Hawaii Senate passes resolution to Bring our National Guard Home!

[mahina]

Aloha,

The Hawaii Senate has voted to approve SR128 SD1. The full text of the reso is below. This reso will now go to the state House. I will provide a link to news media when it breaks. Here's the link to the state legeslature page: http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessioncurrent/bills/sr12...
If any of you folks can post it at Kos that would be awesome. (I've been reading it for years, never had anything important to say till today and there is a week wait to post the first time.) This info needs to be spread far and wide, as we don't have much independant local political news coverage here.
Is this a first?
As a Hawaii National Guard family, we are so grateful to our very wonderful Democratic Senators!
Wish us luck in the House, mahalo
Mahina Hoku and Hawaii Code Pink ohana
(please cruise over to http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x2212216 and reccomend if you feel it merits. We really need to get the word out!)

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.

[oasis]

1. In case of a Katrinalike disaster where would we be without our NG?

[paineinthearse]

2. Way to go, Hawaii!

I got the news from David Swanson and posted in GEN.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=880240&mesg_id=880240

[peacetheonlyway]

3. bravo Hawaiian Senate

if only the other blue states could take hawaii's lead...

good post and good job Hawaii....

Mahalo!!
Bravo

[odori]

4. Hawaii National Guard

Aloha,

I read in your post that you are "a Hawaii National Guard family."

I am a Honolulu news reporter doing a story on recruitment and retention at the Hawaii National Guard. Depending on what my research turns up, my story may also touch upon worries Guard members may have about the potential of being deployed again soon. From what I hear, there are a lot of rumors going around about deployments. (Though I haven't heard of any rumors that later proved true.)

I'm looking for Guard members and Guard family members to interview for the story. Would you be willing to talk to me?

I would send you a private message but this site wouldn't let me do so because I didn't have any previous posts. (I haven't been a member of this site before; I joined today because I saw the above posting and wanted to message you.)

If you are willing to share your thoughts with me, please write me at [e-mail].

Many thanks!