Iraq And Bush Have Set Back The National Guard

Not to mention the security of the U.S. homeland. If the fact that the National Guard was going to be $24 billion in the red over the next five years wasn't enough, this little nugget should be enough proof.

(UPI) According to the service, "88 percent of the Army National Guard and 45 percent of the Air National Guard here in the United States are not ready (for disaster missions) due to lack of equipment and training."

For 50 years the Guard has been considered a "strategic reserve " force -- that is, it would be last to the fight, backfilling for the "big Army" late in a conflict. Consequently, the Guard was historically "under-resourced" on the rationale that if it was needed overseas, there would be plenty of time to catch up.

Not this Administration, they deployed the Guard right away. But with mission accomplished years ago, who could blame them, right?

Remember, Bush is for the troops. He is also fighting them there so they don't come here. And with the way he has depleted the National Guard, we better hope they don't.