Some 6000 Nat'l Guard troops from LA, MS are in Iraq and unable to help

[flpoljunkie]

Some six-thousand National Guard personnel from Louisiana and Mississippi who would otherwise be available to help deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina are in Iraq.

Even so, Pentagon spokesman Lawrence Di Rita said the states have adequate National Guard units to handle the hurricane needs. He said about six-thousand-500 National Guard troops were available in Louisiana, about seven-thousand in Mississippi, nearly ten-thousand in Alabama and about eight-thousand-200 in Florida.

http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/WWLBLOG.ac3fcea.html

[rodeodance]

1. cnn said the Pentagon was to have a press conference shortly. Regular

army will coordinate the Relief effort.

[katinmn]

2. they will lie to cover their asses

what else is new?

[lebkuchen]

3. Don't look to the MN, IA et al NG--they're off for an 18 month deployment

to an overseas American made disaster.

[kenny blankenship]

4. and probably more than half of their heavy gear

but you won't see anything but smiles and thumbsups from the national media about this scandal.
"Yes, the levels of national guardsman (although at only 50% of what should be available but we won't spell that out) are plenty to deal with this disaster--over to you Wolf!"

--Thanks, that's what I hoped you'd say (if you wanted to keep your job).

[indepat]

5. Only time will tell if those 6,000 were needed in the aftermath: after all

one must keep one's priorities in order and our financial and human resources must be allocated accordingly.

[flpoljunkie]

6. These 6,000 must be replaced by guard units left in neighboring states.

Those guard members who are not already in Iraq will be coming in substantial numbers from Alabama and Florida to help the people of Louisiana and Mississippi.

[Eloriel]

7. Oh, they're needed, all right. All 6000 of them, and more.

I've been watching and reading all afternoon and I am shocked at the extent of the devastation. They need THOUSANDS of choppers rescuing people off rooftops, for example.

For millions of people, for hundreds of thousands of square miles, there is NO WATER, NO FOOD, NO ELECTRICITY, NO BEDS or housing.

[indepat]

8. Surely the dismembered and disemboweled FEMA will get right on it