82nd Airborne/US marshall bit off more than they can chew with former US

[Benbow]

soldier. This account, from Interdictor, is hilarious. I am posting it all here in case he and his blog are compulsorily evacuated too from NO.

http://www.livejournal.com/users/interdictor/

Wed 7 Sept 2005
entry for 6.14am

Last Night
Sometime around midnight, a squad of 82nd Airborne guys accompanied by a US Marshall busted into our Data Center with their M4-A1s to investigate the lights and movement. Personally, I know they were just bored -- there's no way they honestly thought there was some kind of threat up here just yards away from several huge military and police presences. Anyway, they came up and demanded to account for us all. That means they told Donny, who was still up, to come wake up Crys and me in the side closet room type area where we sleep. I could hear Donny telling them that I was exSpecial Forces as he came to get me. He stuck his head in and explained the situation while I made Crys get up and get dressed. We came out and I gave the Marshall a sheepish look which said was this really enough fun for to relieve your boredom? He kind of knew they shouldn't be up here -- I think it was Crystal's being here which really made him snap out of it. He began apologizing and I could tell the yound soldiers with him were really shy about having seen Crystal come out too.

But I didn't let them all off that easily. "Hey, I understand. I know you guys are just doing your job." He kept apologizing. Then I put them to work. "So wait, how did you get up here anyway? We locked this building down....

The Marshall claimed that one of the emergency exits -- the one on the Lafayette Square side had been open. I knew this was bullshit. For one thing, Sig and I tied down and concealed that door. It would have taken a group of guys to open it. For another Lafayette Square is to the south of our building. The only lights visisble are from Poydras to the north. Am I to believe that they bypassed the obvious entrances (also locked down) to look for one they didn't even know existed and it just happened to be open?

No, they searched for a way in, and by the time they got around back and found the emergency exit, they were ready to break in, so they did.

"Wait, we secured that exit. That means that this building might have other people in it," I told them.

They all knew what was coming next. If it was their job to check on lights and movement to look for people who didn't belong there....

I asked them to sweep the building for us.

And they did. All 27 floors of it with no elevators.

If you want to play soldier with me, I will make you play it a lot longer than you had in mind.

Crystal and I went back to bed secure in the knowledge that a US Marshall and a squad from the 82nd Airborne cleared 27 floors and the roof of our temporary residence. And then they secured the door they must have spent 45 minutes breaking into.

Most restful sleep I've had all week.

Good morning, world.

[CottonBear]

1. Brilliant move on Interdictor's part.

I didn't know he was ex-special forces. This post made me smile. :)

[guruoo]

3. Passed Robin Sage...

all over again

[leveymg]

2. These real life accounts are so much more interesting than what the MSM

serves us. The message is almost the opposite of what the boob tube is trying to tell us about our friends and liberators from Washington.

From what I've read here and other accounts from real people in New Orleans, the official response has been to block exit out of urban areas after the storm. Then, withhold water and other essential supplies. Once enough people have died or gone mad of thirst and terror, find some pretext to send in the Army. Once there, the troops are ordered to kick down doors, aim loaded guns at any survivors, shoot their dogs, and threaten to kill residents if they don't vacate their still intact houses.

George, if there's a catstrophe in my town, please don't even go through the motions of trying to "rescue" me with FEMA and the 82nd Airborne. It would be kinder to send Hussian mercenaries to camp out in my living room, instead.

[CottonBear]

4. The military says it won't force people to leave NOLA

and they WILL provide food and water! Good for them.
If Nagin wants everyone to leave, then the police and Nat'l. Guard must do the removal.

I understand Nagin's point that the city is toxic and dangerous but, at the same time, the electricity is being turned back on in the CBD and the French Quarter. Are they going to stage reconstruction from the CBD or allow corporate interests to return before residents?

[leveymg]

5. If it's a contest, Nagin towers over Bush. But, this forced evacuation

at this point doesn't sit right with me. Bad move by the Mayor.

Wish there was some way to tell him that.

[CottonBear]

6. Let people stay in the French Quarter and other dry areas.

Have the army clean up and decontaminate those areas first and provide food and water to those remaining behind. Also provide vaccinations and medical care. NOLA should be rebuilt by the people of NOLA. Allow the other residents back as each neighborhood is cleaned up.

[leveymg]

7. You can have that FEMA job, if you want it.

Serving the devil to do the angel's work is a tough job. Not sure I would want to have to make the kind of difficult decisions that will have to be made in the coming weeks and months.