but they obviouly failed to save thousands.

One thing that has not been addressed, is how long does it take to evacuate 1 million people, including 100,000 or so without transportation? 2 days 4 days.

If it takes 4 days, you would need to evacuate every time a storm got past Florida, which isn't realistic.

I don't have any asnswers, just more questions. I think we need a lot more questions answered before we start to blame.

[DoYouEverWonder]

11. She didn't need to ask for anything

once Bush declared the State of Emergency.

The Federal Government was in charge of running the response to the disaster from that point on. That is why they get to live in bunkers and we don't. They remained in charge until Friday Sept 2nd, when Bush tried to get Blanco to sign over control permanently. She stood her ground and retook control of her state. That is when she was able to go out and hire James Witt to run the operation for the State of New Orleans and General Honore was brought in to run the LA National Guard and who had the authority to call in what ever other forces he needs.


Before FRIDAY SEPT 2nd, HS/FEMA and the PENTAGON were in charge of running the response to the disaster. Instead of running a rescue mission, they ran a Military operation and had even begun to refer to the survivors has insurgents. If they had remained in charge, New Orleans would look like Fallujah soon. We got a one week taste of what life is like everyday in Iraq. That's where we were heading.