Mexico sends troops to New Orleans

[Bugfatty300]

This is first time foreign troops have operated on U.S. soil (other than training) in 150 years.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,168606,00.html

On Monday, the Mexican navy ship Papaloapan left the Gulf coast port of Tampico and headed for New Orleans with eight all-terrain rescue vehicles, seven amphibious cargo vehicles, a mobile hospital, two helicopters and drinking water.

A Mexican army convoy of 15 vehicles was to follow, carrying food, medical workers, water-treatment facilities and mobile kitchens capable of feeding 7,000 people daily.

"Mexico and the United States are nations which are neighbors and friends which should always have solidarity in moments of difficulty," President Vicente Fox said.

Also Canada may be also sending ships, helicopters and troops.

In Halifax, Nova Scotia, three Canadian navy ships, a coast guard vessel, several Sea King helicopters and about 1,000 personnel were preparing to leave for Louisiana. The ships packed supplies for two to three months.

"Canada was built by neighbors helping neighbors in times of crisis. That doesn't apply just within our borders," Prime Minister Paul Martin said at the naval dockyard.

Lots of pretty big precedents for America going on on the Gulf Coast this month

 

[Ramius75]

nothing wrong with that, the pride of the USA should be more flexible and be more opened in time of need.

Iraq is already a miserable failure.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

For this alone, Bush deserves to be impeached. Letting foreign troops operate on our soil is treason.

 

[A'AbarachAmadan]

For this alone, Bush deserves to be impeached. Letting foreign troops operate on our soil is treason.

You must be kidding. Read a little history. Foreign troops helped this nation form in the first place.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

First of all, we dont need foreign troops. Second, this isnt 200 years ago. We're the richest, most powerful nation on the planet. Youre seriously telling me we need Mexican troops to handle this crisis?

 

[frekk]

This is first time foreign troops have operated on U.S. soil (other than training) in 150 years.

No it isn't. Canadian forces were in Florida after Hurricane Andrew ("Operation Tempest").

 

[A'AbarachAmadan]

First of all, we dont need foreign troops. Second, this isnt 200 years ago. We're the richest, most powerful nation on the planet. Youre seriously telling me we need Mexican troops to handle this crisis?

No, we don't need them. However, are we to be so arrogant as to turn down help offered by a friend? We have troops stationed in countries all around the world, mostly friendly nations. I've served long term in 4 countries and temporarily in many other countries. Why not accept help at home, whether needed or not?

 

[Bozo Erectus]

No it isn't. Canadian forces were in Florida after Hurricane Andrew ("Operation Tempest").

Figures, another Bush was president at the time.

 

[Bugfatty300]

No it isn't. Canadian forces were in Florida after Hurricane Andrew ("Operation Tempest").

I said foreign troops

Seriously, I stand corrected.

Well, at least its the first time Mexican military troops crossed the border since 1846.

 

[stormbind]

For this alone, Bush deserves to be impeached. Letting foreign troops operate on our soil is treason.

When Bush is deposed, and civil war ensues, the Mexicans will be well positioned to embark on a land grab

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Why not accept help at home, whether needed or not?

Because we arent other countries. We're the USA. We were a great nation a few short years ago, before Bush.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

When Bush is deposed, and civil war ensues, the Mexicans will be well positioned to embark on a land grab

Is that what John Titor says?

 

[frekk]

Well, at least its the first time Mexican military troops crossed the border since 1846.

That's true. It's also (as far as I know) the first time we've sent armed warships into American waters for anything other than training since WW2. Even though they aren't there for anything other than search and rescue, since that's their specialty (we use them to supplement the Coast Guard here).

Should be kept in mind though, that forces sent in 1992 and now are not there for any kind of law enforcement, crowd control, or anything like that. Not sure what we're sending on the ground this time (I know it is about 1000 personnel) but after Hurricane Andrew, it was 150 military engineers for construction of temporary airfields, bridges, etc. I imagine it will be something like that this time around too (same goes for Mexican forces). I could be wrong, but I really doubt the American military needs any help in terms of the more violent aspects of operations in disaster areas, it's the cutbacks to your Army Corps Engineers that is the primary deficiency I would suspect.

 

[Nobody]

First of all, we dont need foreign troops. Second, this isnt 200 years ago. We're the richest, most powerful nation on the planet. Youre seriously telling me we need Mexican troops to handle this crisis?

Obviously you do, other wise there wouldnt be people starving and killing in new orleans

 

[Bozo Erectus]

What we need is competent leadership, not troops.

 

[frekk]

First of all, we dont need foreign troops. Second, this isnt 200 years ago. We're the richest, most powerful nation on the planet. Youre seriously telling me we need Mexican troops to handle this crisis?

Sad as it is to say, the priorities of your last few presidents have rendered a need for Mexican military engineers (!). Indeed ... a very, very sad day.

May be the richest military on the planet, but it's neglected all aspects of military operations except "kicking ass" and, it's been getting swindled left and right ($500 hammers, garbage purchases like the Stryker, "stealth" technology that Serbs could defeat with $20 radio sets and XT computers by watching for holes in the radio traffic in the skies, etc)

 

[Bozo Erectus]

May be the richest military on the planet, but it's neglected all aspects of military operations except "kicking ass" and, it's been getting swindled left and right ($500 hammers, garbage purchases like the Stryker, "stealth" technology that Serbs could defeat with $20 radio sets and XT computers by watching for holes in the radio traffic in the skies, etc)

All of that is true. Our bureaucracy is literally killing us, as Katrina makes painfully obvious.

 

[stormbind]

Is that what John Titor says?

I do not know, but I hope Bush does get impeached so that Titor predictions can once again be the source of heated debate!

 

[frekk]

All of that is true. Our bureaucracy is literally killing us, as Katrina makes painfully obvious.

Agreed. It's also so very sad for all of us, really. You guys were really leading the way up until around the late 60s or early 70s, some really amazing people you had running things, agree with them or not, FDR, Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy were all people who provided leadership not just at home but also abroad, made the rest of us look up to America and the "can do" attitude of global optimism. Look what happens after though - Carter, Bushes, Clinton, etc. Ugh. What on Earth happened? What's going on down there?

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Mostly due to poor leadership, at all levels of government, we started declining years ago, and have been running on fumes and momentum ever since. But Bush is delivering the killing blows. God knows what he has in store for us in the last two years of his presidency. As unlikely as it seems right now, the worst may be yet to come.