Thursday, September 29, 2005

National Guard has Only 1/3 Necessary Equipment for Homeland Security

The National Guard's top commander says most of the Guard's best equipment is in Iraq and there's only about one-third of the helicopters, trucks, radios and other supplies it needs for homeland security.
General Steven Blum has told a House panel it will take as much as seven billion dollars to buy what the Army and Air National Guard need to respond to natural disasters, terrorist attacks and other crises.
He says domestic guard units are being left with second-hand supplies. He identifies one-and-a-third (b) billion dollars in immediate priorities, including trucks, tractors, radios and satellite phones.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has said the military has the resources to fight the war in Iraq and respond to domestic disasters.

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