TOPEKA, Kan., May 9 (UPI) -- Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and the White House exchanged barbs over the slowness of National Guard troop deployment after last week's tornado strike.
Sebelius, a Democrat, told reporters Tuesday she had warned the White House for two years that deploying Guard troops to Iraq and Afghanistan was stretching reactivity too thinly, and said Friday night's twister that leveled Greensburg was a prime example.
"The National Guard is one of our first responders. They don't have the equipment they need to come in, and it just makes it that much slower," she said.
It took two days before Guard troops arrived in numbers, and by Tuesday, about 400 troops were working at debris collection, the Kansas City (Mo.) Star reported Wednesday.
In Washington, White House spokesman Tony Snow told reporters any delays were because of Sebelius.
"If you don't request it, you're not going to get it," Snow said.
However, state officials told the New York Times the problem with the Guard's response had more to do with equipment than personnel, as Kansas is operating with 40 percent to 50 percent of its vehicles and heavy machinery.
