Rarely used reservists may go to Iraq
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| Thu, 06-24-2004 - 10:32am |
http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/06/24/pentagon.troops/index.html
A group of Army Reserve soldiers rarely tapped for duty could soon be heading to Iraq, Pentagon officials said Wednesday.
The troops, part of the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR), could be called to fill holes in units deploying to Iraq as part of the upcoming rotation of troops later this year.
As many as 6,500 IRR troops could be called and would be chosen because of critical skills needed in Iraq, such as Military Police, infantry or engineers, Pentagon officials said.
A decision by the Pentagon to call up these troops is expected within the next week, according to officials.
The Pentagon has a pool of about 118,000 Army IRR troops, consisting of people with past military service who have a remaining mandatory service obligation. The category is distinct from regular Reserve troops because they do not perform any military service during the year, yet are still eligible to be called to service.
About 2,000 IRR troops already serve at some capacity with Operation Iraqi Freedom, though many of them volunteered for service, according to Pentagon officials.
The last time a significant number of IRR troops were called to duty was for the Gulf War in 1991, according to Pentagon officials.
The move reflects the continued shortage of troops available to Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to fight the ongoing war on terrorism as well as Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Lt. Gen. Frank Hagenbeck, the Army's deputy chief of staff for personnel, said earlier this month of the Army's troop strength, "We are stretched but we have what we need."
Pentagon officials have echoed that statement explaining that while the military is reaching deep into its resources, war planners have long had contingency plans such as this for when troops are really needed.


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We can't just pull out, that would leave a huge power vacuum, no telling who takes over.
We can't successfuly occupy the country, insuffcient troops and occupation doesn't generally work unless the people want you there.
This invasion was a mistake from what I can tell. Hopefully I'm proven wrong.
Jim
The fighting will only get worse until we leave, so what you going to do? IMHO, the administration is praying that the Iraqis ask us to leave, so we can get out without appearing cowardly.
Just as a matter of information......
Typically, the IRR is populated with not only people who didn't want to re-enlist after their first enlistment ended, but with people discharged under the TDP (trainee discharge program - that being people who couldn't hack it in the military), dishonorably or generally discharged problem children, overweight people, drug dealers or addicts, etc.
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"If you don't stand up for something, you'll lie down for anything." -- B
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The correct number of years of initial enlistment obligation is 8 years.
Miffy
The fighting will likely continue even if we leave. It will just be Iraqis killing themselves for power. Of course if I have to choose I'd rather read about that than another American soldier dying.
Jim
I do think Bush did it based on what he thought was right and not an attempt for revenge or money. I just think so far he was wrong.
Kerry and Bush are of one mind when it comes to Iraq, so I'd find another reason to vote for Kerry, although I don't think that will be hard for you. ;)
Jim
I am no diehard supporter of Kerry, because he failed to support same sex marriage. Had he done so, he could have gone after the president and made his bigoted views look silly.
Bush has created more terrorists, not eliminated them, this country is more at risk now than before, because fo idiotic foreign policy, some of which has been in place for decades and is bipartisan... he's just made it worse.
True but they support the basic idea of Iraq's occupation.
"Bush has created more terrorists, not eliminated them"
I don't know if he made more but he certainly made Iraq an easy stage for them to concentrate their efforts at weakening the US.
"because fo idiotic foreign policy, some of which has been in place for decades and is bipartisan... "
Ok so if we were to ever go to lunch lets talk about foreign policy and leave the other issues aside. I think we agree here. :)
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