Tim Kaine among group of Governors worried that Iraq is 'breaking' the National Guard

Gee, ya think?

Several governors told a top National Guard official Sunday they are concerned about the toll the Iraq war is taking on their state forces.

The governors said they were closely monitoring deployment of their troops, worn-out equipment and how ready they would be for domestic emergencies.

Governors also hoped to persuade Congress to reverse a step taken last year in response to Hurricane Katrina that gave the president greater power to deploy troops for problems at home, a power previously reserved for the states' top leaders.

"There's a lot of concern about the resources already employed, manpower and equipment," said Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, a Democrat. "How much equipment have we sent abroad, how much has returned, how much is usable?"

In Virginia, many of the 5,500 Guard members have been deployed more than once since September 11, 2001, said Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, a Democrat. "Obviously, that's a problem."

Well, I guess it's better late than never, right?