Unlike the troops “patrolling” the border, the National Guard troops sent in to patrol New Orleans are able to defend themselves and others if necessary. As I was leaving a meeting on Poydras I saw a line of Humvees parking on the neutral ground (that’s median to you Yankees 
) across from the Holiday Inn and couldn’t resist taking a few pictures with my cell phone. Whether it is a worthwhile reason to interrupt their lives again is anyone’s guess, but they seemed cheerful enough about being back.
The guard members were carrying M-16s and handguns and were dressed in full camouflage fatigues with armbands identifying them as military police.
As they arrived at the city’s Convention Center in a convoy of about 75 Humvees and other military vehicles, they drew waves and thumbs-up signals from pedestrians and motorists.
Mayor Ray Nagin had called for the National Guard and state police on Monday, saying “we’ve had enough” after five teenagers were gunned down together Saturday and a man was stabbed to death Sunday. It was in the city’s deadliest attack in at least 11 years and police said it was apparently motivated by drugs or revenge.
“The situation is urgent,” Blanco said. “Things like this should never happen, and I am going to do all I can to stop it.”
It was a return to familiar ground for the 239th, which patrolled New Orleans and other parts of the state for six months after hurricanes Katrina and Rita last year.
“If you think about it, this is still part of Katrina,” said Capt. Alfred Travis, the company commander. “We’re in the disaster phase and I think we may be in the disaster phase for a while, until the neighborhoods are built up again.”
