Debunking the “the Kansas NG was depleted thanks to Iraq” myth

The dust had barely settled in Greensburg, KS, a town destroyed by a tornado on Friday which left 12 dead, when the mediots – along with the governor of KS, in full blame-Bush mode – tried to spin a supposedly lackluster National Guard response to the disaster on … Iraq.

Bryan Preston, who was a machine who debunked myth after myth on the Hurricane Katrina response, tore down the Kansas NG myth last night with ease. Make sure to read it all. McQ at QandO has some related debunking here and here.

And just as I was writing this, I got an email notification from MSNBC’s First Read. Their first headline?

Master of Disaster?
When Bush heads to Kansas today to inspect the damage caused by last week’s tornado, he’ll confront two different, yet intertwined, storylines that have dogged his presidency: Iraq and Katrina. Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius (D) has complained that the war has drained away precious National Guard resources, while yesterdayÃ¢â‚¬â„¢s Sebelius-White House flap brings back memories of the back-and-forth after Katrina. You know things are difficult for Bush when he can’t even step into a disaster zone — like he famously did after 9/11 — without political hell breaking loose.

The media is unrelenting in its desire to blame everything under the sun that goes wrong on the President, while not taking the time they need to to check the facts.

Let’s see. What else should we blame Bush for today? The cold fries we’re served at lunch? The dude that cuts us off at the red light? The air seeping out of our back right tires?

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If you’d like to help in the Kansas tornado relief efforts, this link should help get you started.

12 Responses to "Debunking the “the Kansas NG was depleted thanks to Iraq” myth"

CZ says:

May 9, 2007 at 11:09 am

Sounds to me that Sen. O’Bama gets weary from a bit of campaigning then he is obviously unfit for the world’s most challenging job.

Barack Obama, caught up in the fervor of a campaign speech Tuesday, drastically overstated the Kansas tornadoes death toll, saying 10,000 had died.

As the Illinois senator concluded his remarks a few minutes later, he appeared to realize his gaffe. “There are going to be times when I get tired,” he said. “There are going to be times when I get weary. There are going to be times when I make mistakes.”
Sister Toldjah says:

May 9, 2007 at 11:16 am

“There are going to be times when I get tired” he said. “There are going to be times when I get weary. There are going to be times when I make mistakes.”

Was he tired when he decided he was going to run for president?
Ryan says:

May 9, 2007 at 11:30 am

I’m tired.
NC Cop says:

May 9, 2007 at 11:47 am

Prediction: I see another Congressional investigation in the making!!!!!
Mwalimu Daudi says:

May 9, 2007 at 1:04 pm

Prediction: I see another Congressional investigation in the making!!!!!

It will probably be along the lines of: Did Bush use space aliens captured from the mother ship to launch cruise missiles from Area 51 to destroy levees in New Orleans but hit Kansas instead (what incompetence) in order to cover up evidence that Mark Foley, Karl Rove and Ken Lay directed Jack Abramhoff to steal oil from Iraq while outting Valerie Plame and Jamil Hussein and sending unmarked black helicopters from Halliburton to employ the Patriot Act, data-mining, and the Bush Air National Guard memos to flush water-boarded Korans down the toilet at Gitmo, thus causing global warming and proving 9/11 was a worldwide Jewish chickenhawk Religious Right FOX News conspiracy to rule the world?

Only a investigation run by a Democrat Congress can possibly answer these questions.

I can see the NYT winning another Pulitzer over this!
Great White Rat says:

May 9, 2007 at 1:53 pm

Obama probably had al-Gore help him with the casualty calculations, just to be sure he was accurate…
Iowa Voice says:

May 9, 2007 at 2:03 pm

An Honest Mistake?

I don’t knowâ€¦10,000 as opposed to 12? That seems like one helluva gaffe:

…
Severian says:

May 9, 2007 at 3:05 pm

Well, GWR, turning a max of 21 inches of sea level rise into over 20 feet, and 14 or so casualties into 10,000 definitely requires you to use the same AlGore-ythm!
Leaning Straight Up says:

May 9, 2007 at 10:05 pm

Kansas Governor claims her National Guard is depleted, but it isn’t

Kansas Governor Gov. Kathleen Sebelius has decided to follow the nutroots and blame Bush for the Tornado. Ok, not for the actual Tornado. Instead she has pulled a Blanco, and channeled Katrina by not requesting mutual assistance via the Eme…
Drewsmom says:

May 10, 2007 at 6:58 am

Even in a time of great sorrow for the loss of life and property after an act of GOD, the dems don’t miss a beat blaming this all on Bush. This is just too much.
Severian says:

May 10, 2007 at 8:40 am

I have the following, first hand information from a friend on another forum I participate in that’s interesting and very relevant, particularly with respect to the sensationalist, make the news not report it, bent of the MSM. He is a volunteer from a church that was involved in the cleanup efforts and early rescue efforts, and heard these comments on the reporters:

First, the reporters were unsatisfied with the universal reactions of the victims, typically–“We are blessed that we still have our family. Sure, we’ve lost all of our ‘stuff,’ but that can be replaced. Our trust in the Lord has grown, and we thank Him for sparing us from harm.” He said that the national ABC reporter told him that they’d just keep on looking until they found a suitable tearful, distraught victim, “Because that’s what the people in New York City want to see.” My friend suggested that the New Yorkers ought to move to Kansas!

Second, several of the press “raided” a wrecked VFW building and brought out brand-new American flags, which they draped over wreckage such as cars and trucks to make “better” pictures. While there were flags displayed by disaster victims those courageous displays of “old” flags in non camera-ready settings were apparently not good enough.

Our church was planning to participate further in the disaster relief effort tomorrow. My friend said we should call it off as the only non-financial aid that was relevant was pickup truck owners who knew victims and could follow them into the wreckage today to help salvage. At checkpoints into the city, officials were allowing only residents and others vouched for by residents into the city. The officials are putting the address of the owner’s property on the windshields of the vehicles permitted access into the area, and carefully checking to be sure that nobody strays from the location indicated. Tomorrow, the effort will be to bulldoze everything “under.”

My friend is a native of western Kansas, and believes that the pioneer spirit of the survivors of the Greensburg disaster will be sure to rebuild. Send money and prayers if you want to help! (Addresses: God, Red Cross, Salvation Army)

Note that these fine folks, excellent examples of the traditional American spirit of self-reliance and ambition, have already gotten their kit together enough to start plowing things under as preparation for rebuilding, and are not sitting around with their hands held out whining and blaming someone else. Can’t report that though, it shows up the Katrina mess in a bad light that reflects poorly on the “victims.”
Mike says:

May 12, 2007 at 5:38 pm

I’m just sort of cruising around the ‘net and looking at the media aftermath of the last week. What suprises me most – always – is how we Americans consistantly go off half cocked when something happens. We often form opinions without knowing the full story. I’m appalled by some of the rot I’ve seen in the media. The Guard had folks on the ground in Greensburg 4 hours after the F5 went through. That’s not slow. The Gov of KS knows full well that “all she had to do was ask” for any assistance she needed through the Emergency Assistance Management Compact. (EMAC) She never asked. Why? Because she didn’t need it, and still doesn’t. Also, this agreement can mobilize more than just Guard assets. Nobody paid any attention to that. Below is a link to the organization I work for. It describes how the whole thing works as it pertains to the guard. Check it out.

LINK

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