Did the war play a role in the Katrina response failure?

Question

National Guard troops that had been sent to Iraq "took a lot of needed equipment with them, including dozens of high-water vehicles, Humvees, refuelling tankers and generators that would be needed in the event a major natural disaster hit the state," The Wall Street Journal reported. "A senior Army official said the service was reluctant to commit the 4th brigade of the 10th Mountain Division from Fort Polk, because the unit, which numbers several thousand soldiers, is in the midst of preparing for an Afghanistan deployment."

Answer 1

Looks like you answered your own question...

Money and resources were diverted because of the war.

Answer 2

There were plenty of troops. As a Gulf Coast native I will tell you that normal people fully expect at least 3 days to pass after a hurricane before any help arrives. They KNOW to be prepared for failed systems. All the Humvees and National Guard troops in America could not get there within 3 days, even if put on alert. Natural disasters are called that for a reason. They are "disasters". FEMA had just been through two or three exemplary responses to Florida hurricanes just before Katrina hit. It was pushing its own capability, but it was quite prepared for everything except the biggie - the levee break. It was overload time. Had the military (troops and ships) been in the area for quick response, they too would have been whacked by the hurricane. I'll bet next time a target like New Orleans is under the gun, more military resources will go on alert before the hit, though they will likely stay put until the storm is passed by. There will still be the 3 day survival time for friends and neighbors to help each other as best they can.

Answer 3

No.

People who say this do not realize that the water in New Orleans was too deep for 'high water' vehicles. And that the Louisiana National Guard was hit by the same hurricane as everybody else.

The fact of the matter is that the big problem after Katrina was the fact that we had one road and one airfield operational. The 10th division would not have even been able to get there.

Answer 4

First of all thee Governor dropped the ball from the start. It was totally our of her league, trying to handle the problem that hit her state. One of th reasons when we vote we MUST be sure our elected officials are qualified and competent, which she was not. And the Mayor tried his hardest to get help in the area but FEMA and the Red Cross didn't act quickly enough, if you watch the news of that time, about a month after it was exposed that both emergency organizations dropped the ball the heads of both agencies resigned! FEMA and Red Cross really failed the people. We have mobile homes here in my area, FREE, that could have been sent there, I spoke with legislative officials here in Olympia Washington, and FEMA nor the Red Cross (or the government itself) wanted anything to do with the housing that is still available to them! FREE homes for Louisiana, the government didn't care, people are still homeless while we demolish homes that are perfectly fine for temporary housing! Our government is SO messed up it makes me sick.

And yes, putting the National Guard, which was developed for NATIONAL stuff, here in the USA, shouldn't be sent off elsewhere. We have need of our forces at home Mr. Bush! And now you also state that we are considering Afghanistan involvement again? Bring our troops home, let them take care of things themselves. We are not "mom" to the rest of the world! We have needs here in the State of Washington where we could use troops. And now hurricane season has started again, we need our servicemen and women to take care of our own stuff, like looting after a disaster. But no one cares. Did you hear that the House of Congress and government there gave themselves all a raise? It was in my newspaper yesterday. A raise worth thousands of dollars per representative, where is our raise?

The troops, should they have been available, could have kept the crowds in order in the Statium where the folks were evacuated to. I heard a report from a witness there and she said there was massive drug activity going on right in front of the kids, everybody, besides the big time drunkeness as the food court had plenty of beer! Drugs, alcohol, right in front of everyone, I'm sure those folks were a bit on the belligerent side as well, urinating anywhere they wanted, etc. It was bad. If we had had troops there to oversee that the huge crowd remained mellow and in proper behavior. That is what the National Guard is for. As for the Humvees, and other equipment, we still have stores of heavy euipment here in the US it was just that the government didn't care about the people-the government couldn't see from across the local street! But even the mobile home issue burns me up! Homes, FREE, all FEMA would have to do is pay the $3,000 per home to move them there by trucck. I thought they could use the army transport plane that could hundreds of homes for the people that need it NOW! Forget the Middle East Bush!

Answer 5

Of course not. That was a natural disaster. That should not be a military problem. People are expecting too much from the gov't. Nobody said you have the right to a free house and for prime rib to be brought to your flooded house if you build in a known flood area.

Look at some of the responses you got. There's one guy saying he wants the military deployed to Washington State (for some reason). Not only is that illegal, but then you'd be complaining that the government is trying to enslave the people of Washington. Get real folks. I live in a hurricane area and I know it is my responsibility to keep my family safe, to have insurance, to have emergency supplies, etc. Its not the government's job to babysit me.

Answer 6

Yep unfortunately we don't have enough able body men and women to support the war effort and help when a natural disaster strikes. Than in return the support for the troops became limited because the money got diverted to Katrina victims.

Answer 7

The failures in New Orleans on the most basic level falls on the people themselves in that city. Why won't they take an ounce of personal responsibility for not being prepared, for not having an evacuation plan, for not leaving when told too? The "blame" game of Katrina needs to stop and a little ounce of personal responsibility needs to step in.

Answer 8

Nope, it was the local, state and federal government that drop the ball. There was plenty of equipment available but no one was there to take charge. You still hear stories of trucks full of equipment and supplies and no one would tell them where to take it. If ever there was something to be ashamed of it was our response to that disaster.