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M O N D A Y , J U L Y 1 1 , 2 0 0 5Bush's Failure To Protect and Defend AmericaPart Iby Michael in New York on
7/11/2005 04:00:00 AMQuick, someone tell Bush we're at war. It's been almost fouryears since 9-11 and Bush has failed repeatedly to take theobvious, common sense steps needed to improve security hereat home.We posted a few days ago on the Coast Guard, which isresponsible for guarding our coastlines and protecting our ports-- two areas the 9-11 Commission have singled out asespecially vulnerable. It is dramatically underfunded, withaging vessels, most of whch have been around for more thanthree decades. Bush looked at old plans made BEFORE 9-11,plans to upgrade the Coast Guard by 2025...and decided todelay them even further to 2030. That's mind-boggling.But that's just one of many, many areas where any reasonableperson can see Bush has utterly failed to protect and defendAmerica.Another area? His abuse of the National Guard and ArmyReserve. Even its own military leaders have described thoseareas as "broken," thanks to Bush's abuse of those troops witha back-door draft. Here's the latest report, a front page NewYork Times story that highlights the dramatic decline inavailable Guard and Reserve forces that are going to beavailable for overseas duty soon. It also points out that manystates have half their forces and vital equipment likehelicopters in Iraq when they're desperately needed here athome for their traditional roles of providing public safety inemergencies like Hurricane Dennis and the forest fires thatrage annually (that season for fires is about to begin).That rumour about the British and US planning to pull manytroops out in 2006? This story makes clear it might very wellhappen for the simple reason that WE'LL HAVE NO CHOICE. Weare running out of troops.
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© 2009 - John Aravosis | Design maintenance by Jason RosenbaumSend me your tips: americablog@starpower.netAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Bush's...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/bushs-failure-to-protect-...
5 of 57/23/09 1:43 AM
7/11/2005 04:00:00 AMQuick, someone tell Bush we're at war. It's been almost fouryears since 9-11 and Bush has failed repeatedly to take theobvious, common sense steps needed to improve security hereat home.We posted a few days ago on the Coast Guard, which isresponsible for guarding our coastlines and protecting our ports-- two areas the 9-11 Commission have singled out asespecially vulnerable. It is dramatically underfunded, withaging vessels, most of whch have been around for more thanthree decades. Bush looked at old plans made BEFORE 9-11,plans to upgrade the Coast Guard by 2025...and decided todelay them even further to 2030. That's mind-boggling.But that's just one of many, many areas where any reasonableperson can see Bush has utterly failed to protect and defendAmerica.Another area? His abuse of the National Guard and ArmyReserve. Even its own military leaders have described thoseareas as "broken," thanks to Bush's abuse of those troops witha back-door draft. Here's the latest report, a front page NewYork Times story that highlights the dramatic decline inavailable Guard and Reserve forces that are going to beavailable for overseas duty soon. It also points out that manystates have half their forces and vital equipment likehelicopters in Iraq when they're desperately needed here athome for their traditional roles of providing public safety inemergencies like Hurricane Dennis and the forest fires thatrage annually (that season for fires is about to begin).That rumour about the British and US planning to pull manytroops out in 2006? This story makes clear it might very wellhappen for the simple reason that WE'LL HAVE NO CHOICE. Weare running out of troops.
Add New CommentYou are commenting as a Guest. You may select one to log into:
HuffPost PoliticsHuckabee's Huck Pac In Turmoil With StaffTurnover, Mounting Debts - Former Arkansas Gov.Mike Huckabee's political action committee, HuckPac, is undergoing a "restructuring," ExecutiveDirector Sarah Huckabee said Wednesday....2 minutes ago
Ben SmithGoing small - My story tonight: President BarackObama came alive about 50 minutes intoWednesday night’s news conference – whensomebo24 minutes ago
Daily KosOpen Thread and Diary Rescue - *Today, srkp23(pulling a double shift), ybruti, taylormattd,ItsJessMe and vcmvo2 combed through hundredsof diaries to find this powerful list. Today's...1 hour ago
EschatonOvernight - Folk On. Newish.1 hour ago
Crooks and LiarsOpen Thread - Open Thread below...2 hours agoJ O H N ' S P H OT O S
Show AllA M E R I C A B L O G T V
Next 6AMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Bush's...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/bushs-failure-to-protect-...
1 of 57/23/09 1:43 AM
Visit ourAMERICAblog TV site.see all 323 videos >I collect with
vodpod
In honor of SenatorDeMint
For the GOPers, healthcare is politics. They just
Traditional media has todebunk the birthers
One small step...
The right-wing media, thevoices of the GOP, inAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Bush's...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/bushs-failure-to-protect-...
2 of 57/23/09 1:43 AM
The TreatmentObama Has a Grown-UpTalk With America(Gulp)1 hour agoEzra KleinTab Dump6 hours agoWonk RoomSen. Byron Dorgan:The ‘Trade’ InCap-And-Trade ‘MakesNo Sense To Me’7 hours agoHealth BeatTruth Squad: WallStreet Journal HealthCare Editorial Wrong onthe Facts . . .8 hours agoDaily DoseProviders Endorse 'Payfor Value' ProposalsG AY P O L I T I C S
Visit our new gay politicssection, AMERICAblog Gay.F E E D S
Blog RSS
AMERICAblog TV RSS
Twitter RSSTwitter Feed
Get the blog by email:
Subscribe me!
Fund-raisingEye SurgeryEmergencyFundRiskManagementBlue Crossus MilitaryMarine CorpsInternationalBanksTop AdAdvertise in this spot.H E A LT H C A R ER E F O R MAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Bush's...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/bushs-failure-to-protect-...
3 of 57/23/09 1:43 AM
S E A R C H
AMERICAblog
Web
SearchS E N D U S T I P S &C O M M E N T Samericablog@starpower.netB L O G A R C H I V E
Blog ArchiveS I T E S W E L I K EAir America RadioAlan Colmes' blogAri Melber (The Nation)Ben SmithBicycleMark's blog &podcastBilericoBradBlogBring It OnCarrie FisherCrooks and LiarsDailyKosDan Savage's "Slog"Daou ReportDemocratic UndergroundEschatonEzra KleinFire Dog LakeFiveThirtyEight.comFreeway BloggerThe Gavel (SpeakerPelosi's blog)Good As YouGlenn GreenwaldHoly Bullies and HeadlessMonstersHuffington PostHullabaloo (Digby)Jack and Jill PoliticsJed ReportJesus' GeneralKenneth in the 212Margaret and HelenMatthew GrossMedia MattersMike Signorile's "The Gist"MudflatsMyDDOpen LeftPlum LinePolitical Punch (JakeTapper)Political WirePolitics 1Pop SurfingProgressive Blog DigestQueers UnitedRawStoryRex WocknerRude PunditSmirking ChimpTalk LeftTappedTaylor MarshThink ProgressTowleRoadVetVoice.comWashington NoteWayneBesen.comWonketteWorth Repeating
N E W S L I N K SUSWashington PostNYTAP PoliticsReuters PoliticsRasmussen PollsTimeNewsweekRoll CallThe HillABCNews
P L E A S E S U P P O RTA M E R I C A B L O GOne-time donation$
Recurring monthlydonation$
Donations are nottax-deductible.L A B E L S
Select a labelL A S T 1 0 0 V I S I T O R SRecent Visitors
A B O U TA M E R I C A B L O GWhy AMERICAblog?Because a great nationdeserves the truth.What issues do youcover?US politics overall with aparticular focus on theObama Administration, theradical right, and civilrights.Who are you?John AravosisEditorWashington, DCJoe SudbayDeputy EditorWashington, DCChris RyanAssociate EditorParis, FranceRobert ArenaContributing EditorBaltimore, MarylandJacki SchechnerContributing EditorWashington, DCAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Bush's...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/bushs-failure-to-protect-...
4 of 57/23/09 1:43 AM
© 2009 - John Aravosis | Design maintenance by Jason RosenbaumSend me your tips: americablog@starpower.netAMERICAblog News| A great nation deserves the truth: Bush's...http://www.americablog.com/2005/07/bushs-failure-to-protect-...
5 of 57/23/09 1:43 AM