Kansas Town's Rebuilding Effort Hampered (NG equipment in Iraq)

[rainbow4321]

Source: Local6.com

The governor of Kansas said the rebuilding effort in tornado-ravaged Greensburg likely will be hampered because some much-needed equipment is in Iraq.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius said much of the National Guard equipment usually positioned around the state to respond to emergencies is gone. She said not having immediate access to things like tents, trucks and semitrailers will really handicap the rebuilding effort.

The Greensburg administrator estimates that 95 percent of the town of 1,500 was destroyed by Friday's tornado.

The Kansas National Guard has about 40 percent of the equipment it is allotted because much of it has been sent to Iraq.

Read more: http://www.local6.com/weather/13267015/detail.html

[sam sarrha]

1. and what is left is total crap

[rodeodance]

4. It will never be replaced. it will be the sacrafice of the states

[Solly Mack]

2. I hope no one expects Bush to care

Because he doesn't

[Screwfly]

3. Yeah, I was kind of shocked

at not seeing any sign of a military presence in that town on the news today. Blaming the National Guards non-response on an equipment storage is sounds very Third Reichesh since we're hearing all kinds of carping from soldiers in Iraq that their short on all kinds necessary equipment. I wonder just how much stuff the army actually has left?

I saw a news report from Iraq, and the army wouldn't let a reporter film one of their bone yards of wrecked military vehicles. I guess it would be embarrassing if the ID numbers on blown to hell equipment is found to match a list equipment still in service.

[liberal N proud]

6. For several months experts have been saying we are not prepared at home

With the Hurricane season upon us, the gulf states have all been crying foul about the lack of preparedness on the National Guards part due to the troops and equipment being shipped to Iraq.

The fucker sitting in the white house has only one thing on his mind, getting control of the Iraqi oil for his oil buddies so they can keep driving the price up. He does not give a shit about the people in Kansas, Florida, Louisiana or Texas.

[ClintonTyree]

24. Well, two things on his mind.....

getting past the next Presidential election without having to make any more decisions (although he is "the decider") about whether to withdraw from Iraq or to continue his "surge". He wants the hands of time to spin like crazy so he can get out of office before the whole stinking mess in Iraq blows up even worse than it already is. It's all about his "legacy". He SOOOOO wanted to look tough and Reaganesque but he'll forever be remembered as THE WORST PRESIDENT, EVER!

Between that and emptying out the Treasury, like you said, are the only remaining issues of his agenda. Everything else has been forgotten, and rightly so. The man is a walking disaster area. He screws up everything he touches. I really don't believe that America or Iraq can take another year and a half of his "leadership". We have to remove the blundering fool NOW!

[newspeak]

42. I agree

gutting the infrastructure and syphoning the treasury--hey, we're talking about multi-national corporations--I'm sure some care as much for the US as they do for china-as long as it's a grandiose, healthy profit margin.

[madrchsod]

7. on average half the stuff will be left in iraq

we have to fight them over there was we don`t have to fight them here.

bush does`t give a shit whether or not the states have the tools and manpower to respond to a emergency.

[Divernan]

5. 4 Fort Riley Soldiers Arrested in Kansas Tornado Looting.

They were not part of any official detachment - Another effect of the Army continuing to lower standards to scrape the bottom of the barrel to keep Iraq stocked with cannon fodder and avoid a politically unpopular draft. If these "soldiers" loot their own fellow citizens, just imagine what they will do when they get to Iraq.

(These paragraphs are from the same OP's link.)

"Four Fort Riley soldiers and a reserve police officer were arrested on Sunday for allegedly looting cigarettes and alcohol from a store in Greensburg. Maj. Gen. Tod Bunting, the state's adjutant general, said the soldiers and reserve police officer were not part of any official detachment.

Sharon Watson, a spokeswoman for the adjutant general's office, said the five were arrested at a Dillon's supermarket. They and were being held at the Pratt County Jail without bond. She said all five were in uniform, so police allowed them to come and go freely despite a curfew in the town.

Watson said the officer was from a central Kansas community, but she was not sure which town.

In a separate incident, two people wearing Red Cross jackets who were not members of the Red Cross were arrested for allegedly looting. Watson said she did not have any additional details.

[SheilaT]

8. And the people who actually live there have not

been allowed back in until this morning.

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. This needs to be its own thread

How repulsive.

[Divernan]

11. Bush has "salted" every federal agecncy w/ "poison pills" of greed & corruption

One way or another, whether through his massive numbers of politically based appointments and hirings, at every level of EVERY government agency, or by drastically lowering standards & dangling big signing bonuses for the military forces, Bush/Cheney/Rove have infected our body politic with amoral individuals consumed by greed and power. These individuals are the "poison pills" who will keep on looting our country, each at their own level, for the remainder of their working lives.

We can vote Dems into the majority, and into the White House, and the Governors' mansions, but rooting out the Bush/Cheney/Rove "legacy" will be as difficult as getting rid of cockroaches in a tenement.

(I started to give this aspect of the story its own thread, but saw that the powers at DU have made the OP the lead story for the front page, so will rely on that to get this part of the news out.)

[Beetwasher]

18. Indeed

Well said. It will be truly be an Herculean task to try and repair the damage and root out the infestation.

[newspeak]

43. yep, "the fish rots from the head down"

Over the past six years-the level of lies, corruption and violence causes a wave within the social sphere.

[RamboLiberal]

19. I posted this story last night

DU Thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=2837025&mesg_id=2837025

[OhioChick]

9. Nice....

This story should be plastered across every newspaper in the US.

[Shoelace]

26. wonder how quickly the media will bury this story - let's keep it alive

up front and center. Maybe DU should start a "Rebuild Greensburg" fund?

[rfranklin]

12. They are now the Iraqi National Guard...

Guarding our oil fields in the Middle East.

[aaronbees]

44. Bingo

The new "homefront" needs help.

:puke:

[catmandu57]

13. We're just a very thin hair away from having a major flood here

We're right along the Missouri and it and all of it's tributaries are getting mad and madder right now, it's supposed to rain all week. I was wondering this morning where are national guard is and their equipment, this may wake up john q.

[adigal]

14. Well, those in Greensburg who voted for Bush

may rethink their need for government now. Or at least we can hope.

[Jersey Ginny]

21. No they won't, they'll be blaming this on gay people

It happened because their support of Bush and the Repukes has wavered lately.

[icymist]

29. BS!!!! Those people are hurting right now. Quit belittling them!

I'm from the midwest.... these tornadoes I wish on no-one. Please don't think that all people from midwest small towns are anti-gay Republicans! I pray these people in Kansas Godspeed in aide and recovery.

[RoBear]

34. Thank you.

I have another post elsewhere remarking on the hate-filled remarks of a few on this thread.

I lived in Greensburg nine years (some time ago now) and it breaks my heart to see the devastation.

[Honeycombe8]

38. Nothing about the individuals should be said. But it is a red state...

that voted for Bush...twice. And Bush sent their National Guard and equipment to Iraq.

It is a valid point, I think.

Louisiana also was a red state that voted for Bush twice.

I think it's a valid point. They knew in 2004, when they voted for Bush again, that he was sending a lot of the National Guard to Iraq. So it wasn't like they didn't know.

But that's not the same thing as criticizing any individuals, or the people in that town, specifically. Just a general comment about the state.

[greyghost]

28. Exactly

These are after all BushCo's people!

Their mentality kept it close enough for the bastard's brain to steal two elections.

I hope they're happy with their choice!:evilgrin:

[chelsea0011]

15. I guess Bush won't be rushing down for a visit.

[yellowcanine]

16. Let them find National Guards on the internets. I am the DECIDER and I have decided to send the

National Guards to EyeRack.

[usregimechange]

17. Disgusting!

[Neecy]

20. I can hear our Kansas fundies now...

Sebelius has been highly critical of Bush's looting of the Kansas NG for his Iraq adventure for several years now. Turns out she was right and the chickens are coming home to roost.

She looked highly pissed yesterday and I don't blame her. The Bush-lovin fundies in the state are going to blast her for criticizing their hero. Time for Kansas DU'ers to send Kathleen some love to make up for the fundie condemnation that's surely pouring into her office:

http://www.governor.ks.gov/comments/comment.htm

[Telly Savalas]

39. Anybody that blasts her better damn well be driving to Greensburg

with a pickup truck full of necessary supplies.

[whistle]

22. What is Bush's Iraq War all about once again?

[happygoluckytoyou]

23. SAN DIEGO FIRES...KATRINA...NOW THIS

a few years back San Diego (major military town) had their WORST year of fires... their fire department is usually supported by the military and reserves plus their equipment.......

katrina... how many soldiers and reserves lost family and homes without being able to help

and now kansas... RED STATE CENTRAL... and the men and equipment usually on hand to assist are still in Iraq

SO HERE WE GO...
we are fighting them over there, SO WE CANNOT FIGHT ANYTHING OVER HERE

but not to worry.....

there is GOOD NEWS.....

President Bush and his administration do not live in any of those places
Most of the people affected were not wealthy
The wealthy people who were affected were insured and will not hurt for their convenience
I saved $400 on my car insurance with the lizard
The Supreme Court voted 5-4 to feel sad about the tragic events
President Bush said he will visit the site of the disaster as soon as the lighting is better for a photo-op and his tornado-rescue-worker suit is out of the cleaners

[valerief]

25. Well, Hell O'Burden needs it MORE! For Freedom! For the Children! nt

[Preening Fop]

27. The Iraq government is sending over a Cart and Donkey.....!!

Although,
Once again
this act of kindness has also been rejected and
turned away at the border.

[TalkingDog]

30. Gotta hand it to my spousal unit. He started bitching about this

at the very beginning.

He was also dumbfounded when he realized, a year into the "war", that some people were not aware that we were sending National Guard troops and equipment.

*sigh*

Somehow, being right about all this crap is never as satisfying as it should be.

[iamahaingttta]

31. Just another component in the Neo-Con agenda...

The part that nobody really wants to talk about.
They want to kill off as many on the planet as possible.
And they don't care who.
They'll gladly kill off their own "supporters" as long as it's the stupid, backwards, poor ones, even if they DID vote for this crap.
Seriously, they want the planet to themselves, and those poor fools in places like Kansas will NEVER understand that.
It will also make it easier for them to privatize everything if there's nobody around to stop them...

[blondeatlast]

32. Nation building in the Middle East while he sits back and giggles as the US is brought to its knees.

I'll finally come right out and say it: I HATE George Bush.

May God have mercy on his rotted soul.

[RoBear]

33. Replies 14, 21, and 28

sound just like the hate spewed from the right-wing empty-headed fundamentalists we're ALL surrounded by.

I hoped for more from democrats.

Sign me Disillusioned from Kansas...

[Kat 333]

35. What's the Matter with Kansas ?

[TalkingDog]

36. Mile wide tornado took out a whole town.

THE strongest level of wind force. Lots of devastation, people dead. The whole town wiped out.

Now they are having trouble finding survivors and helping people because the Decider decided to use National Guard and it's equipment to implement his scheme to make money for him and his friends in Iraq, so no rich affluent people would have to sacrifice their child to a draft.


Welcome to DU! :hi:

[NYC]

41. Excellent book.

Did you read it?

:hi:

[Coexist]

37. knr

[truthisfreedom]

40. bush has left us at risk overseas and even more at risk here. What if there was a terror event?

What would we do to respond? We CAN'T EVEN RESPOND TO A DAMNED TORNADO.