Terrorists or Tornado's: Which would you rather have your National Guard fighting?

[Philosoraptor]

Personally, I'd rather have my National Guard protecting me on my own soil, helping to clean up and rebuild after a hurricane or tornado, not fighting so called terrorists on the other side of the planet.

Call me crazy but if a big ass hurricane hit the Gulf Coast again, or several, and 150 tornado's simultaneously swept across the plains, we'd be royally fucked. The National Guard is supposed to be there in force after any natural disaster, this is one of their main functions, but our 'leaders' need them elsewhere.

And as wildly contrived as this scenario sounds, it COULD happen, we could have some awful earthquakes on the west coast or around the New Madrid Fault near Memphis. There is flooding in Oklahoma right now, and tornado's obliterating towns in Kansas, and where is our National Guard? They're over there in the middle east making billionaire dick cheney into a trillionaire. This is OBSCENE to the max, but no one seems to care.

Tell your local politicians, bring our sons and daughters, our brothers and sisters, our nieces and nephews, our aunts and our uncles, our mothers and our fathers home, our National Guardsmen, our Marines, Our Air Force, our Army, our Navy, god dammit all, enough is enough already.

[Raven]

1. Both. And I think we could handle both if we were not mired

in this bogus war.

[MadBadger]

2. How exactly can the National Guard fight tornados?

[Philosoraptor]

4. Nukes?

...you know what I mean...

[Bandit]

15. Are you being serious

It isn't the tornado that they fight but the devastation caused by it. They can help with transportation and logistics on getting safe drinking water and food and clothing and shelter for the people in need. Other local resources are usually overwhelmed by it all. Natural disasters take more life and property damage every year than any terrorist attack could even think of doing...

[Philosoraptor]

16. Hell no I ain't serious. Don't ever take me literally.

[Bluebear]

3. But if'n we leave Iraq, the tornados will follow us home!

:silly:

[Philosoraptor]

5. Terrornados of mass destruction.

We need a global war on tornados, makes as much sense as one on terror.

[sandnsea]

6. Terrorists actually

But I don't think they're doing either at the moment.

[Philosoraptor]

8. Cleaning up after natural disasters is part of their function.

And they are being missed, there were much needed during Katrina, and New Orleans could use them. They are being exploited for profit, and it dishonors their president and vice president.

And they damn sure aren't keeping us any safer from terrorists here, I agree.

[sandnsea]

10. It was a silly question

Their first obligation is national defense. That means if there was seriously a question of fighting terrorists in Afghanistan, for instance, or cleaning up after a tornado - they should be fighting the terrorists.

But they're doing neither in Iraq.

[Philosoraptor]

12. I heard Osama was still alive, & gaining momentum.

At least the president isnt' chasing girls.

[DURHAM D]

17. I disagree re: national defense.

They are called citizen soldiers for a reason. They have two equal roles to play. Traditionally they have been used for disaster security in their home state. With regard to their national defense component -the intent was that they would be defend the home front if our military was elsewhere deployed.

Now they are being used by Bush in a manner that was never intended.

Do you think the states should have to pay for all of the equipment the guard units have lost in Iraq? Or do you think the federal government should pay for the use/destruction of same?

[Zywiec]

20. I thought Citizen Soldier meant they were part-time soldiers?

[sandnsea]

21. The definition of OR

I have to guess you understand what OR means.

The question was terrorists OR tornadoes. That being the silly question, the answer is terrorists, if it were necessary for them to do that.

I specifically said they were NOT fighting terrorists because they were IN Iraq.

So what the hell is the point of your post - except to pick a fight?

[Zywiec]

7. Terrorists

I was hoping we had FEMA or another organization to help in natural disasters.

[Philosoraptor]

9. And of course ALL the world's terrorists are in Iraq, er, Iran.

[Zywiec]

13. I don't know where the terrorists are

I was just responding to your question. We train soldiers in the national guard to be a part of our military that is suppose to fight and win wars. Neither policing a civil war in Iraq nor picking up trash after a tornado is part of their job description.

[Philosoraptor]

14. Their name is their function.

I've read the charter, and natural disasters is one of their primary jobs, rebuilding infrastructure, saving lives, preventing lawlessness, etc., and I agree they are not to be involved in other nation's civil wars.

[Hangingon]

22. I just googled the national guard

and got the Army NG home page. It lists a Federal mission and a State mission.

Federal MIssion: Our Federal Mission

During peacetime each state National Guard answers to the leadership in the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia. During national emergencies, however, the President reserves the right to mobilize the National Guard, putting them in federal duty status. While federalized, the units answer to the Combatant Commander of the theatre in which they are operating and, ultimately, to the President.

Even when not federalized, the Army National Guard has a federal obligation (or mission.) That mission is to maintain properly trained and equipped units, available for prompt mobilization for war, national emergency, or as otherwise needed.

The Army National Guard is a partner with the Active Army and the Army Reserves in fulfilling the country's military needs.


The State Mission:

The Army National Guard exists in all 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia. The state, territory or district leadership are the Commanders in Chief for each Guard. Their Adjutants General are answerable to them for the training and readiness of the units. At the state level, the governors reserve the ability, under the Constitution of the United States, to call up members of the National Guard in time of domestic emergencies or need.

The Army National Guard's state mission is perhaps the most visible and well known. Nearly everyone has seen or heard of Guard units responding to battle fires or helping communities deal with floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, snowstorms or other emergency situations. In times of civil unrest, the citizens of a state can rest assured that the Guard will be ready to respond, if needed.

If their function is in their name, the Federal mission must come first.

[mmonk]

11. Neither.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

18. Tornadoes, floods, national disasters

I think that all "military" throughout the world should be used in this way.

[murloc]

19. I don't think you can shoot a tornado :)

:)