Liberty Tree | Democratizing Defense

Democratizing Defense

Now that the authorized Iraq mission of the National Guard is complete . . .

Resources for bringing the Guard home

"It is clear that the mission that Congress authorized no longer exists. The President has no current or permanent legal authority to keep Guard members in Iraq. The Governor as Commander-in-Chief of the Vermont National Guard should take necessary steps to bring them home."

~ Rep. Michael Fisher, Vermont State House

To get involved:

Call 608 257 1606 or email contact@bringtheguardhome.org
. . . a separate Bring the Guard Home! campaign website is coming soon!

Also see Cities for Peace resources at: http://citiesforprogress.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=684

Participating national organizations: AfterDowningStreet.org, Cities for Peace, CODEPINK, Courage to Resist, LIBERTY TREE Foundation for the Democratic Revolution, Peace Action, Women Legislator's Lobby, Women's Action for New Directions . . . .list of local organizations coming soon!

Media:

For an archive of news coverage, please click here.

Media releases to date:

June, 2008 - New Jersey, Pennsylvania legislatures now consider ending Guard deployments to Iraq
Click here for PDF: Guard release 6-13-8.pdf
Click here for HTML: http://www.LibertyTreeFDR.org/guardrelease3.php

February, 2008 - PA: Payton works to bring state National Guard home
http://www.pahouse.com/PR/179021408.asp

January, 2008 - States: Federal authority to call up National Guard has expired
http://www.libertytreefdr.org/guardrelease1.php
Legislation introduced today in Vermont to recall the Guard; similar legislation in works for Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Wisconsin

State Legislation:

New Jersey
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/2008/Bills/SJR/55_I1.HTM
- or -
http://www.libertytreefdr.org/NJguardlaw.php

Pennsylvania
coming soon . . .

Rhode Island
http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/billtext08/housetext08/h7705.pdf

Vermont 1 (current version)
http://www.libertytreefdr.org/vermontresolution.php

Vermont 2 (void)
http://www.leg.state.vt.us/database/status/summary.cfm?Bill=H%2E0746&Session=2008
- or -
http://www.libertytreefdr.org/vermontguardbill.php

Your state here!
Campaigns are underway in several other states to join this national effort to defederalize the Guard and bring them home. Contact us to get involved.

Articles:

Frequently Asked Questions about the AUMF, National Guard, and Guard recall
http://www.libertytreefdr.org/guardfaq.php
by Benson Scotch, Legal Counsel to Rep. Fisher & Sen. Shumlin

Your Time is Up, Mr. President -- The National Guard is Coming Home
http://www.libertytreefdr.org/democracyNews.php#news67
by Karen Dolan & Ben Manski for AlterNet

From liberty to empire: The demise of American defense
http://www.libertytreefdr.org/fromlibertytoempire.php
by Ben Manski, Liberty Tree Journal, Volume 2, Issue 3

My Turn: Gov. Douglas must protect state Guard
http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080515/OPINION/80515013/1006
by Rep. Michael Fisher (VT)

For more information, contact us