Posted on 05/12/2007 8:27:08 AM PDT by FryingPan101
15 minutes ago
WASHINGTON - The National Guard isn't as strong as it should be because of the war in Iraq and American communities will suffer as a result, retired Air Force Gen. Melvyn Montano said Saturday.
Delivering the Democrats' weekly radio address, Montano said the strain means it will take longer for Greensburg, Kan., to recover from a devastating tornado that leveled the town a week ago.
"Crucial equipment used by the Guard for disaster relief is now in Iraq instead of standing ready to respond to crises here at home," said Montano, who was once adjutant general of the New Mexico National Guard.
"When the tornado struck Kansas last week, the Guard had half the number of Humvees and large trucks they usually would have at their disposal," Montano said. "The recovery process now will take longer."
Montano echoed Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a Democrat, who clashed with the Bush administration this week. "I don't think there is any question if you are missing trucks, Humvees and helicopters that the response (to the tornado) is going to be slower," she said Monday. "The real victims here will be the residents of Greensburg, because the recovery will be at a slower pace."
Sebelius later said the Guard was adequately equipped to handle the disaster, though possible flooding in another part of the state would have forced her to make hard choices about where to send aid.
What if there was also an alien invasion in another part of the state? And what if there was also an earthquake to deal with? I suppose Sebelius just sits around all day and dreams up hypothetical disasters.
And I heard someone say the other day that there were so many offers of aid from local citizens that they didn't know what to do with them all -- in the midst of crying that there were insufficient National Guard resources.
The morning after the tornado in Kansas there was a reporter on the ground describing the destruction, then they went to the sound bite from Kathleen Sebelius. Did she describe what was being done by the first responders (police, fire departments, public works, etc.)? No. It was (to paraphrase), "The rescue equipment we need is tied up in Iraq."
I believe this has been in the Democratic party playbook for some time, waiting for an opportunity to use it.
This should be investigated.
They say it’s gonna be a rough hurricane season.
It must be Bush’s fault.
It won’t be long before the Dems start pushing a bill to give control of the Guard to the Goracle for “global warming prevention.”
Bull. All of it.
Wow, supermop, good find!
So the rat PR machine is lining up to use the “national Guard-Bush’s fault” mantra.
OK, Dean, NOW say that you had nothing to do with it!
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