From WWL
Updates as they come in on Katrina
10:53 PM CDT on Tuesday, September 6, 2005
Tom Planchet
10:53 P.M. - (AP): As flood waters slowly receded by the inch Tuesday, New Orleans Mayor C. Ray Nagin authorized law enforcement officers and the U.S. military to force the evacuation of all residents who refuse to heed orders to leave the dark, dangerous city.
Nagin's emergency declaration released late Tuesday states that those who can be compelled to leave include people who are on private property or just don't wish to flee, unless they have been designated by government officials as helping with the relief effort. The move comes after some citizens informed authorities who had come to deliver them out of New Orleans that they would not leave their homes and property.
While acknowledging that the declaration had been made, police Capt. Marlon Defillo said when contacted late Tuesday that any forced removal of citizens had not yet begun. He said that those who were visiting homes were still reminding people that police may not be able to rescue them if they stay.
"That would be a P.R. nightmare for us," Defillo said of any forced evacuations. "That's an absolute last resort."
Repeated telephone calls to Nagin's spokeswoman, Tami Frazier, were not returned for comment.
Pretty much sums up the attitude of the mayor and the governor. This is all about PR.
I'm sure you know that neither Nagin or Blanco can command Honore's troops or active-duty military. I despise the lazy writing of reporters. Blanco and Nagin have National Guard troops at their command, but neither has the authority to direct the U.S. Military to perform police functions.
There is one circumstance wehre the U.S. Military might undertake a forced evacuation - declare a state of anarchy or insurrection and ASK the president to commit troops to quell it. Even then, the first resort would be National Guard units, not active-duty military. But in taht circumstance, the troops would not be under Blanco or Nagin's control.