Saturday, September 3, 2005
It's been an interesting couple of days to listen to the radio if you can stand it. The talk shows seem to fall into two categories: Either they're "blame Bush" shows, or they're "blame the Mayor (and the Governor)" shows. Now mostly, I think anyone who's too sure about who's "fault" things are at this point is probably talking out their behind for the most part. It's going to take some time to sort things out and assign blame -- if there is even any real blame to assign.
Personally, what I've come to be reminded of is, yet again, what a miracle a functioning civil society is, how delicate it can be, how held together by common consent, and how irresponsible those who encourage disrespect in it are.
If a bomb goes off in a large, crowded room, what's the bigger danger, the bomb, or the panicked crowd? You can apply that same principle to a whole city.
There are some interesting bits in this DoD press conference concerning the New Orleans response: Defense Department Briefing on Ongoing National Guard Response to Hurricane Katrina
 Hurricane Katrina evacuees await departure from New Orleans, La., onboard a C-17 Globemaster III on Sept. 3, 2005. |
We waited until we had enough force in place to do an overwhelming force. Went in with police powers, 1,000 National Guard military policemen under the command and control of the adjutant general of the State of Louisiana, Major General Landreneau, yesterday shortly after noon stormed the convention center, for lack of a better term, and there was absolutely no opposition, complete cooperation, and we attribute that to an excellent plan, superbly executed with great military precision. It was rather complex. It was executed absolutely flawlessly in that there was no violent resistance, no one injured, no one shot, even though there were stabbed, even though there were weapons in the area. There were no soldiers injured and we did not have to fire a shot.
Some people asked why didn't we go in sooner. Had we gone in with less force it may have been challenged, innocents may have been caught in a fight between the Guard military police and those who did not want to be processed or apprehended, and we would put innocents' lives at risk. As soon as we could mass the appropriate force, which we flew in from all over the states at the rate of 1,400 a day, they were immediately moved off the tail gates of C-130 aircraft flown by the Air National Guard, moved right to the scene, briefed, rehearsed, and then they went in and took this convention center down...
...The real issue, particularly in New Orleans, is that no one anticipated the disintegration or the erosion of the civilian police force in New Orleans. Once that assessment was made, that the normal 1500 man police force in New Orleans was substantially degraded, which contributed obviously to less police presence and less police capability, then the requirement became obvious and that's when we started flowing military police into the theater...
Q: General, you mentioned a disintegration of the New Orleans Police Department. Do you know how many officers are still on duty?
GEN. BLUM: I would rather not say. I think you'd be better to refer that question to the mayor of New Orleans. I have my own estimate. I would say they are significantly degraded and they have less than one-third of their original capability.
...
Q: What happened to the other police, general?
GEN. BLUM: Again, that can be best addressed, but what was told to me by the Mayor day before yesterday is many of them lost their homes, many of them lost ability to get to the precinct, many of them who did show up found what they were dealing with so overwhelming and dangerous or threatening to them as an individual that they made the personal decision to not risk their life until the situation made more sense to them. That was an individual decision, it was not the police chief's decision or the mayor's decision. I think that the mayor and police chief are working right now to reconstitute the New Orleans Police Department, but that question would much better be addressed to them for detail...
Update: Thanks to Yehudit for getting this post an amazing amount of notice by posting a link in an LGF thread (Spicoli and his keg cup!). I'm glad to see the info spreading. [Update2: Big thank you to Michelle Malkin for noting this post.]
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Via Power Line, Senator Mary Landrieu, D-LA, threatens a physical response to criticism: "If one person criticizes our sheriffs, or says one more thing, including the President of the United States, he will hear from me - one more word... Read More
I have no idea why they'd want to "reconstitute" the police department, especially if the process involves reinstating any of the officers who decided to opt out of doing their sworn duty when their presence was most required.
Police like to have their "thin blue line" that supposedly sets them apart from the general public. The officers who shirked their duty crossed that "thin blue line" and should not be allowed to cross back over into the fold.
Any officer who didn't stick with the department should be considered to have quit their job. Any and all benefits that came with the job should be terminated. The most that they should expect to get from the New Orleans Police Department at this point in time is their last paycheck.
getting their last paycheck is more than they deserve.
Think about it geniuses - these police are from the "local area". They most likely had family whose life was in peril. What would YOU do when you know that your wife and kids and grandma are in immediate danger, possibly drowning.
This is what the NATIONAL GUARD is for.
Where were large numbers of the NATIONAL GUARD and their equipment at the time of the crisis???
I think we know the answer to that question...
"Where were large numbers of the NATIONAL GUARD and their equipment at the time of the crisis???"
I think we know the answer to that question...
Yes waiting for the incompetent mayor and city officials to invite the federal response in according to State statutes ....
Ah, Voolfie,Voolfie. Did you read the entire DoD briefing, yes or no? Your question is clearly answered there. MS and LA guardsmen and their equipment were pulled away from the path of the storm damage to staging areas, where they and the equipment which would be so needed would be ready when time came to return. Some questions for you, which I do not have the answers to. Where should NG's (National Guardsmen) have been sent first? Along what roads? With what skill sets, 11B's, 35Mikes, 71Deltas, 90Bravos? (I do know what these are. I was a 71D; useless in a huricane emergency. Excellent for preparing Article 31's. An article 31 will likely not be needed in LA, MS, or AL anytime soon.)What are the conditions of the roads and the terrain you wish to use for transport? Are any bridges out or damaged? If so, can this be determined beforehand, or only on first inspection, causing a re-route and turnaround? What sorts of trucks or vehicles should be used? Helicopters? What kinds? Carrying what kinds of supplies or personnel? Where are the fuel staging areas for refueling these vehicles? Are the resources quickly available to re-supply the fuel staging areas? How long can given personnel remain working before relief is needed? Where is the relief coming from? Where are they now? What impact will an interruption have on rescue efforts? Might less critical work have to be halted due to short term personnel absences? Might someone die because of this? What will the overall rescue strategy be-like an Easter egg hunt? Pick up the first person you see or is there a better solution? What is it? Can both be done simultaneously? If so, to what levels of committment, 40% each? 60/90?
It is very easy to presume the answer when the wrong question is asked. Move away from abstract quarterbacking a bit, and the sheer physical magnitude of the problems to be dealt with comes a bit more into focus. A wise man will admit ignorance and stand down from criticism.
I guess it's easier to blame the War in Iraq than it is to blame police that refuse to show up for work. After all, a Democrat signs their paychecks.
Doesn't take a genius to figure that one out!
If all the National Guardsmen are in Iraq, who are all those guys in the army fatigues that I'm seeing on my TV?
Once again the Left demonstrates its fever swamp mentality. Kool-aid, anyone?
Mission Kontrol to Kerry:
Your masterful logistical analysis of the situation is truly astonishing. Questions, mind boggling acronyms, questions and more questions, some VERY intelligent and pertinent ones I might add, the answers to which may never be known - e.g "what sorts of trucks should be used". (ones with wheels???)
Um, how come TV reporters had unbridled access to the area, when NG units didn't? Oh, that's right, they didn't have to PLAN for the easter egg hunt. It is much harder to drop easter eggs than to pick them up. Hunt/Drop?
So long Humpty Dumpty...
Bye bye miss American Pie
To begin with, Kerry brings some very intelligent questions to the table. He has obviously been involved with the military and the way things are done by the military. And yes, although the way to do things may be plain to Wolf, the military does not operate in that manner. Things have to be planned then executed. And yes, Wolf, I can see where you are coming from as far as the local law enforcement leaving their post. Family should always come first. BUT... having spent nearly 29 years in law enforcement, nearly half of that in administration, I think the officers should have returned to their duty stations after assuring that family was out of danger. It is their job, remember??? "To Protect and Serve" That doesn't mean you can leave when the going gets rough. It means you are to protect and serve those citizens whose tax dollars pay your salary. No one knew this hurricane was going to be as devistating as it was, but that still doesn't mean the officers have the right to leave their duty post. They took an oath to uphold the laws of the land and to protect the people and the property of the city in which they work. In my opinion, these officers were wrong for leaving, they degraded their fellow officers by wimping out, and they should not be allowed to wear a shield in the future.