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Changing of the Guard
This weekend 160 Oregon National Guard soldiers departed for Iraq. This spring 3,000 more will join them. The Guard describes this as the biggest deployment of Oregon National Guard troops since World War II. Many of the soldiers who are preparing to head out have been to Iraq before, some more than once. Some people think they shouldn't be going at all.
The status of forces agreement between the United States and Iraq calls for an end to occupation of Iraq by the end of 2011. So what will Oregon’s National Guard troops really be doing? How will their tasks be different now that they'll need permission from the Iraq government before each operation? After a tour of duty in an open-ended war, what's is like to return to war with an expiration date? And where will you — as family, friend, or employer — feel the impact of this latest deployment?
Tagged as: iraq · military · national guard
Photo credit: Credit: Oregon Military Department
COMMENTS: (12 total)
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Really? you say we are to support individuals whom can't think for themselves? They all need to grow a brain, and do the right thing, and pledge to honor the Constituition.
911 was a Corporate, Military, Industrial Coup!
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A recent NYT article about common ground between soldiers and protesters.
David Miller — Tue Feb. 3rd 8:43a.m.
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This deployment is a hardship for the men and women who are going. Many are going for the 2nd or 3rd time. Many might not come back or might come back disabled. This is a hardship for their families and communities. This is a hardship for Oregon. Taking half the army guard and all 12 search and rescue helicopters will leave us vulnerable to natural disasters like our recent floods, and Oregon taxpayers will have to pay for the long term care of the returning wounded. All this might be borne by Oregonians if they still believed in and supported this war, but they don't. The current Congressional Authorization for sending the guard was based on Saddam Hussein being a threat to the US and is no longer valid. The guard should not go without a valid authorization.
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What are the military or constitutional differences between Regular, Reserve, and National Guard?
What part of government funds the guard? Are Oregon Iraq-bound trucks and equipment "owned" by the state of Oregon?
How about a brief rundown.
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There are some things that are left vulnerable in this country without our troops. What if terrorists came to the country and there was no muscle to battle? They are all in IRAQ! What happens if we need them and it's too late?
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Ahh, the true cost of Oil!
Lies, murder, War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity, Torture, on and on!
The War on Iraq was the same War Crime that Hitler Committed when he invaded Poland, a War of Aggression. Our Greatest Generation tried and hanged or imprisoned for life, people like Bush, Cheney, Rice, et al.
What a great damn shame!
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Outrageous!, This is a totally Illegal action, formented by the Corporate, Military, Industrialist. When will the people of the State of Oregon get it? The National Guard most certainly will be tried for War Crimes, whether on an Individual basis or just there commanders.
NOT IN OUR NAME, MURDER! MAYHEM!, and TORTURE!
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Investigations of war crimes comes later. Now is the time to ask our governor & legislature to challenge the obsolete 2002authorization for military action by the Guard in Iraq. People should be on the phone now (free to Salem leg. 800-332-2313) & tell them you support this challenge in the legislature. Otherwise some of those Guard members going for a 2nd, 3rd or 4th Iraq tour may succumb to suicide or PTSD after too many tours, as the research indicates.
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For someone critical of others supposed lack of ability to think, you show lack of clarity and understanding yourself.
One of the principals of democracy is collective responsibility. After the vote all citizens have collective responsibility for the decision whether they voted that way or not. If they didn’t vote then they have no right to comment or complain.
Those who serve do serve in the name of the country as an end result of the democratic process. They don’t go by choice, they are ordered to go, indirectly by citizens, all citizens. If you are a citizen, you are partly responsibility for the deployment of this country’s forces.
For the record, I don’t agree with the wars and wish nobody had to die because there just has to be a better way. The resources lost in terms of lives and human suffering is an obscene waste of resources that should be put to better use.
If those serving are to be tried as you suggest, do you plan to accept your responsibility stand with them?
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I was one of the guests on the program today, and based on some of the comments I have read, I am afraid that I didn't do a very good job of explaining the Bring the Guard Home campaign.
The legislation proposed by this campaign does not say that the Governor can pick and choose which missions he likes. It says that he must release his troops IF there is valid legal authorization. The terms of the Authorization for the Use of Military Force have been met, therefore there is no legal authorization.
Unless Congress passes another AUMF, or they declare war, they the campaign believes that it would actually be UNLAWFUL to release control of Guard units to federal control. The governor's responsibility is to do what is in the best interest of Oregon and its people. He is obliged under law to keep them under his control unless authorized otherwise.
Whether this war/occupation is legal, illegal, immoral, etc., doesn't even come into play in our argument. We are making a LEGAL case, not a moral one.
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Major Michael Brabish admitted that the 2002 Congressional Authorization for the Use of Military Force, under which the Oregon Guard is being sent to Iraq, is no longer valid. The Authorization was specifically for removing the Saddam Hussein regime as a threat to the United States and that has been done. Thus, there is not a legal basis for deploying the guard.
Major Brabish brought up the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) as justification for the deployment. But that is an agreement between the Bush Administration and the Iraqi Government. Congress has not approved it and only Congress can Authorize force.
There are many moral and financial arguments against sending the Oregon National guard to continue the US occupation of Iraq. There is also a safety argument that the guard and their equipment are needed here at home. Fortunately there is also a strong legal argument against their going. -
If need be, criticize the politicians who send them. Those serving are due only gratitude, support and thanks from those of us who haven't served.
Their safe return won't be soon enough.