Not true. Active duty troops were deployed the first day, including nearby naval assets. The Coast Guard, now under command of Homeland Security, deployed immediately. The governor of the state is CINC of the National Guard troops assigned to each state, including those brought in from other states for disaster relief. The President told the governor a week ago to initiate a mandatory evacuation of New Orleans. They did not listen and waited until the next day to do so. The President if his actual words are to believed by the Washington Compost, yesterday suggested a temporary federal takeover of NO. Perhaps this was a CYA move, but I believe it was done because of the frustration of the Pres. with the lack of response of the authorities on the ground in NO. Other than complaints about getting relief supplies in quicker, I have heard no such complaints outside the NO area, as in Mississippi and Alabama. There the local authorities still seem to be in control, as they should be. I am not in favor of the Feds. taking over any city outside of Washington, D. C. The USA has a Republican form of government and it should stay that way.
The Coast Guard is active duty at all times in the local area. I'm not sure how they might have been used differently in this situation, other than to perhaps help rescues in the coastal environment. Perhaps you are aware of another way.
As for the Navy, I'm not sure exactly what they did. Perhaps you can expand on that also.
As for army troops, todays arrival were the first ground troops that are on active duty to my knowledge. Perhaps you can link us to a report that refutes that. Who knows, you may be right.
I would certainly agree that areas other than NO have seemed to act much more professionally.
Thanks for the response.