It isn't often that we have the chance to influence our state legislature on the war in Iraq, because it's primarily a Federal issue. But next week we will have a unique opportunity, as the NH General Court considers HCR 8:
- House Concurrent Resolution 8 "...urges the President and Secretary of Defense to withdraw all New Hampshire national guard troops from Iraq in the absence of a valid and subsisting Congressional mandate for such service, and withholds the consent of the governor and New Hampshire state legislature from any further deployment of the New Hampshire national guard to Iraq in the absence of such mandate."
As outlined in a recent article in truthout, the president has the power to call up ("Federalize") states' National Guard units in times of war.
However, current deployments of the NH National Guard in Iraq are based on the "AUTHORIZATION FOR USE OF MILITARY FORCE AGAINST IRAQ RESOLUTION OF 2002", in which the president "is authorized to use the Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in order to (1) defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and (2) enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq."
Putting aside the legality of the 2002 Authorization, and the deceptive means used to justify it at the time, it is clear today that its two purposes are no longer applicable - Iraq does not currently pose a threat to the United States (if it ever did), and UN Security Council resolutions related to the actions of the previous Iraqi regime are no longer applicable.
Therefore, it is up to the president and congress to pass a new authorization, or bring the NH National Guard home. That is the intent of HCR 8.
Next Steps:
