WHO'S GUARD? OUR GUARD!When the governor of Minnesota refused to allow National Guard members to be sent to Central America for a training mission in 1990, a Supreme Court decision set a precedent recognizing the authority of each Governor over the use of the National Guard for their state.

In its ruling, the Supreme Court affirmed the right of the federal government to call up National Guard troops - but it also said that governors could refuse a federal request if a deployment would impair its ability to serve or train for emergencies at home.

In the aftermath of Katrina and with over 70,000 National Guard troops deployed to Iraq, many states made the argument that the use of the Guard in Iraq left us vulnerable on the homefront. At least twelve different states had initiatives in progress to petition their Governor to bring home our Guard!

CODEPINK worked diligently with a coalition of peace groups in California to get a resolution passed in the State Assembly in the January 2006 session calling on Governor Schwarzenegger to seek the immediate withdrawal of all California National Guard troops from Iraq. Click here to find out more.

Join the effort! Check out the links below to get involved with a campaign already happening in your community or find out how you can start a working group in your state.