CNN Breaking: 10,000 National Guard troops called up

[dsewell]

Banner on CNN.com:

"10,000 more National Guard troops are being called up for duties on the Katrina-ravaged Gulf Coast, CNN confirms. Details soon."

(Will add URL to story link when CNN posts.)

Here's a Reuters link with more info.

[Kikosexy2]

1. What?..

are some troops coming home?

[LisaM]

2. God it makes me so angry

why isn't our National Guard here, in OUR nation? I know they are probably pulling these NG troops from other cities/states in the U.S., thus rendering them more vulnerable to other afflictions, such as forest fires, earthquakes, etc.

[CoffeeCat]

4. I heard last night that a few hundred Guard troops,

from my state (Iowa) will be going.

I really wonder....how thin does this stretch things?

[bobbieinok]

49. also from OK...all they mentioned was evacuation of VA hospital

[Eloriel]

29. I'm angry because this is 3 days LATE -- people are dying because

of lack of first responders and most of all potable WATER.

[koopie57]

35. Yes, it makes me angry too but

not so angry as when I wonder how the soldiers feel who are in Iraq and worried about their families over here. Someone told me last night that 6,000 soldiers from that area are in Iraq.

[high density]

3. Called up from Iraq?

Or what?

[AValdoux]

5. Why did it take so long?

Why weren't these troops ready to be deployed as soon as the weather would allow them into the city, Monday? The news channels were going on all day Sunday about how bad it was going to be. Even if they were called down if the press was overracting, wouldn't that have been better than to let the situation get to this point?



AValdoux

[Sanity Claws]

11. Exactly

There should have been a contingency plan drawn up Saturday or Sunday, when everyone was predicting a Cat. 5 hurricane. This is just too late. How many will die because George was too busy with his vacation?

[Kashka-Kat]

14. ive been asking the same thing

they KNEW it was going to be big-- unlike Ivan which started as a 5 but weakened to a 3 as it entered the Gulf. They knew it was building strength as it approached. Maybe the long range forecasts aren't totally accurate but they've gotten VERY sophisticated now about short term & current conditions-- here in Wis we've got the doppler radar on tv which shows you the individual thunderstorm cells and tracks them across the city and tells you exactly to the minute when to expect it will hit your neighborhood and at what intensity...

I know I kept hearing the news on Sun. and thinking why the hell arent they getting those people out??? I thought why is Bush babbling about aid for reconstruction AFTER the storm when there were things that needed to happen RIGHT THEN AND THERE????

[NYC]

22. Yes, there was no excuse for not PREPARING for this.

Reacting after isn't good enough.

[slackmaster]

24. Both individuals and government were ill prepared for this storm

People need to take responsibility for their own safety. Every household should have on hand supplies that would be needed in the event of a foreseeable disaster.

Of course some people are not capable of caring for themselves and many families in NO lost everything with little warning, so even the best preparations would not have been enough. Governments have an obligation to forsee that, and to be able to get them evacuated in a timely manner.

New Orleans was a ticking time bomb.

[shraby]

44. Even if they did fill their bathtubs with water

for drinking, had flashlights, battery operated radios, and did everything right, there was so much water from the storm it quickly sent everyone to the second floor and on into their attics for survival. There went all the preparations they had made. Water in the bathtub was no good to drink, batteries don't last all that long when used, the food was on the first floor underwater.
They were screwed, now they are getting screwed by their own government.

[Igel]

40. Quick and easy answer.

If they called them up and deployed them when it turned out to be unnecessary, they'd affect a lot of people.

As it was, the initial reaction after Katrina went through N.O. was "whew!"

But Biloxi got it, instead. Then the levees failed early Tuesday morning, probably with few in charge being aware of it at first, and matters got much, much worse for N.O. I don't even think the dem LA governor called up the LA NG at first. Plan; but then look, assess, react.

[Shallah Kali]

46. That is my question as well - they knew it was coming and it would be BAD

This is too little to late. Also if they can't handle a hurricane how will homeland security deal with a major hurricane they knew was coming how the hell will they deal with a terrorist strike Bush Co. is always fearmongering? Feel safe with Bush Co. as Commander in Chief still w. voters?

[faithnotgreed]

6. how long have we had 10k ng available

[melissinha]

7. sounds like...

they are coming from other states.... too bad the ones that many who are trained in Swampland are off in Iraq.

How come they didn't think to start this when they got the warning? Why isn't tehre a contingency plan for NATIONAL disasters to back up National Guard abroad when they were first sent there... like their followers the GOP only knows hwo to be reactionary.

Its not just hurricanes.... there are annual fires in the west that have ravaged the countryside due to the lack of personnel....

[krkaufman]

12. I was just talking about this w/ my brother. Thankfully...

... this year's fires haven't been as bad as recent years. Right?

[leesa]

39. We are in peak fire time right now. Montana and Idaho have had huge fires

Southern California is its usual tinderbox dry.

[krkaufman]

42. Ah, ok. Perhaps it's just not being covered in the news due to...

... "more important" issues. Seems like the fires had a HELL of a lot more coverage in past years.

[Judi Lynn]

8. Will Bush allow them to return home when their work is over in N.O. or

will he decide it's "prudent" to ship them off to Iraq?

[krkaufman]

13. "Well, since you're already dressed-up...." n/t

[underpants]

9. This is what most NG sign up for

Natural disasters and the like. I know, most of the time it is BBQs and getting away for the weekend but when needed they are always there.

[gauguin57]

10. I'm a little scared ...

... if most of the country's National Guard troops are in the Gulf states and Iraq ... what could happen with the rest of the country unprotected? Will we be more vulnerable to a terrorist attack? And is that what the Bush Admin. wants, to take the focus away from their shi**y leadership?

[shavedape]

20. 20 percent of guard deployed overseas

The Pentagon said 78,000 of the roughly 440,000 National Guard troops nationwide are deployed overseas.
http://www.villagevoice.com/news/0536,ridgewayweb,67412,2.html

[Igel]

41. Interesting number.

Puts things in perspective.

[woodsprite]

15. Wonder if any are going from Delaware. Haven't heard

anything yet, but saw a HUGE C-5 Galaxy flying low over our house today. Usually means one's been sent up from Dover to New Castle to load up with something. Doesn't happen very often.

[phiddle]

16. Maybe G. W. Bush could go,

and finish his own National Guard obligation!

[montana_hazeleyes]

19. Good one phiddle!

:D

[Eurobabe]

36. Send his dopey daughters

they can man the ration tents for the Red Cross. n/t

[HadItUpToHere]

38. I'd rather see them sent to iraq or afghanistan...

to serve as 'comfort girls' for the insurgents.

[DFWJock]

17. We have that many left?

Wonder what Jen and Barbara are up to?

[medeak]

18. They are asking Fed employees to volunteer

Friend who is fed attorney in DC signed up today to help. He's gay and can't wait to get away from all the "testosterone in Washington"

[Oreegone]

21. Got a question

Who is doing their job while they are gone?

[medeak]

27. ha ha!

good question... he's works for immigration...have no idea!

[Solly Mack]

23. No excuse for waiting this late to call up the NG. None

I know NG had to come from all over the country, but they should have been activated and deployed 2 days ago. No, they are not all in Iraq.


21k divided between 4 states is shameful.

New Orleans alone needs a good 10K - just for search and rescue.

America not only looks unprepared to care for her citizens - she looks unwilling to do so as well.

[Karenina]

26. Oh Solly, you're SO diplomatic!!!

:loveya:

HALLO. AMIS.

Veterans of Viet Nam are homeless and on the streets of your cities.
Veterans of Desert Storm are severly ill, dying off young, leaving families severely affected with truncated benefits.
Veterans of OIL (originally: Operation Iraqi Freedom til somebody figured out that acronym was a bit TOO in-yer-face) well, let's just say you ain't seen nuthin' yet. But y'all don't get it les it hits you between the eyes to get you to open 'em.

Please read Dwight Eisenhower's 1961 farewell speech. AGAIN, if you have done so. The *MIC has consolidated its power. Perhaps you will see the events in New Orleans a bit more clearly. If you see a future for our species on this orb, READ IT CAREFULLY AND TAKE ACTION.

[Solly Mack]

30. I see the events in Nawlins as tantamount to genocide

Diplomatic? Not really - just don't think it does any good to speak my full mind in cloudy waters.

I got news for everyone - the people will survive IN SPITE of the oligarchs best efforts. We'll survive and we'll breed. It's the breeding part that bothers them the most.

And oligarchs aren't just in America. They're everywhere.

[Karenina]

33. Indeed they are.

New Orleans is another MIHOP. Got a spoon? :SIGH:

[Thor_MN]

28. Like father like son... Andrew and Katrina, Asshat and Dumbass

He really is THAT stupid.

[atreides1]

31. No good excuse for waiting

But Bush had to sell his Medicaid and Social Security rip off plans, and help his B***h McCain eat his borthday cake.

I know your husband is on active duty, but do he and his troops know that this is what they are fighting for. So that the American people
are left without even the basics for survival in this disaster, and all the while George and his Oil buddies are filling their pockets?

I understand it's not their fault, but this is the reality, this is the new American way of life that they are dying for. I just think that someone needs to point this out to them so that they know the truth.

All I can do is to send what money I can afford, and I have.

[Solly Mack]

32. Nah, we're both idiots.

Thanks though for setting me straight.

[Lorien]

34. They should have been activated Saturday

to evacuate those without vehicles! They wouldn't need them as desperately if a massive evacuation effort had been done before Katrina hit.

[NNN0LHI]

25. Guess Iran will have to wait until next year n/t

[The_Casual_Observer]

37. I'll bet that they really don't have that many

Probably more like 1000.

[OzarkDem]

43. Sounds like Bush is hitting the "trifecta" again

Iraq + Hurricane Katrina + terrorism = a good excuse to reinstate the draft.

Makes one wonder if there isn't a reason behind the delay in calling up the troops.

[jayctravis]

45. This would be a great way for Bush to save a little face -

Make an announcement that reserve troops in Iraq are needed to help rebuild our own country, and start moving them out.

[complain jane]

47. Yeah, eureka, just like 9/11, things seem to work out for the guy.

[Barrett808]

48. A relatively graceful exit from Iraq -- let's hope

He looked rather angry in his public appearances today. I couldn't help but wonder if somebody finally told him that his Iraq adventure is over.

[2Design]

50. why didn't this happen three days ago n/t