Bush Has Secret Troop Call-Up Plan

[DealMonkey]

Originally posted by: X-Man

Originally posted by: DealMonkey
Nobody finds it ironic that Bush has converted the Reserves and Nat'l Guard into active duty soldiers during his term? One weekend a month my ass.

That is, of course, the intent of the Guard and Reserves, you realize, don't you?

If the size of the armed forces had not been so drastically cut in the 90's it probably wouldn't have needed to happen . . .

The Guard doubled the size of the Regular Army when it was mobilized in 1940, more then a year before Pearl Harbor, and contributed 19 divisions to that war, as well as numerous other units, to include Guard aviation squadrons. Over 138,000 Guardsmen were mobilized for Korea, followed by numerous smaller mobilizations for the Berlin Crisis, Vietnam, and numerous strikes and riots at home. Over 63,000 Army Guardsmen were called to serve in Desert Storm, and in the decade since then, Guardsmen have seen a greater role then ever before conducting peacekeeping in Somalia, Haiti, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, Bosnia, and Kosovo.

Let's take a look at this blurb exerpted in part from Slate.com:

The Guard's primary purpose has traditionally been homeland security. "When you become a member of the Guard, you serve where you live," says the Guard's recruitment Web site. "You can join a unit right in your hometown or wherever you want to live." According to the site, "Initially, soldiers can serve for as little as three years," and since "you'll normally train part-time ? you can go to college or work full-time." There's just one hitch: "During national emergencies, however, the President reserves the right to mobilize the National Guard, putting them in federal duty status."

That's the language Bush has invoked to mobilize half the Guard's 450,000 troops. On Sept. 14, 2001, he proclaimed that "a national emergency exists by reason of the terrorist attacks at the World Trade Center ? and the Pentagon, and the continuing and immediate threat of further attacks on the United States." He authorized the Secretary of Defense to put the Guard and Reserves on active duty "to respond to the continuing and immediate threat of further terrorist attacks on the United States." Based on this authorization, the Army has sent thousands of guardsmen overseas and has instituted a "stop-loss" policy that prevents them from being released when their active duty commitments expire.

But these Guard troops aren't being sent to fight the people who attacked the United States in September 2001. They're being sent to?and locked in?Iraq. Some 40,000 members of the Guard are in Iraq today?six times the number of guardsmen sent to Vietnam. Already, more Guard troops have died in Iraq than in Vietnam.

One guardsman is doing something about it. After serving nine years in the Marines and the Army, including combat duty in Iraq, he enlisted last fall in the Guard. The bait he swallowed was the "Try One" program, which supposedly lets veterans sample a year of Guard service before making a longer commitment. Two months ago, invoking its "stop-loss" policy, the Army called up the guardsman's unit for duty in Iraq and changed his one-year commitment to three years. He sued to void the policy, noting that its application to Iraq "bears no relation to the threat of terrorism against the United States."

So let's review, shall we?

1.) RNG primary purpose is homeland security.
2.) More RNGs called up to active duty (225,000) than any previous conflict.
3.) Rampant use of stop-loss to prevent RNGs from getting out when their active duty commitments expire.
4.) More guardsman died in Iraq than in Vietnam.
5.) 40,000 RNGs are in Iraq, fighting a war that has nothing to do with the WoT.
6.) RNGs one-year "try one" program being converted to much longer commitments (3 years).

So tell me again how Bush isn't abusing the RNGs and the ironic part, in case you missed it, is that while Bush successfully used the Texas ANG to hide from going to Vietnam -- he's now done more to convert RNGs to active duty than any other time in history. If only his policies were in effect in the early 70s.

:roll:

 

[Skitzer]

Originally posted by: Sudheer Anne
People need to educate themselves on Iraq. Right now there are several areas which are completely under the control of the insurgency. The Iraqi police themselves have expressed that they want no part in penetrating those areas whatsoever. The US has kept away from any major battles because the loss of life would be great and there would be much bloodshed. It's no surprise that they don't want to infiltrate these areas so close to the election. Also, every intelligence official and analyst will tell you that we need more troops in Iraq. This is no secret.

Please provide a link to information that corroborates this............ educate me.

 

[bjc112]

Originally posted by: Zedtom
Kerry does sound like an alarmist, but if Bush is reelected these events are probably going to happen. I see the neocons here at this forum getting their rocks off thinking that the election is already decided.

I think it's far from over..

I do feel that Kerry is currently in trouble. Even in the swing states..

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Wasn't it kerry that said he had a secret plan for Iraq?

CsG

 

[DealMonkey]

NM

 

[OneOfTheseDays]

Originally posted by: Skitzer

Originally posted by: Sudheer Anne
People need to educate themselves on Iraq. Right now there are several areas which are completely under the control of the insurgency. The Iraqi police themselves have expressed that they want no part in penetrating those areas whatsoever. The US has kept away from any major battles because the loss of life would be great and there would be much bloodshed. It's no surprise that they don't want to infiltrate these areas so close to the election. Also, every intelligence official and analyst will tell you that we need more troops in Iraq. This is no secret.

Please provide a link to information that corroborates this............ educate me.

Read Seymour Hersh's book that just came out.

 

[CADsortaGUY]

Originally posted by: DealMonkey
NM

Why did you edit it?

"divert. "

I had no problem with you calling it a diversion. But then again that might catch you in a situation next time you did it - no?

I thought it was more ironic than an attempt to change the subject but anyone can interpret things how they wish. Kerry has said he has a secret plan(or something like that) yet here he sits accusing Bush of having some secret plan. Is this just kerry projecting his plan on Bush? Or is he just trying to spread fear?

CsG

 

[DealMonkey]

Originally posted by: CADsortaGUY

Originally posted by: DealMonkey
NM

Why did you edit it?

"divert. "

I had no problem with you calling it a diversion. But then again that might catch you in a situation next time you did it - no?

I thought it was more ironic than an attempt to change the subject but anyone can interpret things how they wish. Kerry has said he has a secret plan(or something like that) yet here he sits accusing Bush of having some secret plan. Is this just kerry projecting his plan on Bush? Or is he just trying to spread fear?

CsG

I edited it, because I realize your comment was actually (somewhat) germane to the topic. At first I didn't think so. Heh, heh. It's a hoot that you saw it anyway. (You LURKER! )

 

[maluckey]

It's kind of odd that the VERY few Reservists and Guardsmen on this forum aren't complaining about their service or deployments, while everyone else is.....

Not only have some AR/ANG been activated, but some individuals....gasp...volunteered for deployment! Go figure. If the scare tactics of "Bush will cut Social Security" doesn't scare the elderly, then Kerry will try the "Bush will draft you" to scare the young liberals out there.

FWIW Some Reserve units will have completed a 100 percent deployment rate shortly. Every member of my unit has now either rotated through Iraq, or is scheduled to deploy within 60 days.

Kerry holds no weight with the current tack.