Friday, September 09, 2005
Military force
I have been reluctant to comment on the whole Katrina nightmare. As I have outlined before, I am too poor and ignorant to offer these types of opinions. The voices in my head (and on every media source) will not leave me alone.
My Dad was in the Army for a few years in Germany during the Korean war. He always told me he did not want me to join. "If you don't have to, don't do it!", he would say. Well I never had to, so I did not, but I sure respect their awesome force, meticulous training, and I am thankful for the protection.
If the Commander-in-Chief, on Americas behalf had asked the Navy, Army, Air Force, Marines, Coast Gaurd and National Gaurd to go right away and stabilize the area, set up communications, get the people fed and mobilized, we would have none of this banter. The details could have been worked along the way after humans were removed from harms way. Even my simple Red Cross training, says first determine if there is danger for the person(s) you are going to help, if yes move them even if it hurts them, it is better than letting them get finished off by the current danger.
All the boss would have had to say to his highly trained well equipped troops is, "Get it done NOW!" on Tuesday the 30th. They were sitting there waiting on orders. Why he did not militarize the rescue the instant the levee broke we will never know.
It doesn't matter what the Mayor says or any local government says...the freakin Marines are here under the President's orders to do a job and you best yield to 'em, 'cause they are protecting Americans!
Our Armed Services have a clear chain of command that would not have been so messy. If the military ran like Washington D.C., we would have planes that don't fly, boats that can't float and men that won't work.
As rough as things are getting in this world for Americans, we should consider a General for a president the next time we get a chance to vote. I was ready to see Wes Clark go further last time, as I think Iraq would be over by now if he had the Oval office seat. Perhaps some other economic issues would be worse, but I can't see how.
Or matters might be much worse, who can say?
:: posted by Tennessee Jed, 10:11 PM
