Posted on 05/07/2007 3:32:36 PM PDT by jdm
Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius says a shortage of trucks, helicopters and other equipment - all sent to the war in Iraq - has hampered recovery in a US town obliterated by a tornado.
"There is no doubt at all that this will slow down and hamper the recovery," Governor Sebelius, a Democrat, said in Kansas, where officials said the statewide death toll had risen to 12.
"Not having this equipment in place all over the state is a huge handicap."
The tornado that devastated Greensburg, 175 kilometres west of Wichita, started a weekend of violent weather in Kansas, a state in the heart of the central United States region known as "Tornado Alley."
Ten died in Greensburg, a town of 1,600 people. An 11th died in nearby Pratt County and a 12th in a separate tornado in Ottawa County.
The twisters were accompanied by widespread flooding on Sunday and Monday (local time) that required more than 200 water rescues and closed many roads and shuttered several schools in another part of the state.
"We're getting pounded in Kansas. We have the need for National Guard in two different parts of our state now. This is really going to be a problem," Governor Sebelius said.
She and other Democratic governors earlier this year assailed the Republican Bush administration for the strains they said the war had placed on their states' National Guardsmen, who are frequently mobilised for state emergencies.
CBS news interspersed her words with a congressional hearing with some general talking about how the NG needs more equipment. Yikes, every branch of the service has people whose entire job is asking congress for more money. They made it look like it was related to this recent disaster.
The inane criticism of the President for every news event dulls the public’s sensitivity. Only rabid Bush haters would believe this. I think that the stupidity of this statement speaks for itself.
I am reminded of when Tim McVeigh set off the bomb in OKC. The eastern newspapers began a handwringing contest because those hicks in the sticks would not know how to deal with this tragedy.
They were surprised when so much help showed up because the rescue departments were all very well trained in Tronado rescue and had no problem swinging into action.
“Not having this equipment in place all over the state is a huge handicap.” ............BRAINLESS TWIT, Ft Leonard Wood, Ft Reilly, Ft Levenworth, etc. the guard can draw equipment from the Army Posts around them.
Bringing in medics, hauling out the wounded (there's several ambulance versions) hauling a water buffalo (water tank trailer) or a field generator. HMMWV's are utility vehicles, good for lots of stuff. Sort and SUV without the "S". A very good off road vehicle.
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