Congress Likely to Probe Guard Delay

AP ^ | 09/03/2005 | SHARON THEIMER

[Truthsayer20]

Congress Likely to Probe Guard Delay By SHARON THEIMER Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Several states ready and willing to send National Guard troops to the rescue in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans didn't get the go-ahead until days after the storm struck - a delay nearly certain to be investigated by Congress.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson offered Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco help from his state's National Guard on Sunday, the day before Hurricane Katrina hit Louisiana. Blanco accepted, but paperwork needed to get the troops en route didn't come from Washington until late Thursday.

California troops just began arriving in Louisiana on Friday, three days after flood waters devastated New Orleans and chaos broke out. In fact, when New Orleans' levees gave way to deadly flooding on Tuesday, Louisiana's National Guard had received help from troops in only three other states: Ohio, which had nine people in Louisiana then; Oklahoma, 89; and Texas, 625, figures provided by the National Guard show.

Maj. Gen. Thomas Cutler, who leads the Michigan National Guard, said he anticipated a call for police units and started preparing them, but couldn't go until states in the hurricane zone asked them to come.

"We could have had people on the road Tuesday," Cutler said. "We have to wait and respond to their need."

The Michigan National Guard was asked for military police by Mississippi late Tuesday and by Louisiana officials late Wednesday. The state sent 182 MPs to Mississippi on Friday and had 242 headed to Louisiana on Saturday.

With many states' Guard units depleted by deployments to Iraq, Katrina's aftermath was almost certain from the beginning to require help from faraway states.

Republicans and Democrats alike in Congress are just beginning to ask why one of the National Guard's most trusted roles - disaster relief - was so uneven, delayed and chaotic this time around.

Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., said the situation has shown major breakdowns in the nation's emergency response capabilities. "There must be some accountability in this process after the crisis is addressed," he said.

Democrat Ben Nelson, Nebraska's other senator, said he now questions National Guard leaders' earlier assertions that they had enough resources to respond to natural disasters even with the Iraq war. "I'm going to ask that question again," Nelson said. "Do we have enough (troops), and if we do, why were they not deployed sooner?" President Bush was asked that question Friday as he toured the hurricane-ravaged Gulf Coast area and said he disagrees with criticism the military is stretched too thin.

"We've got a job to defend this country in the war on terror, and we've got a job to bring aid and comfort to the people of the Gulf Coast, and we'll do both," he said.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John Warner, R-Va., plans to make oversight of the Defense Department, the National Guard and their assistance his top priority when he returns to Washington next week from an overseas trips, spokesman John Ullyot said Friday.

Bush had the legal authority to order the National Guard to the disaster area himself, as he did after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks . But the troops four years ago were deployed for national security protection, and presidents of both parties traditionally defer to governors to deploy their own National Guardsmen and request help from other states when it comes to natural disasters.

Though slow at the beginning, out-of-state Guard help was markedly increasing by the start of the weekend. As of Friday, nearly half the states had Guard members in Louisiana, boosting the total to at least 5,600 from out of state. Hundreds more were on the way.

Michigan, which was ready to help before the storm began, was sending 500 National Guard troops Friday and Saturday to help with water purification in Mississippi and police duty in New Orleans.

Arizona didn't get a request for military police until Thursday, when it received an urgent message sent to all state National Guards by the National Guard Bureau at the request of Louisiana, said Capt. Paul Aguirre. He said the unit cannot leave Phoenix until Sunday because arriving units must arrive at a pace the receiving end can handle. Among those headed in were several hundred from Wisconsin, where the governor took the unusual step of declaring a disaster outside his state to activate his Guard.

"This was the first time a governor ever declared a natural disaster in another state and activated to that other state," said Gov. Jim Doyle, who issued his order Wednesday. "We were ready to be deployed within 24 hours of that order."

In addition to Guard help, the federal government could have activated, but did not, a major air support plan under a pre-existing contract with airlines. The program, called Civilian Reserve Air Fleet, lets the government quickly put private cargo and passenger planes into service. The CRAF provision has been activated twice, once for the Persian Gulf War and again for the Iraq war. ---

[GraniteStateConservative]

In fact, the The National Defense Act of 1916 gave the President the authority to mobilize the Guard during war or national emergency and the The National Guard Mobilization Act of 1933 made the National Guard a component of the Army. Who ultimately commands the Army?

[GraniteStateConservative]

In fact, the The National Defense Act of 1916 gave the President the authority to mobilize the Guard during war or national emergency and the The National Guard Mobilization Act of 1933 made the National Guard a component of the Army. Who ultimately commands the Army?

[GraniteStateConservative]

The National Defense Act of 1916 gave the President the authority to mobilize the Guard during war or national emergency and the The National Guard Mobilization Act of 1933 made the National Guard a component of the Army. Who ultimately commands the Army?

[GatorGirl]

That is ridiculous!

This is a state issue unless and until Federal assistance is requested. Note the FOUR hurricanes which hit Florida last year. Everything worked fine and it was because our STATE had a plan to deal with disaster and Federal assistance was requested in a timely fashion. It all comes down to leadership on the state and local level, which was clearly lacking in this case.

You call yourself "GraniteStateConservative" while advocating for Federal interference in a state issue. You say we "knew" what was going to happen. Many hurricanes veer off the predicted path at the last minute (c.f. Hurriciane Charley) or weaken considerably before landfall (c.f. Hurricane Lili). To say Federal resources should have been mobilized in advance of this storm is ludicrous! The state needs to make the preparation and deal with the evacuations and immediate aftermath. Everyone knows you must be prepared for at least three days because that is how long it takes for private and government assistance to reach a stricken area, generally!

I'll say it again, this situation is a total failure of local and state preparation and leadership. The Feds are NOT to blame!

[GraniteStateConservative]

Bush made this a federal issue. Take your complaint up with him. He declared a state of emergency in Louisiana on SATURDAY! He knew what was about to happen to the Gulf. Bush has the authority to mobilize the NG for national emergencies (The National Defense Act of 1916), and a hit to NOLA is a national emergency.

[niteowl77]

You are now reverting to semantics in your pursuit of this line (only after patronizing me with that James Madison remark, I might add).

[tarheelswamprat]

In fact, the The National Defense Act of 1916 gave the President the authority to mobilize the Guard during war or national emergency and the ...

There is no war in New Orleans (despite the violence and looting). There has been no national emergency declared (nor should there be).

The National Guard Mobilization Act of 1933 made the National Guard a component of the Army. Who ultimately commands the Army?

Once again, in this situation, that is irrelevant.

[YaYa123]

You got it right! "The "delay" is because the governor and mayor did NOTHING!"

And any congressional investigation will be designed to cover it up.

[Republican Wildcat]

Hagel again. No surprise.

[Republican Wildcat]

The President commands the NG. Period.

Wrong. Period.

[Rokke]

I'd respond to you, but several other people have already pointed out why you are wrong. I've been a Guard member for the last 8 years in two different states. I am well aware of my chain of command and when I fall under the authority of the President and when I fall under the authority of the Governor. No President has ever taken away a Governor's authority to command his state's National Guard troops in the time of a natural disaster.

[BurtTpa]

The state hurricane control center runs the entire operation. The LA governor delayed until Monday setting up her control center and did not hand out satellite phones to all the parrish control centers . so no communication to the key parrish in the south part of LA.
I should know I am involved in the hurricane operations in Brevard county FL. The marching orders come from the state capital not the feds!
We evacuated nursing home patients for katrina and the storm was 200 miles away !
The scoop I heard from FL officials was LA
governor's office was in inexperienced and in over there heads.

[YaYa123]

BurtTpa, thank you for your # 52

[nmh]

"It says that ultimately Bush had the power to step in and manage the relief efforts. He could have had a plan at the ready to force upon NO/Louisiana once it was clear that Blanco and Nagin weren't up to the task, as well as use the CRAF provision."

The only problem is, is that it is NOT the role of a President to micro manage a city. That is the responsibility of the local government. Now that they have totally screwed up - higher authorities can take over.

[nmh]

"We know (filed docs.) that the Gov. declared SOE on the 28th and requested Fed. assistance.

Did she not request the proper help? If she didn't why didn't someone on the Fed. level help her? "

They didn't request enough help and the mayor and governor did not ENFORSE the evacuation so people died and lawless people took over.

[nmh]

"I got hammered on another thread for saying this very thing."

Sometimes truth isn't pretty.

There is also an element on FR that can't stand the truth.

[DAC21]

"Bush has the authority to mobilize the NG for national emergencies (The National Defense Act of 1916), and a hit to NOLA is a national emergency"


Sure just like Pearl Harbor, line those planes up nice and pretty, like ducks in a barrel. The debate will go on about whether the President had the authority to mobilize the NG, or for that matter the Gov. But should they have been? Have all the resources sitting ready and thus have them wiped out also?

The fact of the matter is the problem was logistics. The Gov. / Mayor and local authority need to be the first responders, and thus communicate with some degree of competence what they need and were they needed it. Time will tell if that happened. And even if it did, getting into the city (other than by helicopter) was without a doubt was a daunting task.

[nmh]

"Well. it seems that Blanco accepted New Mexico's offer of NG assistance already on sunday, but federal red tape was not finished until thursday. This makes no sense at all."

No it doesn't make sense nor do I believe it is accurate.

[sinkspur]

If what you are saying is true, there's a s*itstrom headed Bush's way...

If Bush could have federalized these troops on Tuesday, when the flooding started, you're right.

[DJ MacWoW]

Guard ping