The National Guard in Iraq, makes US States vulnerable, partII

As a follow up to Saturday's piece on the potential devistating effects New York could face with units of its National Guard fighting in Iraq comes a story out of Kansas from this weekend's F5 tornado and how the state is trying to respond;

The National Weather Service classified the tornado an F-5, the highest category and the first F-5 since the weather service revised its scale this year to more comprehensively gauge damage potential, with less emphasis on wind speed. The last tornado classified as an F-5 hit the Oklahoma City area on May 3, 1999, killing 36 people.

The governor said the state's response was limited by the shifting of emergency equipment, such as tents, trucks and semitrailers, to the war in Iraq.

``Not having the National Guard equipment, which used to be positioned in various parts of the state, to bring in immediately is really going to handicap this effort to rebuild,'' Sebelius said.

Let us not wait until something happens here at home in New York to realize the importance of the National Guard in response to domestic disasters. Rep. Fossella for once you can do something, and go tell your friend in the White House to return National Guard units to their home states so they can do their job. Not to mention Gov. Spitzer you need to be in front of every reporter on a daily basis leading this cause with a coalition of Governors.