national guard

Bush: If We Withdraw Now, the Terrorists Win

Jul 6, 2007
President Bush was referring to U.S. troops when he made a comparison to Revolutionary War fighters who resisted a foreign occupation, but he could just as easily have been referring to the Iraqi insurgents. He made the remark during a July 4th address to National Guard members and their families.

Keeping Up With the Surge

Apr 6, 2007
In an effort to meet the demands of the administration, Defense Secretary Robert Gates plans to send 12,000 National Guard troops to Iraq, according to a report from NBC News. In other news, the Pentagon said Monday that roughly 4,500 troops would soon redeploy without getting their full year off.
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90 Percent of Guard Units ‘Not Ready’

Mar 2, 2007
An independent commission established by Congress has found that the Defense Department is not adequately equipping and funding the National Guard. Roughly 90 percent of U.S. National Guard units are designated "not ready." The commission determined that the Guard is ill-prepared to meet its obligation to defend the homeland and respond rapidly and effectively in a crisis.

Top General Wants Bigger Army

Dec 15, 2006
Army Chief of Staff Gen. Peter Schoomaker has testified that his force "will break" without an increase in troops and greater ability to draw on Army National Guard and Reserve units. The general cited the strain of commitments in Iraq and Afghanistan, and he told reporters: "We would not surge [in Iraq] without a purpose. And that purpose should be measurable."