Have We Sent Our Own Troops Into Harm’s Way?

Name: Have We Sent Our Own Troops Into Harm’s Way?
Uploaded: 2026-09-01T00:26:37-07:00
Duration: 34 min 29 s
Channel: Redacted
Description: The video details the legal and ethical concerns surrounding the State Partnership Program, where the US Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State can…

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About this episode The video details the legal and ethical concerns surrounding the State Partnership Program, where the US Secre… AI summary

The video details the legal and ethical concerns surrounding the State Partnership Program, where the US Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State can bind state National Guards to foreign militaries without Congressional declaration of war, exemplified by Arizona's partnership with Oman. The guest, Dan Mcnite, argues this constitutes an unconstitutional treaty and advocates for state-level 'Defend the Guard' legislation to prevent National Guard deployment in undeclared wars.

Key takeaways 5

The State Partnership Program (Title 10) allows the Secretary of Defense and Secretary of State to bind any state's National Guard to any foreign nation's military with only a 15-day notice to Congress, requiring no Senate ratification or state legislative approval.
There are currently 115-117 such partnership agreements, including Arizona with Oman and Kazakhstan, Idaho with Cambodia, and Montana with four nations, creating potential conflicts where US troops could be deployed against former partners.
The National Guard now comprises over 50% of the Army's defense structure and 65% of Air Force airlift operations, making them essential for US global military presence despite being constitutionally designed as a home defense militia.
Deployments have shifted from short training exercises to long-term combat rotations, with Idaho National Guard members deployed for 70+ days in Iran-related conflicts and extensions preventing return home for months.
State-level 'Defend the Guard' legislation aims to prohibit the release of state militias into federal service for combat operations unless Congress formally declares war, with progress in Arizona, New Hampshire, Idaho, and Texas.

Notable quotes 4 AI-generated: wording and quote attribution may be wrong. Use the play link to verify.

“It is a de facto treaty... The only thing that's missing is a thing that we all learned about in fifth grade... ratification from the Senate. But it does everything else that binds our military to theirs.”

▶ 23:19 Explaining how the State Partnership Program functions as an unratified treaty binding US forces to foreign militaries.
“We couldn't do it without the warm bodies. The president can't fly the sordies. He can't strap the bombs on. He needs bodies to do it.”

▶ 8:24 Describing why the National Guard is heavily utilized for overseas deployments due to its size and role in the military force structure.
“If we really truly want to honor them, let's quit bringing them home in flag drape boxes. Let's give them the courtesy of honoring the document that they swore an oath to defend and doing the one thing again that Congress is required to do, and that's declare war before we participate in one.”

▶ 18:27 Arguing that true respect for soldiers requires adhering to constitutional war powers rather than just ceremonial honors.
“They like pleasure and they respond to pain. And I'm not here to pleasure any politician ever.”

▶ 33:09 Describing the strategy for political activism and holding legislators accountable through direct pressure.