So, why worry about getting out Troops out of foreign land?

NEW ORLEANS — About 100 National Guard troops will continue patrolling New Orleans, where they have been a constant presence since a rash of violence broke out in June 2006 in the city ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.

Louisiana lawmakers on Friday approved funding to keep the troops in place through February, an extension sought by police Superintendent Warren Riley to allow his department more time to recruit more officers. The city has granted repeated extensions for the same reason.

Troops with sidearms and riding in Humvees have helped patrol less populated neighborhoods to allow police to focus on curbing violent crime, widely seen as a threat to New Orleans' recovery. And Riley said progress has been made, with police reporting at least 176 murders so far in 2008, compared with 202 a year ago.

But the cost of keeping the troops in the city did raise the ire of members of the Legislature's joint budget committee. They said the state, facing a $341 million budget deficit this fiscal year and more trouble ahead, can't afford to continue keeping the Guard in New Orleans. Louisiana's total tab, when the latest extension expires, will be about $51 million.

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/National/New_Orleans_National_Guard.html