Disappeared News

Hawaii has had the highest per-capita deployment of National Guard troops to Iraq. The state Senate today adopted a resolution calling for the governor to take steps to withdraw these troops from Iraq.

Here is the full text of the resolution:

THE SENATE

S.R. NO. 128
TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2006
S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

CALLING UPON THE GOVERNOR OF HAWAII TO TAKE STEPS TO WITHDRAW THE HAWAII ARMY AND AIR NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS FROM IRAQ.

WHEREAS, the Legislature strongly supports the men and women who serve in Iraq and recognizes the sacrifices that each of them are making for our country; and

WHEREAS, in October 2002, the United States Congress adopted a joint resolution to authorize the use of United States armed forces in Iraq; and

WHEREAS, the joint resolution was based upon false information regarding Saddam Hussein's involvement in the attacks of September 11, 2001, the immediacy of the threat Iraq posed to the United States, and the existence of weapons of mass destruction; and

WHEREAS, the majority of Americans are troubled by the direction the war in Iraq has taken since its inception and support the withdrawal of United States troops; and

WHEREAS, despite public sentiment against having troops remain in Iraq, there has been no exit strategy proposed by the Bush administration; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii has met the call of duty by having the highest ratio of Hawaii Army National Guard members on active duty of any other state in the Union; and

WHEREAS, the costs of deployment to our Hawaii `ohana have been high, as firefighters, police officers, nurses, mechanics, teachers, doctors, dentists, pilots, lawyers, legislators, and working people from all segments of our society have had to leave their jobs and their lives behind; and

WHEREAS, deployment of Hawaii Air and National Guard members has had other negative impacts, not only on the soldiers themselves, but also their families; and

WHEREAS, these negative impacts include the loss of life, the destruction and disruption of families, mental distress, financial hardships, career interruptions, and the disruptions of daily civic life; and

WHEREAS, these costs and negative impacts would be better understood and more acceptable if there was a immediate and credible threat to our nation, but such costs and negative impacts cannot be tolerated where no such threat exists; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii is one of the most isolated archipelagos in the world, far removed from interstate emergency relief; and

WHEREAS, there is strong reason to believe that the war in Iraq and the federalization and deployment of Air and Army National Guard members may render the remaining Guard force in Hawaii unable to carry out its responsibilities to our State in the event of a hurricane, tsunami, volcanic eruption, other natural disaster, a terrorist attack, or even a health crisis, such as an outbreak of the avian flu; and

WHEREAS, the Pentagon has announced that in 2006, the Air and National Guard's role in the war in Iraq and in Afghanistan are to be reduced from over fifty percent to twenty percent; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2006, that the Governor is called upon to take steps to secure the withdrawal of all Hawaii Air and Army National Guard members from Iraq; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the President of the United States of America, each member of the

Hawaii Congressional delegation, the President of the Hawaii State Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Report Title:

Hawaii Air and Army National Guard; Withdrawal