How to control the border... or at least look like you are.

Word is that Fearless Leader's "solution" to border security is to send the National Guard to the Mexican border. I'm guessing that this'll go over like a gas rebate (or an unleaded balloon). 75% of Guardsmen are serving overseas, which they're not supposed to be doing in the first place. Many have even served multiple tours in Iraq. And I'm sure people haven't forgotten how badly Guardsmen (and their heavy equipment) were needed during the hurricanes last year. Not to mention the fact that it will do nothing in terms of securing ports or screening cargo. Oh, and should I even bother to point out that it will probably be totally ineffective? While this might make the base happy, that's all it will do-- and that 28% of America is already on board the SS Bushtanic.

President Bush on Monday will call for deploying 5,000 National Guard troops along the border with Mexico in support of Border Patrol efforts to keep out illegal immigrants, a senior White House source told NBC News.

The idea is to commit the troops for two years or until enough Border Patrol officers are recruited and trained to fill the gap, the source said ahead of Bush’s speech to the nation at 8 p.m. ET.

Pentagon officials stressed that the troops would not be used for law enforcement, and that they would not participate in apprehending or detaining suspects under any circumstances. Instead, the troops would provide aerial and electronic surveillance and communications support along the 2,000-mile-long border.

I don't think that last bit will be of any comfort to those who signed up for one weekend a month and found themselves on the opposite side of the world for two years. "You're going home, boys... sort of." Expect recruitment woes to continue.

UPDATE: Think Progress has some of the numbers on how thinly-stretched the National Guard already is.