Iraq-tested soldiers in New Orleans with shoot to kill orders

Agence France-Presse ^ | September 1, 2005

[HAL9000]

A detachment of 300 Arkansas National Guard troops landed in anarchic New Orleans on Thursday, with the authorization to shoot and kill "hoodlums" Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco said.

"Three hundred of the Arkansas National Guard have landed in the city of New Orleans," said Blanco.

"These troops are fresh back from Iraq, well trained, experienced, battle tested and under my orders to restore order in the streets," Blanco said.

"They have M-16s and they are locked and loaded.

"These troops know how to shoot and kill and they are more than willing to do so if necessary and I expect they will," said Blanco.

[Big Bad Bob]

typical to see fascism prevalent on these boards, I just wonder whether the majority of the refugees were white, whether we would have seen the PATHETIC and DESPERATE situation that is becoming more and more serious by the minute, these people are getting desperate and that you support a shoot-to-kill policy for people who need to live by any means, is nothing short of madness. Don't think this is just a personal view, a lot of people in Britain are getting more and more sickened by Bush's lame response, and if you took off your rose-tinted glasses you would too, Bush cannot justify having thousands of troops being the world's policemen while the U.S's poor get forgotten. SHAMEFUL

[tonycavanagh]

Troops fired up to shoot to kill can make mistakes.

Innocent house holders just trying to pick over there stuff.

[JimSEA]

AFP story now at Yahoo, boy was I wrong!!!! Good for the Governor.

[sit-rep]

I find it strange that this source has quotes like this, and CNN and Fox do not. Sorry, it don't hold water. No-one of gubmit would commit this type of suicide. If an order like this was givin, it would have been behind closed doors, and mostlikly, second hand.

If true, the left is going to have a field day with it.

Because of the race involved, our LEO and military are in a LOSE-LOSE situation...

[mystery-ak]

My hubby has been in the Guard for 35yrs...I have faith in them in them.

[Lurking in Kansas]

Agreed, but… Even IF the quote is true, and this morning it seems it might, a Dim-ocrat would never give such an order. (Frankly, I can’t imagine a Pubbie doing it either).

I believe shooting looters will never happen.

BTW, this morning I heard reported some NO police where turning in their badges because they were so overwhelmed by the situation. That is something else to keep an eye on for this morning.

The whole situation down there is un-frick’en-believe-able.

[Tijeras_Slim]

WTF took you so long to figure it out???????????

Focus group polls.

[yankeegohome]

hehehe typical..I was waiting for this head to pop out. Please kind sir tell me how plasma screen TV's, stereos and various sorts of entertainment supplies will help these desperate people. This is sad for someone to fit racism into this situation. And again kind sir please inform me on why the US should care for what Britain or any other country feels in regards to this. We handle ourselves pretty damn well while still being able to help the "world".

[myself6]

Does this mean we have finally gone to war against the democrats?

[inquest]

An angry Gov. Kathleen Blanco demanded that Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., apologize for his statement that it might not make sense to rebuild New Orleans. It was “unthinkable,” Blanco said, that Hastert would “kick us when we’re down. I demand an immediate apology.”

Now there's some typical Democrat whining. Not coercing taxpayers to give you money is "kicking" you. Right...

[malletti_nc]

This upsets me. Sense when are people sentenced to death for theft? There are other ways to stop people. At the very least why can't the orders be shoot to INJURE. There are many other weapons out there that can be use to immobilize people without actually killing them. I don't disagree with that, but outright killing the people is wrong. Thats my two cent worth.

[Ciexyz]

I don't see it happening. The first Afro-American shot....there will be screams from the Congressional Black Caucus and all the major media.

[MarineDad]

Your two cents' worth is gonna bring you perilously close to a ZOT, TrollBoy.

Bye bye!

[HAL9000]

Calm yourself. Noone is going to get shot for simple theft from a Wal-Mart. The people who will be shot dead are rapists, arsonists, snipers, murderers and other violent thugs.

[HAL9000]

My favorite post of 2005.

The situation in New Orleans started improving dramatically after this news came out.

[Dawgreg]

Hub and I love New Orleans and WERE looking forward to going back this year, but "hell no, we won't go". Afraid of picking up something......like a virus or a bullet!

[Dawgreg]

Hub and I love New Orleans and WERE looking forward to going back this year, but "hell no, we won't go". Afraid of picking up something......like a virus or a bullet....from a thug, not the guard.

[Balding_Eagle]

Malli, where have you gone?

[Czar]

Too little - too late.