Sept. 06, 2005 - 19:29 MDT

NOT IN IRAQ

In today's Rocky Mountain News is an article by the Associated Press, a short one carrying a depth of meaning I think. In full:

GENERAL REVERED FOR 'JOHN WAYNE' STYLE

ATLANTA -"When the cavalry finally arrived in New Orleans to help the survivors of Hurricane Katrina, a cigar-chomping three-star general led the way."

"That was Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, commander of the 1st Army, based at Fort Gillem in Atlanta. Normally he oversees training for all deploying troops on the east coast."

"For the time being, the Louisiana native is the man in charge on the front line in New Orleans. He also is coordinating military relief efforts for all storm-ravaged areas along the Gulf Coast."

"Honore is winning over even some of the government's harshest critics, including New Orlean's Mayor Ray Nagin, who blasted the Bush administration's initial response to his city's disaster.

"He came off the doggone chopper, and he started cussing, and people started moving," Nagin told a radio station. "I give the president some credit on this. He sent one John Wayne dude down here that can get some stuff done."

"Honore and thousands of National Guard troops rolled in Friday and Saturday, bringing food, water and awareness that this is a humanitarian relief mission"

"Put those . . . . weapons down !" he yelled to troops rolling in on trucks. He repeatedly strode up to soldiers, and sometimes the local police, telling them to point their guns down reminding them they were "not in Iraq."

"Honore is from Lakeland, La., northwest of Baton Rouge. He also has a daughter and other relatives who live in New Orleans, according to CNN."

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I realize that there have been some instances of gunfire aimed at those trying to help and maintain order -- in times like that I feel it is in order to shoot back. However many of the scenes I have witnessed on TV these vehicles loaded with various arms of the law and order showed them with their guns up or at the ready, as if they were going into enemy territory. Made me wonder, "Is this what we are training our people to be ?"

I also notice that Lt. Gen. Russel Honore is leaving the excuses, alibis and spin doctoring to the administration experts and seems to be concentrating on giving all the help he and his men can render to people in need.

Hopefully there are enough engineers left in New Orleans who can get the big pumps going again, power plant workers who can keep their plants running and petroleum pipeline people who can keep fuel coming into the city. I also hope there are some sanitation people left who can figure out how to supply fresh potable water for the long haul and make decisions and take appropriate action in determining what to do with sewage that has piled up and how to move it away from the city.

A man after my own heart is Lt. Gen. Russel Honore, may he advance far. A military man with common sense and a heart. And he reminded the troops that they were NOT IN IRAQ . . . . . . . . . . .