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September 03, 2005
My God. The Army is invading New Orleans.
From ArmyTimes.com, reprinted in full without permission:
NEW ORLEANS — Combat operations are underway on the streets “to take this city back” in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.“This place is going to look like Little Somalia,” Brig. Gen. Gary Jones, commander of the Louisiana National Guard’s Joint Task Force told Army Times Friday as hundreds of armed troops under his charge prepared to launch a massive citywide security mission from a staging area outside the Louisiana Superdome. “We’re going to go out and take this city back. This will be a combat operation to get this city under control.”
Jones said the military first needs to establish security throughout the city. Military and police officials have said there are several large areas of the city are in a full state of anarchy.
Dozens of military trucks and up-armored Humvees left the staging area just after 11 a.m. Friday, while hundreds more troops arrived at the same staging area in the city via Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters.
“We’re here to do whatever they need us to do,” Sgt. 1st Class Ron Dixon, of the Oklahoma National Guard’s 1345th Transportation Company. “We packed to stay as long as it takes.”
While some fight the insurgency in the city, other carry on with rescue and evacuation operations. Helicopters are still pulling hundreds of stranded people from rooftops of flooded homes.
Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and police helicopters filled the city sky Friday morning. Most had armed soldiers manning the doors. According to Petty Officer 3rd Class Jeremy Grishamn, a spokesman for the amphibious assault ship Bataan, the vessel kept its helicopters at sea Thursday night after several military helicopters reported being shot at from the ground.
Numerous soldiers also told Army Times that they have been shot at by armed civilians in New Orleans. Spokesmen for the Joint Task Force Headquarters at the Superdome were unaware of any servicemen being wounded in the streets, although one soldier is recovering from a gunshot wound sustained during a struggle with a civilian in the dome Wednesday night.
“I never thought that at a National Guardsman I would be shot at by other Americans,” said Spc. Philip Baccus of the 527th Engineer Battalion. “And I never thought I’d have to carry a rifle when on a hurricane relief mission. This is a disgrace.”
Spc. Cliff Ferguson of the 527th Engineer Battalion pointed out that he knows there are plenty of decent people in New Orleans, but he said it is hard to stay motivated considering the circumstances.
“This is making a lot of us think about not reenlisting.” Ferguson said. “You have to think about whether it is worth risking your neck for someone who will turn around and shoot at you. We didn’t come here to fight a war. We came here to help.”
Bush floods them out, starves them half to death, then SHOOTS THEM.
Write to your Congressman NOW. And repeatedly!
Posted By Bob Cesca | September 3, 2005 04:54 PM | DIGG ME!
Comments
Erm... Might I point out that the City of New Orleans is, in fact, in a full state of insurgency and anarchy? Frankly, at this point we /need/ a combat operation just to get things under control. Armed looters are roving the city and attacking rescue vehicles, the police are pinned down in their precinct buildings, and the whole situation is just completely out of control. If you think the Army shouldn't go in there and restore order, then what do you think we should do, bearing in mind that letting the looters and gangs continue to kill civilians and prevent rescue is not an option?
Posted by: Rogue 9 ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.bobcesca.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at September 3, 2005 09:28 PM
How did Bush somehow gain divine power to flood these people out? Second, then you suggest he intentionally starved them out, and thirdly, he is now sending the Army in on purpose to just shoot them?
Reality Based Nation? Doesn't seem realistic to me.
Its chaos, its anarchy, the innocent need to be protected, and who is going to have the capacity, the manpower, and the ability to deal with such a problem? THE US ARMY AND NATIONAL GUARD. The Police apparently cannot do it.
Now, unless of course you want to elaborate on your position concerning this other then that one single line up above, tell us how this will be accomplished without something like the Army?
I am even more curious to know why you think Bush "flooded" them out.
Posted by: Ivanhoe at September 6, 2005 06:47 PM
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