Senior Army Officials: US Readiness Dangerously Low

Washington Post:

Senior Army and Marine Corps leaders said yesterday that the increase of more than 30,000 troops in Iraq and Afghanistan has put unsustainable levels of stress on U.S. ground forces and has put their readiness to fight other conflicts at the lowest level in years.

In a stark assessment a week before Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, is to testify on the war's progress, Gen. Richard A. Cody, the Army's vice chief of staff, said that the heavy deployments are inflicting "incredible stress" on soldiers and families and that they pose "a significant risk" to the nation's all-volunteer military.

Read the whole story: Washington Post

Comments

[MRb1000]

Yeah after 3 to 4 tours in the world largest beach where everyone hates you priceless!!! Oh they suppose to be happy!!! It makes me sick to here hawk that will not send their own son or daughter to fight. Oh they are a volunteer force. Keep saying they are volunteer force America and you will be fighting the wars. No one volunteers to die. The sacrifice their lives to give you freedom. This is passed on through families. When these military family get tired of losing their own, you better be ready for a draft.

Most of you were cheering when it was time to go to war. Ask everyone in the room are you ready to go most of you would just sneak out the back door.

Yeah Patriotism Please. Waving a flag not!! It is serving your country. It dose not matter what party your in.

[Irons]

Wow, didn't see this coming.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

No, it's been a real shock for the last 3 years.

[newworldman777]

I myself feel blindsided by this revelation. Who knew? That thing called reality always has to mess up Bush's fantasy world -- not that his spin will reveal that fact.

[plages]

"Senior Army and Marine Corps leaders said yesterday that the increase of more than 30,000 troops in Iraq and Afghanistan has put unsustainable levels of stress on U.S. ground forces and has put their readiness to fight other conflicts at the lowest level in years."

So close half of the ~1,600 god damn bases around the world, and stop kicking US about being under staffed. How many Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and soldiers are there at present, ~2,000,000? China won't have to enlist their military, all they have to do is to ask that we pay off our debt in "EURO'S!"

I also enjoyed Gov. Ventura's thoughts on LK's show! At least a minimum of two more political parties!

[alaintex]

As of April 2007, about 1,426,700 people are on active duty in the military with an additional 1,458,500 people in the seven reserve components.

[plainsman]

Afganistan...check.
Iraq...check.
Foreign Relations...check.
Justice Department...check.
Congress...check.
Constitution...check.
Economy...check.
Armed Forces...check.
America...

What has BushCo. actually built...?

[Indedave]

A worldwide shrine to imbecility topped with a bust of Alfred E. Neuman?

[WLA]

Outside of the bush "library." I like it.

[plainsman]

LOL. I love these two quotes from Al:

"In retrospect it becomes clear that hindsight is definitely overrated!"

"How come we choose from just two people for President, and fifty for Miss America?"

[Antisana]

How sad , the military industrial complex plods along in every facet of the American fabric. Query? How many sons and daughters of members of Congress are on active duty in Iraq or Afganistann? We really need to move on as Americans and work for peace in the World. As for are so-called patriotic leaders in Government, they or their children really do not know what giving up one's life for their Country is all about.

[WLA]

McBomb has sons in the military. It would still be a very bad idea to elect him. Just trying to ready you for the repub. trolls that will answer your question.

[PackyJ]

So?
They volunteered.

[WLA]

Darth? Is that you?

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

yeah... lol

[Noodlz]

I absolutely hate it when people like you say that.... grrrrr.........

[alaintex]

Hate the truth, but deal with it.

[kardwell]

They might have volunteered for military service, but guaranteed, none of them signed up to be lied to and abused.

[ReasonIsMyReligion]

Stop (the) loss.
Chimpeach.

[crablover]

And Bush and Cheney still want to attack Iran!
When will our generals grow some balls and tell the politicians that they can no longer sustain the pressure without a draft.
A draft will also ensure that the war ends sooner, as the streets of DC will be jammed with young protesters who will have as much to lose as our all-volunteer force.
Support the Troops! Bring them home now and impeach Cheney and Bush!

[WLA]

When the Generals stand up, they get "resigned" if you haven't noticed. Also, impeachment would require a majority in Congress. Not that I'm opposed to the proceedings in the slightest. Dennis Kucinich has moved for impeachment against both of them. See also:

http://www.wexlerwantshearings.com

If Kucinich would have been elected, you could be damn sure that there would be accountability. However, Tim RUssert saw fit to link him to Shirley MacClain's obscure book where he admitted to seeing a "UFO" in the realist sense of the word. And we can't have that now, can we? So much for justice and accountability. America doesn't want the whole truth.

[jpsd]

How slow are you people. Do you really thinkany high ranking official would ever divulge that his troops were truly not ready to defned the country. This is the same game every gov't agency, especially the military. Fear Uncertainty and Doubt, then ask for more money. Same thing happens in evry Large corporation only the Gov't does les due diligence to verify. topping being played. Think you bunch of lemmings...

[DumbDad]

Nice try, but that's what he just did. Talk about 'giving encouragement to the terrorists!'

[jpsd]

This is when you choose to believe the military, when it suits your desire to pass blame. Cracks me up, they would never admit weakness unless it is to their advantage...use your brain.

[robXdion]

I served in the Marines for over a decade. And I can tell you by the time something hits the news about the military, it has already been common knowledge with the Generals and Admirals for at least 18 months prior and the story you DO hear is only 40% of the whole truth.

[Indedave]

Slow enough to think before we write. Your point, such as it is, appears to be that the military is attempting to pad its budget. I'll just point out the same brass rejected a record appropriation by Congress just over a year ago as excessive, which completely negates your argument. BTW, the story is about a personnel shortage. And if you actually believe we are divulging that we are "truly not ready to defend the country," please tell us who, in YHO, in the world would be so laughably delusional as to invade the U.S. militarily.

[DumbDad]

Republicans.
Ruined United States Army.
Ruined my US Army.

No one should ever vote for a Republican ever again.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

I agree. So much for Republicans claiming they are pro-military. It's plain to see who the soldiers support, it was Ron Paul and Obama who got their money, in that order: The two anti-war candidates. The troops want to come home, they just don't want to leave their brothers behind. Nobody can understand this unless they have been in the military.

[WLA]

They don't support them when they come home either. Dumbya/Cheney: the truest representation of "chickenhawk" there has ever been.

[Noodlz]

Absolutely correct BG&E..........

[Lisette]

The Roman Empire fell from being spread to thin and they were around for 800 years, which is no fluke.

I will never understand why Bush/Cheney were not impeached.

[gevan]

First they hired the barbarians to help maintain their force levels . Then the barbarians turned against them when they found out that they were being treated as illegal aliens. The American Empire has been in free-fall since Bush took office. There is practically no resourse that he hasn't squandered. The American Century is OVER. Get used to it.

[HamletsMill]

Just wait until brooding gangbangers with four tours in return to the streets of the big U.S. cities.The sons and daughters of Joe and Jane America did not serve as they would in a draft. Others now got the really good heavy weapons training with live war experience. Everything is now very speeded up. It is going to get very interesting. Especially if the economy goes into something terrible. We'll have bread lines with people armed to the teeth who have a certain muscle memory. Amazing, just amazing. How could anything be mis-managed any worse? Just spectacular. Too bad I turned my flak jacket in decades ago. It might be good to have one when visiting Detroit on Halloween for the next 100 years.

[WLA]

"I will never understand why Bush/Cheney were not impeached."

---

There was a significant majority to impeach a BJ'er. Unfortunately, there is not a significant majority in Congress to impeach for war crimes and high treason. Blame the electorate.

[rojo7449]

Somehow they protected themselves. Imagine how hard it would be for the members of congress who voted their "go ahead" to impeach them for actually going ahead?

Someday the truth of what stopped congress of impeaching these two will almost come out, I should think. Could even be the impeachment of Clinton was such an embarrassment to the members that they are scared to go down that road again for any reason.

[ROBOT8]

JUST LIKE THE REAGAN DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!! HOSTAGE SITUATION!!!!!!! HIGH GAS PRICES!!!!!! RICH GET RICHER!!!!!!!!!!!!! MIDDLE CLASS IN DURESS. IRAN CONTRA....... NORMALIZED RELATIONS WITH COCAINE PRODUCING NATIONS OSF SOUTH AMERICA......... BY 2009 COCAINE WILL FLOOD A NATION IN RECESSION................. WHICH CAN'T AFFORD TO SUPPORT IT'S PRISONS INMATE POPULATION AND WILL RELEASE THEM ONTO A DISTRESSED POPULATIONS.......... WITH NO JOBS AVAILABLE FOR THE NEW INMATE RELEASES........... THEY WILL BE FORCED BACK TO DRUGS AND CRIME .......GANG VIOLENCE WILL INCREASE AND AN ALREADY OVERWHELMED MIDDLE CLASS WILL SEEK EVEN FURTHER ISOLATION INCREASED STRESSES WILL INCREASE DIVORCE RATES, ALCOHOLISM AND DRUG PROBLEMS, VIOLENCE AND INCREASED DRUG RELATED ISSUES.

We can often do more for other men by trying to correct our own faults than by trying to correct theirs.
- Francois Fenelon

[Lisette]

JesseVentura posed an excellent question on Larry King tonight::
If Clinton was impeached for lying about Monica....

then why can't George Bush and Dick Cheney
BE IMPEACHED
for LYING about the war?
A far far more serious offense
That just like Hitler we crossed a border
and invaded a country and overthrew a government for no reason.

[WLA]

Please see above. The numbers are not significant enough in Congress. Not that this session wasn't almost a complete waste of time anyway.

[PistonMoaned]

We should be just about ready for another round of "A vote for the Democrats means the terrorists win." With an extra shot of "Why do the libruls hate America?"

It's enough to make me want to jam their little "Made in China" flag pins down their throats with a toilet plunger.

But I'm not angry.

[WLA]

Don't get angry. Get logical. Talk it up to all of your friends and family. The madness needs to stop before we are lost to the corporofascism.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

forget the "before" part

[jinjinpinti]

got denial?

[ROBOT8]

WE ARE SPREAD 100 TIMES THINNER THAN THE TROOPS OF ANCIENT ROME BEFORE THE FALL AND IN FINANCIAL RUIN......... ONE MORE MILITARY FRONT AND WE WILL FALL........... AND FOR WHAT???????? SO THAT THE FEW WILL PROSPER WHILE THE MANY FALL .......WHAT HAPPENED TO SACRIFICE THE FEW FOR THE MANY...................OIL IS BLOOD!!!!!!!!!!! OIL IS BLACKMAIL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MAKE BIG OIL SUBSIDIZE THE ECONOMY!!!!!! THE SCHOOLS!!!!!!!!!!!! THE MEDICAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and their expansionist invasions of sovereign countries

[ResidentChimp]

I didn't realize that ROBOTs could get so hysterical.

[BeyondGoodAndEvil]

I didn't realize there were disgusting chickenhawks pretending they were in the service.

[ResidentChimp]

This should make the surrender monkeys happy. Of course, the real story will turn out to bee completely different when placed "in context".

[ErnestineBass]

Do us all a favor and enlist, chimp.

[ResidentChimp]

Already did in 1966 and they don't have to pay me, It's fun to rattle the chains of the surrender monkeys on this site. Waving the white flag is the favorite pastime of the Huffers posting here. You guys need someone to point out the fallacies that machinations of your mental processes produce. Like Blame America first, President Bush is the root of all evil, if we only elect Obama all will be "Wright" with the world.

[WLA]

You must be getting paid to troll here. Just admit it.

[Noodlz]

Hey ReziChimpz.... who came up with that phrase... surrender monkey.... I have always wanted to know.....

And when you say it to your "friends" how can you do it with a straight face....

[Ramirez]

"Cheese eating surrender monkeys"

The phrase was first popularized in the Simpsons episode "'Round Springfield" (first aired on April 30, 1995). Groundskeeper Willie, the school janitor, an unkempt immigrant from Scotland, is teaching French due to budget cuts, dressed in a striped jumper and a beret. He greets the class with "Bonjourrrrr, yah cheese-eatin' surrender monkeys!"

The 'surrender' element of the phrase refers to the perceived proclivity of the French to surrender in military confrontations.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheese-eating_surrender_monkeys

[jinjinpinti]

Run along chimp...Nurse Ratchet called and said you're late for your lobotomy.