This was my first reaction, as well, but when I think about it ...

Here are people who have quite possibly been seeing the dead bodies of
people they knew.  They have been without food, water, or sanitation
for a few days now.  I imagine it feels like a civilian Vietnam war.
These people, many of whom are no doubt traumatized and mentally ill
from what they've experienced, may feel that they will die if they do
not use force to get necessary resources like food and water.  I have
also heard that some of the shooters are people demanding that the
rescuers save their families first.

If it came to a choice between saving your family or allowing
strangers to be saved, do you really know what you would do?  (And of
course, by shooting, they are not saving their families.  But no doubt
this is what they are thinking.  As I said, they're most likely not
rational.)

Unfortunately, the amount of shooting simply wasn't expected. Yes,
looters might well resist, and they weren't a priority.

It had not been expected, however, that medical convoys needed armed
escort. Sadly, this was not the case for the evacuation of Tulane and
Charity Hospitals. They were turned back by gunfire, and patients have
died waiting for evacuation. Convoys are now going with escort.

I know both medical and military personnel heading down there. There's a
special security problem, different than the typical urban riot, that
the guards can't spread out on the ground, due to flooding. There's a
need for boats with experienced crews as well as helicopters.

Several major ships -- the large carrier Truman and the helicopter
carrier Bataan -- are heading into the area. Unfortunately, ships don't
move that fast. The Bataan is part of an Amphibious Ready Group, which
normally carries a Marine Expeditionary Unit, with a substantial number
of helicopters. Unfortunately, the ARG was in a training phase and
didn't have the Marine unit, which greatly reduced the number of
helicopters.

Prayers, purrs, and d*ggy woofs are on the way that you'll soon hear
from your loved ones in LA.  

Purrs and Hugs,

Nan