[IrishMike]

Also ...............

And they said the two-year plan _ which calls for using up to 6,000 troops at a time in the first year, and no more than 3,000 in the second year _ will not overtax the guard or impair troops' ability to train or prepare for combat.

Some committee members echoed complaints from critics who have suggested that the border plan would overburden a National Guard that is already stretched by deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. But Blum said the border program, coupled with the approximately 71,000 Guard members deployed overseas, still leaves more than 350,000 Army and Air Guard available for other homeland defense or disaster assistance.

David Aguilar, chief of the border patrol, also told lawmakers that the plan will be augmented with additional, strategically located fencing, as well as an increased of about 6,000 border patrol guards by some time in 2008.

[RandallFlagg]

Okay, now what's gonna happen when the first American Guard personnel is shot? You KNOW it's gonna happen.

[2banana]

Under the plan, most of the troops would spend about 21 days, which includes their normal annual two-week training mission, working along the border. The Guard troops would be used for engineering, road and fence building, transportation, logistics and surveillance and reconnaissance.

No weapons, no ammo, no enforcement. They are there for show...

[GraniteStateConservative]

wasting away again in not-Iraq...

[dakine]

Spending their "vacation"...

[Texas_Jarhead]

Like Carlos Mencia said when you send troops with no power and no weapons to the border they become greeters.

[spintreebob]

Anyone: Is the NG really "stretched" ? What are the facts?

Anecdotally I know NG member who joined several years ago with the motivation to fight terrorists in Iraq. They and their units (one Chicagoland, one downstate) have not bee sent anywhere except WI and GA (Ft Benning). So if those who joined several years ago for the purpose of going to Iraq have not yet been sent, how "stretched" is the NG?

It isn't a rhetorical question. I really don't know and wold like to know if the "talking point" has any truth behind it.

[gubamyster]

ping

[philman_36]

Doesn't this, if they're heading out before the immigration bill passes, go to show that no new bill is needed to send the troops there?
This could've been done at any time.

[Savage Beast]

Permanently station the U.S. Army on the Mexican border with orders to prevent illegal immigration.

Reinforce the entire Mexican border with fences.

[Pilsner]

A couple of points.

(1) When considering the number of National Guard troops deployed overseas, multiply by at least two, and possible three. By that I mean 70,000 overseas, 70,000 preparing to go overseas (to replace the 70,000 overseas when they rotate home), and 70,000 who were rotated home when the 70,000 overseas were deployed.

The 70,000 in the second category need to worry about getting ready for their overseas deployment,and the units of the 70,000 in the third category are usually in a lesser readyness state due to losss of personnel (retired, transferred, schooling, did not re-enlist) who were not allowed to go during the deployment, wear and tear on material, and a general reluctance to redeploy folks just returned from overseas, absent dire need.

(2) Under the Posse Comitatus statute (USC 1385), National Guard troops in Federal service cannot perform direct law enforcement functions unless the President finds that the area in question is in a state of insurrection, rebellion, or that there exists an unlawfull combination against, or that impedes the execution of, the laws of the United States.

Now Bush could probably find an unlawfull combination, but he is not about to. That means that the National Guard may serve only in support functions, unless the Governor of a border state declares a state of emergency (however named under local law) and uses his or her her National Guard to perform law enforcement functions.

[Libertina]

Year 1 6000
Year 2 3000
Year 3 1000, intermittantly
Year 4 American people fall back asleep....

[ohioWfan]

Good first step. Our National Guard is AWESOME!!!

[Mrs. Darla Ruth Schwerin]

Yeah, and are they gonna keep on going once they get there...

[garbageseeker]

Have they decided who is going to pay for the troops there? The state or federal governmen?. I heard, from the kindnes of a Freeper, that the federal government is going to pay but the states are paying a substancial portion of the bill. If the states pay, how are they going to pay if many states(including California) are in poor financial health?

[Hop A Long Cassidy]

"there will be rules of engagement"

In addition to the tinker bell draped around their necks to warn illegal "bears", could we also issue a 12 gauge shotgun for some recreational shooting. Cheney likes the hunting down there. In case they ran into some MS-13 gang members, they could click the gun's safety and then ring their tinker bell three times loudly.

[GretchenM]

Some committee members echoed complaints from critics who have suggested that the border plan would overburden a National Guard that is already stretched by deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. But Blum said the border program, coupled with the approximately 71,000 Guard members deployed overseas, still leaves more than 350,000 Army and Air Guard available for other homeland defense or disaster assistance.

Is it a requirement to get into Congress, that one must pass third grade math?

No Congressman Left Behind!

[bert]

Well you guys...... how do you like your crow.

You'll be eating it before long.

[ProCivitas]

The primary thing is PROSECUTE ILLEGAL EMPLOYERS -- NO AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL EMPLOYERS. Also, no amnesty for illegal aliens. Any other measures are secondary, at best. Diversionary at worst.

In other words, oppose the squish Senate bill to be voted on tomorrow and support the House bill.

[thoughtomator]

This may be the ultimate definition of "too little, too late".