Bringing the War Back Home

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: John Adams <jadams01 () sprynet com>
Date: September 3, 2005 5:43:44 PM EDT
To: dave () farber net
Subject: For IP: Bringing the War Back Home
Reply-To: John Adams <jadams01 () sprynet com>


Dave, I had to go to the website before I would believe this.

The Army Times (not, I note, an official publication) is calling the  
situation in New Orleans an "insurgency", and the commander of the  
National Guard task force is quoted as, well, I'd have to say  
_threatening_ that "This place is going to look like Little Somalia."  
I'd love to know whether the general used the word "insurgency" to  
the Army Times--I suppose that would make him the commander of an  
occupying army.

From the Army Times: http://www.armytimes.com/story.php? 
f=1-292925-1077495.php

Troops begin combat operations in New Orleans

By Joseph R. Chenelly
Times staff writer


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.”

Thanks,

      John A
      see me fulminate at http://www.jzip.org/


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