Governors Blast Bush over National Guard Deployments: Bad for Troops, States

[demobabe]

A BUZZFLASH NEWS ALERT

Governors across the nation are lambasting President Bush for ordering over 12,000 National Guard soldiers to Iraq later this year. The deployments will not only weaken security at home but also further what one called "the Bush administration's failed policies."

That governor, Ted Strickland of Ohio, told Bush and Defense Secretary Robert Gates that the decision was "a breach of faith" since the troops were not supposed to be deployed until 2009. He also demanded that Bush assure him they will be properly trained and equipped

Arkansas Gov. Mike Beebe said through a spokesman that the order amounts to "changing the rules" for soldiers. Guidelines proposed by Secretary Gates himself dictate that Guard units must have five years at home for every year deployed, but Arkansas' 39th Infantry Brigade spent 18 months in Iraq just two years ago. The spokesman noted that the National Guard is needed at home to handle natural disasters and other emergencies, like when guardsmen assisted police after tornadoes struck last February.

Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry implied Bush was implementing "a sneaky back-door draft."

More here: http://www.buzzflash.com/articles/alerts/219

[central scrutinizer]

1. And the fire season in the West promises to be a doozy

too bad the Guard won't be there to help.

[demobabe]

7. Not to mention hurricane season...

...and whatever other disasters we may have.

[Cha]

2. We knew it would come to this..

now our States' National Guards are going to get blown up in Iraq while bush/mccain/lieman tout how great things are going in Iraq.

Our National Guard has become cannon fodder for the bushits..there better be some OUTRAGE besides here on DU.

[Breeze54]

3. It's sickening!

And frigging scary! I don't think they'll stop with just those three states either.

[Kurovski]

4. It's a pisser, alright.

If a disaster occurs and there ain't enough Guard, guess who BushCo will blame.

Hint: Remember Katrina.

[TahitiNut]

5. Time to activate the draft?

:shrug:

[Sequoia]

6. Ohio? The state that had the votes stolen?

See how it pays to support the monster.

[demobabe]

8. kick

:kick:

[jody]

9. This is the most promising attack on *'s rape of America. Imagine the power of nearly 50 governors

united against *'s misuse and abuse of National Guard troops and the most recent de facto destruction of the Posse Comitatus Act.