Remember a few weeks ago when the big name Dems were blaming the California wildfires on global warming and the lack of resources due to the Iraq war? Well, let me
remind you what presidential candidate and New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson had to say
But as someone who believes the war in Iraq is a complete disaster and that we need to get our troops out now (www.getourtroopsout.com), I look at the natural disaster in California and feel compelled to also ask President Bush and every candidate who thinks it is okay for our troops to remain in Iraq until 2013 or longer - where is our National Guard?
It is a sad irony that yesterday, the very day I sent fire crews to California, 300 more New Mexico National Guard members were sent to Iraq. Just when we need them most at home, more of our brave men and women, true public servants, are sent away to a war we cannot win.
There were also remarks from Barbara Boxer and Nancy Pelosi that I am too lazy to look up that came to the same conclusion; the fires were raging out of control because the evil Boosh had taken all of California's National Guard resources and sent them off to die in Iraq.
But wait,
what's this?
It seems that there is a law in California that there must be a state fire spotter riding along with each airplane or helicopter that is engaged in fighting the fire. The Navy and Marines had more aircraft available than the state could deal with, so they left them grounded while they looked for qualified people to ride along and spot the fires.
The state has determined it had enough spotters for the helicopters it knew were available but had to scramble to find spotters for the Marine and some of the Navy helicopters because it wasn't expecting them, Padilla said.
"When we found out how many military and Marine helicopters were available, we put in orders and began trying to find qualified managers that weren't already assigned," he said.
So really, it wasn't that there weren't adequate resources, there were too many resources. The National Guard was too prepared, and the state couldn't deal with it.
If you need me, I'll be over here holding my breath while I wait for Richardson, Pelosi and Boxer to announce that they were wrong, and the stupid rules of engagement for fighting fires were to blame, not the evil Boosh empire.
Labels: biting sarcasm, governmental idiocy, Iraq, war