Troops begin combat operations in New Orleans to fight 'insurgents'

[pisshead]

Troops begin combat operations in New Orleans to fight 'insurgents'

Joseph R. Chenelly/Army Times | September 4 2005

NEW ORLEANS â?? Combat operations are underway on the streets â??to take this city backâ?� in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

â??This place is going to look like Little Somalia,â?� Brig. Gen. Gary Jones, commander of the Louisiana National Guardâ??s Joint Task Force told Army Times Friday as hundreds of armed troops under his charge prepared to launch a massive citywide security mission from a staging area outside the Louisiana Superdome. â??Weâ??re going to go out and take this city back. This will be a combat operation to get this city under control.â?�

Jones said the military first needs to establish security throughout the city. Military and police officials have said there are several large areas of the city are in a full state of anarchy.

Dozens of military trucks and up-armored Humvees left the staging area just after 11 a.m. Friday, while hundreds more troops arrived at the same staging area in the city via Black Hawk and Chinook helicopters.

â??Weâ??re here to do whatever they need us to do,â?� Sgt. 1st Class Ron Dixon, of the Oklahoma National Guardâ??s 1345th Transportation Company. â??We packed to stay as long as it takes.â?�

While some fight the insurgency in the city, other carry on with rescue and evacuation operations. Helicopters are still pulling hundreds of stranded people from rooftops of flooded homes.

Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and police helicopters filled the city sky Friday morning. Most had armed soldiers manning the doors. According to Petty Officer 3rd Class Jeremy Grishamn, a spokesman for the amphibious assault ship Bataan, the vessel kept its helicopters at sea Thursday night after several military helicopters reported being shot at from the ground.

Numerous soldiers also told Army Times that they have been shot at by armed civilians in New Orleans. Spokesmen for the Joint Task Force Headquarters at the Superdome were unaware of any servicemen being wounded in the streets, although one soldier is recovering from a gunshot wound sustained during a struggle with a civilian in the dome Wednesday night.

â??I never thought that at a National Guardsman I would be shot at by other Americans,â?� said Spc. Philip Baccus of the 527th Engineer Battalion. â??And I never thought Iâ??d have to carry a rifle when on a hurricane relief mission. This is a disgrace.â?�

Spc. Cliff Ferguson of the 527th Engineer Battalion pointed out that he knows there are plenty of decent people in New Orleans, but he said it is hard to stay motivated considering the circumstances.

â??This is making a lot of us think about not reenlisting.â?� Ferguson said. â??You have to think about whether it is worth risking your neck for someone who will turn around and shoot at you. We didnâ??t come here to fight a war. We came here to help.â?�

pisshead Reviewed by pisshead on 09-04-2005. Troops begin combat operations in New Orleans to fight 'insurgents' Troops begin combat operations in New Orleans to fight 'insurgents' Joseph R. Chenelly/Army Times | September 4 2005 NEW ORLEANS â?? Combat operations are underway on the streets â??to take this city backâ?� in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. â??This place is going to look like Little Somalia,â?� Brig. Gen. Gary Jones, commander of the Louisiana National Guardâ??s Joint Task Force told Army Times Friday as hundreds of armed troops under his charge prepared to launch a massive Rating: 5

[pisshead]

The Military Is Frisking Little Children Before Rescuing Them

[align=left]America Blog | September 4 2005
[/align]
A reader has reported that on watching ABC World News This Weekend and they showed footage of a black family being rescued from some highway above the waters and put on a military helicopter.

But before the family was allowed inside, everyone was frisked -- including a little boy that was maybe ten years old! ABC assured us that military leaders insisted this was necessary. Yes, everyone standing politely by and waiting to be rescued needs to be treated like a criminal and frisked.

Is there one example of someone asking to be rescued who then turned on their rescuers? No. Is there anyone who thinks a little 10 year old boy hungry and crying IS A SECURITY RISK? Who lifts the old people out of their wheelchairs so they can be frisked?

Who frisks the bodies on the side of the road and floating in the water in case they've been booby-trapped? Who frisks the babies hungry for milk that might be swaddled in explosives? This is the final humilation for these poor, abandoned people.

[Psycho4Bud]

Really bad timing for this type of bullshit, don't ya think? Fact is, there were gang bangers out there stopping relief efforts. SHOOT TO KILL!! Let God sort em' out!!!

[pisshead]

yeah!!! shoot those kids, too!!!

it's never a bad time to talk about kids being frisked...but i forgot, this is America, where we have freedom, right?

[Psycho4Bud]

yeah!!! shoot those kids, too!!!

it's never a bad time to talk about kids being frisked...but i forgot, this is America, where we have freedom, right?

If their packin a pistol....BANG BANG LIL' GANG BANG!!!

[Sgt. Pepper]

it's never a bad time to talk about kids being frisked...but i forgot, this is America, where we have freedom, right?

Pisshead, they consider children to be potential threats in Iraq and nobody seems to complain. Listen, people who grow up to be gangsters learn the lifestyle from an early age. It's not unusual for a gangbanger going to jail to leave his piece with a younger brother for safekeeping until he returns.

Besides, if I'm a Guardsman in New Orleans, I'd be saying, "This situation is already effed up. Snipers are shooting at people trying to evacuate a hospital, for God's sake!" The soldier in the article said it best - they're supposed to be helping people, not worrying about getting shot. Every precaution is necessary to ensure the safety of our soldiers so they can get back to helping the refugees. Searching isn't hurting anybody's rights.

[WalkaWalka]

Just think if they can crack down like this in New Orleans What if theres a "terrorist situation" in your city the national guard should not be allowed to police cities in this way have they declared martial law down there even cuase that is what this is..

[pisshead]

i agree. we've gone from give me liberty or give me death, watch the government like a hawk, it's there to serve you...to, okay government, i trust you, take my rights away and keep me safe please...and let's call them officials and authorities...

[nicholasstanko]

sgt. pepper has a point, but it;s a bad precedent to set when soldiers search people that have been suffering.

[GHoSToKeR]

It sucks, nic, but it's necessary.