Guard to miss border deployment deadline (AP)

June 29, 2006, 3:20PM
Guard to miss border deployment deadline

By AARON C. DAVIS
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The Bush administration has been unable to muster
even half of the 2,500 National Guardsmen it planned to have on the
Mexican border by the end of June.

As of today, the next-to-last day of the month, fewer than 1,000 troops
were in place, according to military officials in the four border states
of Texas, California, New Mexico and Arizona.

President Bush's plan called for all 50 states to send troops. But only
10 states — including the four border states — have signed commitments.

Some state officials have argued that they cannot free up Guardsmen because
of flooding in the East, wildfires in the West or the prospect of hurricanes
in the South.