Pentagon To Lead Relief Efforts?

President Bush has asked a military task force if there is a scenario when responsibility for emergency response would be given to the Pentagon, not local or state agencies. WashTimes quotes him:

"Is there a circumstance in which the Department of Defense becomes the lead agency? Clearly, in the case of a terrorist attack, that would be the case, but is there a natural disaster of a certain size that would then enable the Defense Department to become the lead agency in coordinating and leading the response effort? That's going to be a very important consideration for Congress to think about."

Everyone agrees the military response to Katrina was the best response, and there have been suggestions that change to the Posse Comitatus Act, which forbits such federal authority is necessary.

I'm looking forward to the debate, despite strong reservations about broad federal authority in states' issues and a belief that Posse Comitatus should not be repealed lightly. Why the anticipation?

First, because it's true that the military is the best equipped, best trained, most efficient responder, and that discussion will drive anti-war, anti-military folks nuts.

And second, because the debate will force the anti-Bush people to clarify their criticism of the federal response. They've been saying Bush failed -- but they can't say that and at the same time acknowledge that the federal military response was the best response.