Relief Comes TO NO In Full Force

Thousands of National Guardsmen and women armed with food, water and weapons streamed into the hurricane-ravaged New Orleans on Friday to bring relief to the suffering and take back the streets from the looters and armed vigilantes.

In addition to some 21,000 National Guard troops already in the region, Bush said 4,000 active duty troops are already in the area and 7,000 more will arrive in the next 72 hours.

Restoring law & order, continuing evacuations, providing food and water, enabling medical care.

Fox News is currently flashing a news alert: 30,000 National Guard troops now in the region.

WaPo: With some forethought, the National
Guard troops who arrived yesterday could have
been en route before, or even immediately after,
the storm.

CQ: National Guard troops get mobilized on orders from the governor of the state in which they serve. All that was needed was a mobilization order from Governor Blanco before the storm hit to get them in motion.

Bush declared Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana emergency disaster states on Sunday, Aug 28. Katrina made landfall Aug 29.

On Sunday the 28th, "Gov. Kathleen Blanco, standing beside the mayor (Nagin) at a news conference, said President Bush called and personally appealed for a mandatory evacuation." The mandatory evacuation was ordered only at the behest and appeal of Bush.

On Aug 29, 3,500 members of the Louisiana Guard were deployed by Blanco to help hurricane victims and another 3,000 were on standby.

Blanco did not request more troops until Thursday, Sept. 1. "Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco said Thursday she has requested the mobilization of 40,000 National Guard troops to restore order and assist in relief efforts in hurricane-ravaged New Orleans".

Blanco didn't have the forethought to deploy Guard troops before Katrina hit, and Bush had to tell her to order the evacuation. Figure it out for yourself -- it's not rocket science.
LynZee