Support the Troops: End the Wars

In an earlier post, I suggested that the best way to support the troops was to end the wars. Obviously, Washington is not about to withdraw troops from wars that serve the selfish interests of its benefactors. However, as this article from Wikipedia states (with appropriate backup), state governors do have the authority to withhold consent to send state National Guard troops abroad.

Here is what it says (emphasis added):

Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, state National Guard serves as part of the first-line defense for the United States. The state National Guard is divided up into units stationed in each of the 50 states and U.S. territories and operates under their respective state governor or territorial adjutant general. The National Guard may be called up for active duty by state governors or territorial adjutant general to help respond to domestic emergencies and disasters, such as those caused by hurricanes, floods, and earthquakes.

With the consent of state governors, members or units of state National Guard may be appointed or deployed as federally recognized armed force members in active or inactive service.* If so recognized, they become part of the National Guard of the United States. The National Guard of the United States units or members may be called up for federal active duty in times of Congressionally-sanctioned war or national emergency. State National Guard may also be called up for federal service, with the consent of state governors, to repel invasion or suppress rebellion. It can enforce federal laws if the United States or any of its states or territories are invaded or are in danger of invasion by a foreign nation, or if there is a rebellion or danger of a rebellion against the authority of the federal government. However unlike the United States Army and other armed forces, the National Guard (under state status) cannot leave American soil. The National Guard can be mobilized if the President is unable with the regular armed forces to execute the laws of the United States. Because both state National Guard and the National Guard of the United States relatively go hand-in-hand, they are both usually referred to as just
National Guard.

Since the consent of state governors is required by federal law as well as by the Constitution, it is evident that state governors have the power to withhold that consent. If you are against the wars (as I am), I urge you to contact Gov. Strickland to make it clear that you do not want any further deployment of Ohio National Guard units in foreign wars; and your state legislators to pass an act forbidding the Governor from allowing the Ohio National Guard to be federalized, except as specified in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution:

The Congress shall have the Power ... To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress.

* I refer the reader to the Wikipedia article for footnotes to the original sources; however, this statement is backed up by 10 U.S.C. § 12211 (Officers: Army National Guard of the United States). 10 U.S.C. § 12212 (Officers: Air National Guard of the United States), and 10 U.S.C. § 12107 Enlistment in Army National Guard of United States and Air National Guard of the United States).