Army's Fighting Force 'Nearly Exhausted'

Associated Press   |   August 19, 2007 10:16 PM


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According to military officials, some soldiers in Iraq are hearing that it may not be wise to pack their bags to come home when their 15-month tour is up. But to date, Pentagon officials, including Defense Secretary Robert Gates, have said they have no plans to extend those tours.

National Guard officials are bracing for a new round of Guard deployments and a move to decrease their time at home between tours -- despite announced plans to give the citizen soldiers five years off for every one year served.

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- TheKurgan I'm a Fan of TheKurgan 4 fans permalink

What's with all the comments about Chelsea? What about the Bush twins? I served in the first Desert Storm Debacle (which, if it had been executed properly would have stablized the region much more effectively).

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:02 PM on 08/20/2007
- Grannysue I'm a Fan of Grannysue 128 fans permalink
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Does anyone actually think Bush, Cheney, Rover, Rice, or any other idiot in office cares about this? Hell, Cheney and Rove are busy putting the finishing touches on invading Iran, with Lieberman in the wings in his cheer leading suit! So what if the military is exhausted, so what if their committing suicide at the highest rate ever, so what if their marriages are suffering, their children haven't seen them in years, who cares, they are all expendable just like the rest of us peons. Trust me if they ever reinstate the draft you can bet your bottom dollar that every single Repukins kids would be exempt for fallen arches or some other ailment. I mean they are the "Moral" majority how could they possibly go fight in a WAR, they have to stay home and monitor their grades in college and their investments in the stock market. Or better yet maybe they have to go campaign for someone like their hero Bushy did during Vietnam. He couldn't bother going then either, nor Cheney, Rove etc., Why these people are not on trial for WAR crimes and Crimes against humanity is beyond me. Probably because all the rest the politicians have their hands so far up the dresses and pants of the lobbyist they cannot be bothered to do their jobs.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:13 PM on 08/20/2007
- TheKurgan I'm a Fan of TheKurgan 4 fans permalink

I served my eight years (4 active, 4 inactive, 1987-1995). In fact, 18 August 2007 was the 20th anniversary of my first day in Basic. I'm not draftable, and heck, I live in Canada anyway (since 1996 because I married a Canadian, not because I was running).

War Crimes trials sound like a good idea. Try the bastards in the shadow of Göring and the rest.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:05 PM on 08/20/2007

Speaking of war crimes, in the Hague, there are Albanians, Bosnians(C­roats,Musl­ims,Serbs)­, Croatians, Montenegrins and Serbians on trial or in jail for war crimes as are some African leaders. There is not a single American on trial there. From what I could recall, the USA set up the international war crimes tribunal, but its soldiers could not stand trial there?!! The former Yugoslav leaders where greedy,stupid nationalist gangsters. The United States has occupied 2 countries, killed thousands of innocent civilians,created a civil war,stood by while ethnic cleansing goes on,created over 2 million refugees and has made hell for the remaining inhabitants. Yet, there is no talk of war crimes, strange. Danilovic

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:00 AM on 08/21/2007

My wishlist of eligible draftees: the Bush Twits, the convenient fiance, Turd Blossom II, Jeb Bush's son (the one being groomed in the upcoming group of Texas chickenhawks), Cheney's daughters and Romney's sons (the ones who are more "patriotic" than the troops in Iraq) and every Young Chickenhawk that was at the meeting videotaped by Max Blumenthal several weeks ago (featured on this blog). That'll do for starters.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:43 PM on 08/20/2007
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There was lot of killing yesterday! 25[americans] killed alongwith a nato soldier...

http://www.geocities.com/greatglobalist/world1.gif

A canadian with his heli fell too...

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:53 AM on 08/20/2007
- Colmore I'm a Fan of Colmore 45 fans permalink

Remeber Laura's immortal words on TV "No one suffers more about this than the president and myself" Sure, I believe that. No one in this administration loses sleep over the troops, NOBODY. The debt keeps rising, money and lives. WHAT A HELL OF A NESS BUSH HAS CREATED. Now Cheney wants to expand into Iran. These people are insane. Send Rove, he seems to think he knows it all, let him solve it. He would sweat off a few pounds just flying over the area, the little creep.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:19 AM on 08/20/2007
- Stirner I'm a Fan of Stirner 20 fans permalink
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Ah, what might Ben Laden think? The U.S. military, which is helping exhaust the treasury, is now slowly falling apart with a "draft" being prepared -- the last desperate attempt to enforce the defense of the indefensible. Our national debt is beyond computation, our dollar has lost value throughout the world. Both of our major political parties have been discredited. The world now looks upon us, the U.S., as a large image of Bush: an unrestrained and stubborn bully (covered with Christian suger). Well, are now locked into an endless and mindless war in the religious cesspool of the Middle East. At home, talk of impeachement, the Constitution threatened, if not violated, and the "High Office" of the President reduced to being the butt of nasty jokes. Our Congress and our Supreme Court, are losing moral authority. Hey, Ben Laden (who somehow always "evades" capture)must be very, very pleased with Bush and his self-centered cronies.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 08:50 AM on 08/20/2007

Bin Laden set out to destroy the US economy, not individuals. A lot more citizens could have been killed with a hit on a stadium. The WTC was symbolic. He waited for Clinton to leave office because he knew Clinton would come after him.

It appears that Bush is the enforcer of the bin Laden plan.

Scary...

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:01 AM on 08/20/2007
- ronspri I'm a Fan of ronspri 15 fans permalink

Stirner, spot on. That is why I laugh when the radical righties claim some big "protection" victory because we haven't been attacked again. The reason we haven't been attacked again is because everything is going so well for the other side. Why would they mess up a good thing.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:07 AM on 08/20/2007

Don't worry about a thing, this problem has been solved at the highest levels of government.

When Hillary Clinton is place in office as the first women President, and the Democratic Party, and DLC elite have control of Congress, the draft will be reinstated and that messy problem about drafting women will be solved, if a women can be Commander-In-Chief they can serve in the military, and be drafted.

Vote for Hillary Moms... send your daughters to Iran.

Don't believe it? Bet me! There will be a draft and President Hillary R. Clinton will sign the Bill, just as it is in Israel your daughters will be required to serve.

You all are being led down the garden path.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:44 AM on 08/20/2007

Oh... one more thing...

Don't bother asking Hillary about it... because she doesn't do hypotheticals. How convenient!

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 05:51 AM on 08/20/2007
- BrickSykes I'm a Fan of BrickSykes 39 fans permalink


One more thing to check out on Hillary...she's an EvangeKon!!!

Just read this weekend in "Mother Jones" that she belongs to "The Fellowship", the National Prayer Breakfast crowd. Tom Coburn, Rick Santorum, Joe Lieberman, Sam Brownback, Mark Pryor, John Ashcroft, George Allen, James Inhofe, Bob Bennett, Doug Coe!!! Who is Doug Coe? Well, he's Nelson Rockefeller's administrative heir...Remember Rocky? He was the "Liberal Republican" who headed the introduction of fundamentalists into the Republican Party.

So Hillary is a "Conservative Democrat?" Not much difference from Rocky, huh? How long do you think "The Wall of Separation Between Church and State" will last with her? She voted for ALL the so called "Faith Based" initiatives with the Bushies.

I'm a Yellow Dog Democrat, but I smell a Rat. I believe the Republicans are just feigning opposition to Hillary....I think she's "Their Man!"

IMHO, of course...

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:41 AM on 08/20/2007
- Macready I'm a Fan of Macready 58 fans permalink

You are so right .. . hillary is a blue dog . . .DLC another name for the neo-con GOP agenda ... please don't allow yourselves to be fooled into thinking that you will be getting the "old Bill" . . . you won't be . . .suspect he backed her vote on the illegal invasion of Iraq . . . he is good friends with GB41 and tony bliar . . .georgie's poodle . . . nostalgia is fine in its place . . .but America cannot afford it . ..no more bushies . . no more clintons . . .edward, obama . . . we need a new type of leader one not afraid to engage in diplomacy with Iran . . . one who will force the zionists to stop their war of hatred against the Palestinians . . . status quo thinking has gotten America into a quagmire . . . that will take years to get out of . . . don't dig deeper into that black hole . . .no to hillary ...she is exactly what the bushies want . . .

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:35 AM on 08/20/2007
- Defyant I'm a Fan of Defyant 16 fans permalink

What a freaking mess.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:45 AM on 08/20/2007
- may261989 I'm a Fan of may261989 5 fans permalink

Exhausted?? Damn it get out there and fight .
Lets not hear any of this business how the children of NeoCons should over to Iraq, why should they? its scary over there man, they could get killed fer crissakes!
They are the nation's elite, their lives are infinitely more valuable than a bunch of grunts - aren't they?
The soldiers should accept a couple hundred bucks a week and be glad they get that.

In any event its all that draft dodging Clinton's fault ( whatever the outcome - unless of course the U.S overcomes the resistance - ho ho yeah right!!! )

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:25 AM on 08/20/2007
- Ginzaman I'm a Fan of Ginzaman 12 fans permalink

Keep in mind several other things:

The military suicide rate is the highest it's been in 26 years.

Why did we go there in the first place? For oil.

How come none of the Democratic candidates will talk about the permenant bases and the world's biggest embassy over there? Which by the way is being built by foreigners and NOT Iraqis. Yet another brillant move by Jr.

The troops have longer deployments, less break time in-between. Which are two factors that will aggravate PTSD even more. FYI: It only takes ONE TIME for severe trauma to happen to you to cause PTSD. This will affect you for the rest of your life. If you're lucky enough to get the proper care, you stand a chance of starting to recover. However the effects will always be with you. And currently the support system for PSTD is a f*****g joke. Over 50% of therapists (VA and civilian) don't have the proper training to deal with this. In addition some of these therapists actually can't be bothered with dealing with this. It's a scam to get out of the military. Screw you and go back. I've had PTSD for 35 years. It took me 20 before I finally found a therapist who actually listened to me. But the truth is I'll probably have this forever. And the people who I thought would listen and help (doctors, therapists and various family) couldn't be bothered. So what the hell are these people supposed to do?

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 02:20 AM on 08/20/2007
- paige I'm a Fan of paige 4 fans permalink

Lets not forget the mercenaries over there being paid the last I read nearly $1,000 a week? I've read there are more mecenaries than there are troops. Not sure how true that is bue what role are they really playing over there and WHY are they over there in the first place? Whatever.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 04:09 AM on 08/20/2007


"We live in a world that has walls and that those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. I have a greater responsibility than they can possibly fathom. They weep for mistreated prisoners and curse the military. They have that luxury. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to them, saves lives.

I'll tell them that they don't want the truth, because deep down, in places they don't talk about at parties, they want me on that wall. They need me on that wall. I'll tell them that I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to men who rise and sleep under the blanket of the very freedom I provide, then question the manner in which I provide it.

I'd rather they just said "thank you" and went on their way. Otherwise, I'd suggest they pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what they think they're entitled to. "... Colonel Nathan Jessup, a few good men

Chelsea Clinton and Ben and Craig Romney better
pick up a weapon and stand a post or else Hillary and Mitt should shut up about leaving some one elses children in Iraq to fight for oil.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 01:23 AM on 08/20/2007
- Colmore I'm a Fan of Colmore 45 fans permalink

Plus the Bush twits, Rove's son, Cheney's daughters, and all the relatives of this administration who are all for the invasion as long as it is other people's children fighting and dying.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 09:12 AM on 08/20/2007
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Don't forget the future son-in law, who served Karl Rove quite well.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 07:43 PM on 08/20/2007

The U.S. Army is running on empty. It's extended the enlistment age, lowered its standards, and it's still not getting enough cannon fodder for the Great Neocon War in the Middle East.

As an immediate step, the children of the Liar-in-Chief, Hillary Clinton, Mitt Romney, the entire staff of National Review, and every warmonger should enlist. This would be an important, symbolic gesture, one that would dispel the notion that the warmongering class lets other people fight their war(s) for them.

The best thing to do? Get the hell out of Iraq--NOW.

Dr. Ron Paul for President.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 12:31 AM on 08/20/2007
- Macready I'm a Fan of Macready 58 fans permalink

so true . . .the British generals have advised this . .. the bush/cheney regime are just using them as canon fodder ...

"Menzies backs demands for Army to leave Iraq
By Colin Brown, Deputy Political Editor
Published: 20 August 2007
Sir Menzies Campbell has backed calls by military chiefs for British forces to pull out of Iraq because they can "achieve nothing" by staying.

The Liberal Democrat leader has written to Gordon Brown urging him to set a "framework for the complete withdrawal of all our forces" from Iraq.

Sir Menzies says withdrawing from Iraq would make it easier for British forces in Afghanistan, where troops are at "full stretch" in dealing with the Taliban.

"What is being achieved by the continuing British presence in Iraq?" Sir Menzies asked in the letter to the Prime Minister. "There is now a clear recognition that the objectives of their mission cannot be achieved."

The pressure on Mr Brown increased yesterday with the disclosure in The Independent on Sunday that senior military commanders have told the Government that Britain can achieve "nothing more" in Basra, the British sector in southern Iraq which has seen a sharp rise in insurgent attacks over the past year."


it is time to go . . . but cheney wants to escalate to Iran . . . impeachment is the only option . . .

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 06:02 AM on 08/20/2007
- wolf58 I'm a Fan of wolf58 31 fans permalink

Osama Bin Laden was on vacation he was seen sucking on a margarita on Miami Beach. He looked well and tanned and surprising relaxed. He was asked if he had gave up on his jihad he was quick to respond no the fight was still on however his number one man was doing such a good job that he (Osama) could take a little vacation.

He said look at America she is in total disarray the country is divided and fighting among each other. Over 3700 service members have died and over 26,558 are injured, Billions have been spent on far away lands and they now have the largest deficit in its history. Their very freedoms are now being taken away. The government listens to their phone calls, checks their e-mail, and watches their bank accounts. They can now be jailed held indefinitely without trial their homes can be searched without warrants. They almost have to be striped search to fly on airplanes. The very Constitution that made their country is nothing more than a piece of paper with no meaning now. I now have many new cells throughout the world ready to fight the infidels everywhere. And most of the world now looks down upon them.

He has kept my enemies away so I may rebuild my network and re-establish my training camps, allowing me to plan future attacks. He has fired everyone who has given proper advice and plans on how to get me and my followers. He has broken the very Army that would find and kill me, they are tired and most of their equipment is now junk.

Yes my number one man and his crew has done a fine job and I could not have done all of this without him and his supporters. My only concern is how I can keep George Bush and Dick Cheney and Republicans in charge.

They are my best sleeper cell that I ever have had.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 10:07 AM on 08/20/2007
- bimplebean I'm a Fan of bimplebean 9 fans permalink
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Damn, wolf, that sums it up nicely.

    Favorite    Flag as abusive Posted 11:24 PM on 08/20/2007
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