Hawaii Legislature Takes Steps to End War

[paineinthearse]

Hawaii Legislature Takes Steps to End War
By David Swanson

The Hawaii State Senate has passed a resolution "CALLING UPON THE GOVERNOR OF HAWAII TO TAKE STEPS TO WITHDRAW THE HAWAII ARMY AND AIR NATIONAL GUARD TROOPS FROM IRAQ." The resolution is a thing of beauty, has been mailed to the Governor and the President, and can be read at

http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessioncurrent/bills/SR128_.pdf

Both houses of Hawaii's legislature are set to vote on a resolution "REQUESTING THE ADJUTANT GENERAL OF THE HAWAII NATIONAL GUARD TO PROVIDE MEMBERS AND VETERANS OF THE ARMED FORCES HEALTH SCREENING FOR DEPLETED URANIUM EXPOSURE AND TO REPORT ON THE SCOPE AND ADEQUACY OF DEPLETED URANIUM STORAGE AND DISPOSAL IN HAWAII." This resolution, too, seems like a good model for other states. Here's the text:

http://www.capitol.hawaii.gov/sessioncurrent/bills/SCR40_.pdf

Citizens of Hawaii who have promoted these steps include Karin Gill and Marsha Joyner of CODE PINK, Ann Wright who retired from the diplomatic service in protest the day the war began, Irradiated Veterans, and Life of the Land.

[paineinthearse]

1. Meant to say in the initial post....Hawaii did it, let the other 49 follow

As far as I know, the national guard has NOT been federalized, so all units are under the command of each state's governor.

I strongly support the strategy of enacting similar legislation in each state to force the governors to recall the troops. This may be difficult in rethug-controlled legislatures, but why can't "blue" states like Massachusetts do it.

I'd dearly like to see such a mandate pass both houses of the Massachusetts general court, by a veto-proof majority that Mitt the Shitt could not overcome.

[autorank]

2. I don't blame them. They know how good peace can be.

Good for Hawaii. I can't help but think that DUer tommcintyre was somehow involved.

Where are the other 49? Well my state is mired in a Republican controlled legislature
but that will change.

Stop it now, the Iraqis want us out, heed their call...democracy and all...lets leave ASAP or w/in
30 days!

[Cha]

3. This is Excellent News!

The citizens of Hawaii want the troops home and now it's in the repuke governor lingle's court.

[sweetheart]

4. gosh, i was hoping it was the drugs war

Talk about a divisive war against the poor
that undermines the peace...

[paineinthearse]

5. Aloha....full transcript

mahina pasted this in the Hawaii forum...

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

Here's the full transcript.

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]

6. Anne Wright is also a retired Army colonel. At Camp Casey last year

she was a close associate of Cindy Sheehan.