NYS Legislators Call For End Of National Guard Deployments

Two New York legislators have decided that they're going to burnish their anti-war credentials by proposing legislation that will require the state to bring home those National Guard troops deployed to Iraq and to prevent future deployments.

Bill Perkins (D-Manhattan) and Eric Adams (D-Brooklyn) unveiled the measure yesterday at a news conference. They joined Military Families Speak Out, an anti-war organization, in front of the Armed Forces Recruiting Station in Times Square. "The governor has the power to decide if our National Guard troops are to be used on a federal level," Adams said. "Our resolution will call on him to do just that."

To be introduced in January, it also calls for all New York National Guardsmen to be withdrawn from Iraq and pending deployments to be canceled.

In an e-mail, Paterson's spokesman said the governor would "review the proposal if it's approved by both houses of the Legislature."

However, Perkins said, neither he nor Adams has found any Republican co-sponsors so far for the legislation - practically a requirement in a GOP-controlled Senate. Nor have they found a potential sponsor in the Democratic-led Assembly. Perkins said the legislation is still in its infancy. Both senators are facing re-election in November, along with the rest of the legislature.

In other words, this has no chance to actually move forward. It's a publicity stunt. Nothing more.

However, they are also attempting to engage in foreign policy and national security which is outside their purview as state legislators. They do not have the authority to engage in their own private foreign policy or military policy, which is what these two politicians are doing.

They talk about how they need the National Guard to be available for emergencies in New York City and how the mission in Iraq is no longer necessary for nationalization of the troops. Interesting. Right now, the 42nd Infantry Division has about 5,000 troops stationed in New York. The 52nd Troop Command stations another 4,000 soldiers. The 27th Infantry Brigade Combat Team has another 3,500 soldiers. That includes 800 members of the 1st Battalion 69th Infantry whose mission is to provide trucks and Humvees in state emergencies in lower New York State. It had previously served in Iraq from 2004 through 2006. The 2d Battalion, 108th Infantry, also 800 members, provides trucks and Humvees in state emergencies for eastern upstate New York. The 2d Battalion, 258th Field Artillery has 350 members and provides trucks and Humvees in state emergencies, having served in Iraq in 2004. The 427th Support Battalion has 380 soldiers and also provides trucks and Humvees for state emergencies. Even though units have deployed to Iraq, that doesn't mean the entire unit goes at once, and there were more than sufficient units in state to handle state emergencies during that time.

Only a fraction of troops have been deployed to Iraq at any one time, and at a time when the US is considering further withdrawals and troop draw downs, these politicians are playing games with the National Guard and look to prevent future deployments overseas, in direct contravention of their stated mission and the makeup of the US Armed Forces.