On Capitol Hill, Military Warns of Being under Strain

[Tsu]

Continued fighting in Iraq is straining U.S. forces nearly to the breaking point, even as the Pentagon pumps more than $5.8 billion per month into sustaining its forces there, the chiefs of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines told Congress on Wednesday.

In testimony to the House Armed Services Committee, the service chiefs said the military would need considerably more money for Iraq over the next year. The chiefs of the Army and Marines in particular stressed the increasing difficulty of recruiting and retaining soldiers, and then equipping them for combat.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/iraq/la-fg-troops18nov18,0,6045845,print.story


Getting ready for the draft?

 

[wasteofo2]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/iraq/la-fg-troops18nov18,0,6045845,print.story


Getting ready for the draft?

B b b b...
But Mr. Bush said he wouldn't re-institute a draft! He promised!

Just like LBJ...

 

[Smurf]

What? HE LIED AGAIN!?? HE SAID HE WOULDNT DO IT ANYMORE... wait.. did he?
oh, it was just CNN. Oh. Ok.

 

[russ_watters]

Getting ready for the draft?

No, but I keep hearing democrats saying they want one and we need one. Who'da thought democrats would want a draft? Go figure.

 

[Gokul43201]

Russ, the "democrats wanting the draft" myth has been debunked here .

 

[BobG]

Continued fighting in Iraq is straining U.S. forces nearly to the breaking point, even as the Pentagon pumps more than $5.8 billion per month into sustaining its forces there, the chiefs of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines told Congress on Wednesday.

In testimony to the House Armed Services Committee, the service chiefs said the military would need considerably more money for Iraq over the next year. The chiefs of the Army and Marines in particular stressed the increasing difficulty of recruiting and retaining soldiers, and then equipping them for combat.

"They're guessing."

The Bush administration hasn't listened to the military so far and they don't listen to the CIA. What makes you think this testimony means anything?

 

[600burger]

<---- Moving to New Zealand anyways...

 

[russ_watters]

Russ, the "democrats wanting the draft" myth has been debunked here .

Could you be more specific? In that thread, it is quite clearly established that the draft issue was, in fact, a Democratic ploy. From Plover's post #13:

-Yes, a draft bill was introduced by Democrats in Jan 2003 (the House sponsor was Charles Rangel, D-NY)
-Yes, rumors started to fly about the capital a few months ago that Bush would institute a draft, and it's pretty clear they were started by the Dems.

Perhaps you're referring to the Republicans turning the issue around on the Democrats - bringing the issue to a vote so it could be defeated. Clever, indeed.

And thank you for reminding me of Ivan's post, which I said I'd remember but forgot about:

The democrats could never get a draft so your point is moot. It will require Republican support; which it will get after the election.

Well, its after the election and the Republican party is still not pushing for a draft, I still don't support the draft, and Democrats are still trying to keep the issue up.

 

[franznietzsche]

Russ, the "democrats wanting the draft" myth has been debunked here .

I don't know what you're talking about, that thread clearly shows that the democrats were the only ones bringing up a draft to scare people (or rather it was clearly stated not clearlyshown).

And Tsu, unlike you and Ivan some of us, while not desiring a draft, wouldn't flee to Canada to get away from it. If a draft comes, then I'll go to serve my country. Its called duty, and I'll serve mine honorably if i have to. More than can be said for you.

 

[Tsu]

Well, franz, both Ivan and I have been fortunate enough to have had our 'service' years land in between war-mongers Nixon and Bush. Therefore, neither of us have to worry about the draft for ourselves. We are however, worried for our friends and family. Until you have lost close friends or family in an unjust and illegal war, you won't know what the hell you're talking about. But you just go ahead and sign up and go do your 'duty'. What are you doing sitting in school now for? GO FIGHT FOR YOUR COUNTRY! I'd like to see that. You will quickly learn just what honor really is. That would be good for you because you have displayed absolutely none of it on any of these boards that I have seen.

 

[franznietzsche]

Well, franz, both Ivan and I have been fortunate enough to have had our 'service' years land in between war-mongers Nixon and Bush. Therefore, neither of us have to worry about the draft for ourselves. We are however, worried for our friends and family. Until you have lost close friends or family in an unjust and illegal war, you won't know what the hell you're talking about. But you just go ahead and sign up and go do your 'duty'. What are you doing sitting in school now for? GO FIGHT FOR YOUR COUNTRY! I'd like to see that. You will quickly learn just what honor really is. That would be good for you because you have displayed absolutely none of it on any of these boards that I have seen.

The people in the military now are there by choice. They knew what they signed on for. They knew (or should have known) that it was potentially dangerous. It was brave decision on their part, and i respect them for that. I have made a personal habit of thanking every veteran i have personally met, because i do owe them a debt of gratitude.

You're right, I'm not currently enlisted, nor do i have plans to voluntarily enlist. That is a choice. But IF i am needed sufficiently that I am drafted, I will go, without hesitation or equivocation.

As for Nixon being a war-monger, our involvement in the war ended under him, awar he inherited from johnson i recall. Nixon definitely had other failings, but war-mongering i do not recall as being one of them.

 

[kat]

Well, franz, both Ivan and I have been fortunate enough to have had our 'service' years land in between war-mongers Nixon and Bush. Therefore, neither of us have to worry about the draft for ourselves. We are however, worried for our friends and family. Until you have lost close friends or family in an unjust and illegal war, you won't know what the hell you're talking about. But you just go ahead and sign up and go do your 'duty'. What are you doing sitting in school now for? GO FIGHT FOR YOUR COUNTRY! I'd like to see that. You will quickly learn just what honor really is. That would be good for you because you have displayed absolutely none of it on any of these boards that I have seen.

Just about every post of yours I've read lately sounds like a ranting, mouth foaming diatribe that usually ends in some sort either subtle or outright personal attack...maybe you're suffering from P.E.S.T.? I'm concerned for you...seek some help..please...it's just never too late.

 

[GENIERE]

...it's just never too late...

Month after month, I've been waiting for you to be wrong. Finally!

 

[franznietzsche]

Month after month, I've been waiting for you to be wrong. Finally!

It had to happen eventually.

 

[tumor]

Mission Accomplished.. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha!

 

[Gokul43201]

Could you be more specific? In that thread, it is quite clearly established that the draft issue was, in fact, a Democratic ploy. From Plover's post #13: Perhaps you're referring to the Republicans turning the issue around on the Democrats - bringing the issue to a vote so it could be defeated. Clever, indeed.

And thank you for reminding me of Ivan's post, which I said I'd remember but forgot about: Well, its after the election and the Republican party is still not pushing for a draft, I still don't support the draft, and Democrats are still trying to keep the issue up.

Russ, you claimed that it's democrats that "want a draft" (and you say this in the present continuous). The linked thread shows that the last time the dems showed interest in the draft was about 2 years ago...and the reasons for that are understood. That the dems may want it to look like a draft is inevitable (irrespective of whether that's the truth or not) is hugely different from them wanting a draft.

No, but I keep hearing democrats saying they want one and we need one. Who'da thought democrats would want a draft?

 

[russ_watters]

The difference between 'we need,' 'we want,' and 'we should have' is spin and you can have it however you want it. My point was simply that this is a Democrat issue.

 

[kat]

The linked thread shows that the last time the dems showed interest in the draft was about 2 years ago...and the reasons for that are understood. That the dems may want it to look like a draft is inevitable (irrespective of whether that's the truth or not) is hugely different from them wanting a draft.

As I remember it, and I may bother to search out the bill and it's history...I looked at the .gov site at both bills several times over the last year and I remember, expecting it to be just sitting in committee, how surprised I was to find that the most recent Democratic signatory had recently signed on. I believe it was either very late spring or summer. It really struck me as odd that the Dems were continueing to sign on to a bill that presumably had been created as a protest.