Who made the decision to bring the LA National Guard home ?

[kentuck]

From Iraq? Were they already scheduled to come home or did somebody make a request? Or did this decision come from Rumsfeld or the White House? I suppose many people saw the NG exiting a plane yesterday?

[Carolab]

1. I heard they were mutinying last week. Maybe that's why.

But I haven't heard who approved this.

[Kagemusha]

2. Already scheduled when Katrina hit.

No mystery.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

4. But I don't believe in coincidences.

I do believe in PR, though.

[craigolemiss]

3. actually scheduled--

One said last night on CNN that they (the Army ) was trying to get some of them here sooner because of storm, but actaually ended up only being a day earlier than he was scheduled over a month ago. Some are arriving a few days earlier, but on a whole it was the scheduled rotation time,

Consider that they DID -NOT extend these troops like many others because they are NG and not RA (regular army)

[2Design]

5. governor at some point said she wanted them all home n/t

[Be Brave]

6. Already scheduled, PLUS, "expeditious return" requested by Blanco

But even with this request, they only got to come home about one day earlier than scheduled.

(pdf file)
http://gov.louisiana.gov/letter%20to%20George%20Bush%202.pdf

Blanco's request to the president:

I request the expeditious return of the Headquarters of the 256th Brigade Combat Team as they have completed their mission in the Iraqi theatre of operations and they are urgently needed here at home. I request that you remission this unit to Louisiana where they will become part of the recovery efforts in their home state. As the remainder of the Brigade returns, I request that they be missioned by the Department of Defense to assist civil authorities in Hurricane Katrina recovery operations in Louisiana.

[kentuck]

8. Could that be why Bush got pissed at Blanco ?

Who would fill the vacuum in Iraq? So he wanted them under his control...

[Be Brave]

9. I imagine Bush got pissed at Blanco for a variety of reasons,

including refusing to give up the LA NG.

[Not_Giving_Up]

7. From what I understand, they were scheduled to come home anyway

I figure that even if they weren't, the plans were changed.

[Lost-in-FL]

10. The Commander in Chimp

He can do with his soldiers as he pleases, the LS NG is under his command to be deployed to Iraq not at the disposition of the state of LS. He is the only one who can bring them home.