Red tape keeping much of military on sidelines (Katrina's wake)

The Seattle Times ^ | September 3, 2005 | David Wood

[neverdem]

BRETT COOMER / AP

Louisiana State Police officers in an armored car roll by lines of Hurricane Katrina evacuees before the National Guard delivered food and water yesterday to the people stranded near the New Orleans Convention Center.

[ArtyFO]

Yeah, the FEMA structure needs to be retooled. Looks like it doesn't need to be under Homeland Security. It looks to me like it needs to be a military organization. Perhaps a senior general or admiral should command the org. Too much politics is what screwed up this cluster. Army Corps of Engineers needs to be retooled, too. Talk about politics.

[takbodan]

There's a schoolbus behind the armored vehicle. Perhaps it is an escort.

[DB]

Federal troops can't enter the state without the governor's consent. The governor is in command of the national guard troops there regardless of where they're from.

She refused to allow the Fed to take command.

[DB]

The governor is in control of all national guard there. The Federal military can't enter the state without the consent of the governor.

The governor is the problem.

[isthisnickcool]

Ditto. That's a fact jack...

Bump..

[Logical me]

"The governor is in control of all national guard there. The Federal military can't enter the state without the consent of the governor. "

Yes, so far we are nation ruled by Constitution and the law. All the governor had to do is turn it over to the military for help. We on FR will get the message, but the MSM will never own up to the problem and make the nation aware. There lies the problem.

[filbert]

Um, it's not red tape. It's Federal Law. The Posse Comitatus Act, to be specific.

It's really a pretty good idea. I hope we don't throw it out in the post-Katrina angst-fest.

[DB]

The MSM is just a big echo chamber.

I think most of the nation ignores the MSM because they've been burned so many times before.

It will get out.

[Texasforever]

That red tape is the Constitution and now it shows that even that venerable document can indeed become a suicide pact.

[JSteff]

"Um, it's not red tape. It's Federal Law. The Posse Comitatus Act, to be specific.

It's really a pretty good idea. I hope we don't throw it out in the post-Katrina angst-fest."

You are right and I have been mentioning the Posse Comitatus Act every time I see someone (in a post or on the news) blaming the Pres. for not "getting troops in". They either don't know or don't want to explain it right to the public.

But as much as this holds up the President from ordering in FEDERAL troops it is a good thing. We wouldn't want to lose the protections of the Act if we had say,, a Hillary in the White House.

It is a "State's Rights" thing and many don't realize how important that concept is to our republic staying free.

[TheCrusader]

"Federal troops can't enter the state without the governor's consent."

Just curious, did the Administration have these troops prepared and ready to go at governor's request?

[Treader]

Apparently, you were there. Please explain your funny joke about the cowardly US troops, azzhat...

[RobbyS]

Once upon a time, there used to be a CD part of DoD. That was when they were worried about atomic attack. Obviously a lot of weeding needs to be done. Good thing that this disaster has given us a trial run of a truly BIG incident. It would take a suitcase a-bomb to cause more turmpil than this thing.

[RobbyS]

Back in the 1890s, Grover Cleveland intervened in a labor strike over the objections of Governor Altgeld. So it may be irregular but not unprecedented.

[Treader]

Hey Darksheare,- check out the fur on this funny little bunny...

[Darksheare]

"Funny" thing is, there was an F-117A Nighthawk shotdown.
A one in a million lucky shot by an SA-14.

I guess Fangz here doesn't recall that little Clinton era embarrassment.

Thanks for the ping Treader.
This one IS interesting.

[Treader]

Perhaps, then again- you know how "seared" the memory of a petite bunny can be...