Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco warned rioters and looters late on Thursday that National Guard troops were under her orders to "shoot and kill" if needed to restore order.

"These troops are battle-tested. They have M-16s and are locked and loaded," she said. "These troops know how to shoot and kill and I expect they will."

Police units, rescue teams and even hospital workers came under gunfire on Thursday and New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin pleaded for urgent help in getting thousands of evacuees to safety. "This is a desperate SOS," he said.

http://today.reuters.com/business/newsarticle.aspx?type=tnBusinessNews&storyID=nN912 08497&imageid=2005-09-01T194640Z_01_JAS17D_RTRIDSP_2_DISASTER-KATRINA.jpg&cap=A%20handicapped%20man%20is%20helpe d%20off%20a%20boat%20after%20he%20was%20rescued%20 from%20floodwaters%20in%20New%20Orleans,%20Septemb er%201,%202005.%20%20New%20Orleans%20Mayor%20Ray%2 0Nagin%20issued%20an%20urgent%20plea%20for%20relie f%20on%20Thursday,%20saying%20the%20flooded%20city %20lacked%20food%20for%20thousands%20of%20Hurrican e%20Katrina's%20refugees%20and%20buses%20to%20evac uate%20them,%20CNN%20reported.%20REUTERS/Jason%20Reed

Now we'll all hear of their civil rights being broke.