Kerry: Allawi's Take on Iraq Unrealistic

[Voter2002]

Sorry sleuth...didn't mean to turn this thread into a J.South bashing thread!

 

[Larry Gude]

I am stunned...

...stunned I say that any of you would quible with the good Senator!!!

"I think the prime minister is obviously contradicting his own statement

Is there anyone, anywhere who is more qualified in this area?

I dare say he is an expert.

 

[J.South]

As everyone else out here was so keen to spot, YOU do not know what the H-E-double toothpicks you are talking about - even if you are ex-military.

A reservist can be called up, even if they are part of the non-drilling inactive reserves. The key word here is RESERVES. Active reserves, inactive reserves...all available for recall. When you hear about veterans being called to active duty, that means the people who are no longer part of any reserves or are on the retired list. VERY RARE when it happens, but it does. The last time I recall veteran's being called back into service was back in the 80's when they took the battleships out of mothballs and made them active ships again. The Navy did a VOLUNTARY recall for gunner's mates so the old vets could teach the young sprouts how to maintain and fire the 16 inch guns.

If you are in the inactive reserve, yes...you do not drill, but you damn sure are available for recall!

Oh yeah...retired Navy speaking here, so I do know a little about this subject.

Regardless of what got mothballed, what divisions got contracted

It seems to me if the war was going well as Dubya says he wouldn't have gotten called up...

 

[Ken King]

Regardless of what got mothballed, what divisions got contracted

It seems to me if the war was going well as Dubya says he wouldn't have gotten called up...

Yeah, if we wanted to leave those units originally sent and have no rotation whatsoever then we wouldn't need the reserves. Or if we had adequate strength, like what was in place during the "Cold War" years we wouldn't need any reserves either. But that isn't the case and the reservists are now an integral part of the equation.

 

[vraiblonde]

Can I ask a question? Don't reservists still draw pay? Or no? Because it seems to me that, if they're still being paid, then it's completely reasonable to ask for some service in return.

Or is that not how it works anymore?

J. South, I still don't really understand what you're getting at. You said, "It seems to me if the war was going well as Dubya says he wouldn't have gotten called up..." How is the war supposed to go well if they don't bring in any troops? Should I be feeling like the war is going poorly because my son and thousands of other soldiers are over there?

Please explain because I'm really confused.

 

[Bruzilla]

Regardless of what got mothballed, what divisions got contracted

It seems to me if the war was going well as Dubya says he wouldn't have gotten called up...

Speaking as a veteran... the reason that so many reserves and guardsmen are getting called up is not so much because of force reduction as it is to the force realignment that Clinton did. He moved most of the non-combat critical groups in the Navy, Army, and Air Force over to reserves and guard units. That way taxpayers only had to pay to support them 48 days a year rather than 365. Great way to save megabucks while on paper having near the same number of forces, but it sucks if war breaks out because the reservists and guardsman have to go.

 

[sleuth]

Damn... gf's sister got the call today.