LA Gov. Blanco and Pres. Bush argued over deployment of National Guard

Robert Travis Scott, Newhouse News Service
from Cleveland.com

Baton Rouge, La.- President Bush and Louisiana Gov. Kathleen Blanco could not agree on key aspects of who would be in charge of military forces in the response to Hurricane Katrina, a crippling breakdown in relations with the White House that affected the rescue, peacekeeping and support effort during the week after the storm, according to information released by the state.

The two sides still can't agree on what was said during that time as the dialogue over military deployments unfolded.

Louisiana National Guard troops were being joined by guardsmen from other states during the critical days after the storm, all under the Democratic governor's control. Blanco was requesting federal troops from the Republican president, who kept control of those forces once they were deployed in New Orleans a week after Katrina hit.

According to a Blanco timeline released Friday, 5,700 Louisiana guardsmen were on alert on Aug. 29, the day of the storm, when Blanco spoke with Bush, "informing him that she would need every resource possible from the federal government."

"We need everything you've got," Blanco recalls saying, according to the timeline.

The White House disputes the contention that Blanco asked for federal troops on Aug. 29.

On Aug. 30, Blanco asked Louisiana Adjutant Gen. Ben nett Landreneau, head of the state Guard, "to ask for all available assistance from the National Guard and the United States government, specifically federal military assistance," the timeline says.

On Aug. 31, "the expected and promised federal resources still have not arrived," and Blanco places an urgent call to the White House. She eventually reaches Bush and tells him "40,000 troops would be needed."

But there was room for misinterpretation. Blanco administration officials later said the governor was referring to 40,000 troops of any sort, even if all guardsmen from other states.

Lt. Gen. Russ Honore, who answers to Bush and would oversee federal troops in the operation, arrived that same day in Louisiana to meet with Blanco.

"Everyone welcomes the appearance of Louisiana native Gen. Honore, as the assumption is that his arrival indicates the federal troops are here or on their way," the timeline says. But that was not the case. When Blanco asks Honore if he brought a large number of soldiers, she learns that he arrived with only a small support staff.

It was not until Sept. 3 that Bush signed an order to deploy the federal forces of the 82nd Airborne and 1st Cavalry divisions under Honore's control. An advance team arrived the next day and the first substantial deployments arrived on Sept. 5, one week after the storm.

During that week, Blanco and Bush officials debated back and forth whether Honore would step in and "federalize" the guardsmen under his control, with Bush's blessing. But Blanco never agreed to that arrangement, which on Sept. 2 was put to her in the form of a memorandum of understanding the White House requested her to sign.

Under U.S. law, federalizing guardsmen would have prohibited them legally from conducting law enforcement activities and arresting people. Blanco argued that would hamper their mission.

In the end, Blanco retained control of guardsmen and Bush, through Honore, controlled the federal forces.

Coast Guard Vice Adm. Thad Allen, the principal federal official for hurricane recovery who took command in mid-September, said the delayed deployment of federal forces adversely affected the post-storm response effort.

Whether a turf battle that delayed the federal troops or an unfortunate series of miscommunications, officials on both sides have said federal and state relations were a regrettable feature of the post-storm developments.

"This is an issue that has been debated over and over," said Jeanie Mamo, a White House spokeswoman. "All levels of government have to take stock of what happened, and make sure it doesn't happen again."


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