The LAT QUOTED ARNOLD, didn't "interpret" his words.
"I am prepared to commit California National Guard troops in support of border patrol operations," he (Arnold) said at a news conference. "But it has to be on a temporary basis."
The Federal Government Must Provide More Details
Governor Schwarzenegger Has Called On The Federal Government To Provide More Details Of A Plan To Deploy National Guard Troops To The U.S.-Mexico Border. Questions raised by Governor Schwarzenegger and governors from other border states about the length of the mission, its cost, and the exact duties to be carried out by guardsmen and women have not been answered.
- Without Clear Answers To These Questions, Not All Governors Are Prepared To Commit Troops.
- The Governor Is Concerned That California National Guard Troops May Be Spread Too Thin. In a letter to Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, Governor Schwarzenegger expressed concern that border security will detract from the Guard's responsibilities to our state and our country, and that troops recently returned from overseas missions should be able to return to their families and careers.
The Governor Has Asked Secretary Chertoff For Specifics On The National Guard's Proposed Deployment To The Border. Governor Schwarzenegger and others have raised several concerns, including:
- Will The Guard Be Under Command Of Governors Or The Department Of Homeland Security And How Will Command Be Transferred?
- The Federal Government Has Committed To Covering 100 Percent Of The Mission's Cost, But Will It Also Pay For Detention Costs And Other Related Costs To Local Law Enforcement Agencies?
- Will Troops Be Deployed From All States Or Only Border States?
- How Will The Mission Affect California National Guard Training For Combat Readiness?
- What Are The Contingency Plans Should Border Patrol Training Or Funding Fall Short?