by Col. W. Patrick Lang (Ret.)
The USS Bataan rode out the storm and then followed it toward shore, awaiting relief orders.
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"Utilizing the USS Bataan — Think how many lives ‘could have been saved’ had DHS-FEMA utilized the USS Bataan properly. (Chicago Tribune)
Talk about a ‘break-down’ in the Bush Admin.-DHS-FEMA’s chain of command and control process.
- six operating rooms
- beds for 600 patients — all were ’empty’
- can make its own water, up to 100,000 gallons a day
- a 844-foot ship designed to dispatch Marines in amphibious assaults
- has helicopters
- doctors,the ship had taken on a substantial medical staff
- hospital beds,
- a real ‘cross-section of a major hospital’ — they covered a wide swath of medical specialties onboard from surgeons and pediatricians to heart specialists, a psychiatrist and even a physical therapist
- toilets
- food and water.
- they have electricity, and the police could have charged up their radios"
Thanks to "J" for this.
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A Brave Man’s Sorrow – Broussard
Washington is full of men and women who think that a solemn face and dark,expensive clothes mark them as members of the ruling class.
Perhaps they do. If that is the case, it is no wonder we are such a dull, self obsessed lot in this town.
On Sunday Tim Russert spoke on “Meet the Press” with Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard who has literally been in the “soup” for the last week, trying to deal with the life and death problems of real Americans, not the phony squabbling over influence and contracts that makes of so much of life in the capital of the United States.
Watch the video (at Crooks & Liars) to see a “government man” who lives with his people.
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“Bush vs. Blanco”
In my earlier post, “Posse Comitatus and the Use of Troops,” I maintained that federal armed forces assistance is available to the governments of the states in an emergancy if application is made for such assistance under the “Stafford Act.” This act creates an exception to the “Posse Comitatus” act on the basis of a state’s desire to be helped. Continued BELOW:
Larry Johnson has researched the “paper trail” on what happened and has written on it. There appears to be some disagreement among the White House, FEMA, and Governor Blanco about this.
It looks to me that Blanco made her request before the emergency.
Go take a look. – Pat Lang
Personal Blog: Sic Semper Tyrannis 2005 || Bio || CV
I’m gald that you and Larry Johnson decided to blog here at BT. Your contributions really are invaluable. Thank you for all of your hard work!
I second the motion!
Catnip, you may know this but just in case — Patrick is publishing his own novel of intelligence work during the Civil War, one chapter at a time, at his blog — linked above.
I’ve printed out the first chapter + the foreward. It’s great reading. My daughter Darcy loved it too, and wants me to print more.
Thanks. I’m so not into Civil War stuff, but I’m sure it will be a great book. 🙂
If you want two people to keep Americans safe, Pat and Larry are a good place to start. They’ve been doing it for years.
Their outrage at this administration is a good indication at just how badly the Bushites have alienated the intelligence community.
And think about the incalculable loss of people like Soj, who left our government and our country after trying to lend her brain to our security.
No one can lend their services to this administration without feeling dirty. Most people will ultimately feel betrayed. But the positive thing is that more and more people are becoming dedicated to making changes. All we need is some leadership, because we have more talent on our side than ever.
Johnson/Lang has a nice ring to it. These two men are making us all better informed and have so much courage to come forward and call BS on this administration of incompetence.
From today’s headline segment at Democracy Now:
— I’d have to check his precise words, but didn’t Larry Johnson say that NorthCom should have been given CONTROL of the operation?
Susan, I heard Adm. Keating, Cdr. of NorCom say on CNN that the Bataan was flying missions on Tuesday. I found another article that they weren’t allowed in until Wednesday. More cover up, I think.
Couple of Observations:
Helicopters from the USS Bataan were in operation Tuesday after the storm under a Rescue call from the USCG. However, the Bataan itself was not used. Refueling etc. was conducted by the USCG as far as I can tell. There were other cases of Naval Avition units used in rescue when they happened to be in the area. One case was a mission from pensacola (I think) conatining more helicopters than required to resupply the Naval Stations. When they came in range, the commanders answered the USCG rescue assistance calls. For two days they stayed in the area, even calling back to base (landline) for permission to continue.
It seems many military units were responding as best they could without violating orders.
Second Item, Broussard had a tough week. He had organized relief supplied to be airlifted on chartered helo’s in to about 1500 people stranded on a pier in his Parish, the flights were grounded during the entire day, Friday 9/2, by flight restrictions while the President did his photo ops in the area.