US runs short of combat soldiers

[dipsydoodle]

Source: BBC News

Three extra combat brigades requested by the US commander in Afghanistan will not be available before spring 2009, the US defence secretary has said.

The US does "not have the forces... at this point", Robert Gates told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Last week Gen David McKiernan, the head of the Nato-led force in Afghanistan, said he needed three more brigades on top of planned troop increases.
>
"Without changing deployment patterns, without changing length of tours, we do not have the forces to send three additional brigade combat teams to Afghanistan at this point," Mr Gates told the committee.

Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7632096.stm

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In other news : UK will not send substantial extra troops to Afghanistan http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/sep/19/afghanistan.usa

[kirby]

1. I heard Palin put them on Ebay! n/t

[But....]

2. ?

:rofl: :cry: :rofl:

[dipsydoodle]

4. Did she use

"Buy it now" or "Make an offer". .......lol.

[damntexdem]

21. But they didn't sell.

So McCain sold them out through a broker.

[Captain Hilts]

3. That's why they've been forcing sailors to go to Iraq. nt

[Speck Tater]

5. So Bush bankrupted our military too. No surprise. NT

[Yavin4]

6. Where Will McCain Get The Troops for his War in Iran?

Where?

[kirby]

7. When he calls for a draft as part of 'Country First'... n/t

[IndianaGreen]

8. Bristol Palin and her beau are old enough to go to war and fight

Old enough to fuck, old enough to fight!

[Politicalboi]

9. I smell a Draft

That word should be spoken more and more if we want the young ones to go out and vote.

[Fire1]

16. Nobody's going to send their sons to ..................

risk their lives for some bogus, pretentious BS. People have lost confidence in this government. You wanna see a mass exodus out of this country (remember, people still remember Vietnam), just bring back the draft!

[raccoon]

23. Where would they go? Countries that you'd want to move to, like Canada, are pretty

picky about who they take.

[DBoon]

24. I'd suggest Mexico

Many Americans now either have family or friends of family there, making it easier to establish yourself.

I'd imagine local law enforcement would ignore you if you are well behaved. Corrupt officials can of course be bought off as well

[Fire1]

25. Mexico? Never! Canada? Too close..............

I like the netherlands, personally.

[edwardian]

28. FYI

I have been here 15 years, in Amsterdam, the "city of tolerance". The disease of neo-liberalism and some aspecvts of social shock-doctrine have been applied here. The wondrous, liberating tolerance is mostly gone. Racism stains our political culture nowadays. Racists and xenophobes (Wilders and Verdonk)now have seats in De Tweede Kamer (The Second Chamber/Congress)and spew poo-poo over immigrants and Muslims.Poor Spinoza would surely cry. We are leaving, it is no longer a good place. Coupled with the highest taxes in Europe, saddled with a bureaucracy that is anti-democratic and thinks profligacy is an economic theory, and the recent change in climate patterns that has produced 12 days of summer in 4 months time and the continuing erosion of rights (such as the new extremely Draconian anti-smoking laws that damage choice and businesses and polarize the society)...well. This new militaristic foreign policy will result in a Dutch 9-11 event. I certainly DO NOT RECOMMEND the Netherlands. Further, if you are here illegally, they will arrest you and deport you. This place is also going down the tubes. I miss the old Holland that tried to live up to its values.

[Crowman1979]

34. I'm gonna stay here and fight it out!

Because if you move to another country, your gambling on a chance for asylum. Especially if A)the government becomes more neocon friendly or B)You have trouble learning the language.

[Thothmes]

31. So far, over the last four years

the only folks hawking draft were Democrats.

[bemildred]

10. There's a lot of people on Wall Street that just lost their jobs ...

Of course I know it would take a while to get them trained and conditioned up.

[TBF]

18. Perfect solution. The bankers want their bailout - we'll give them jobs. Buh-bye.

[tuckessee]

11. That's odd.

Because the War Pigs have a combat brigade they're turning loose on Americans next month.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

12. But we DO have the forces to bring back here for "homeland tour"??

Brigade homeland tours start Oct. 1

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2008/09/army_homeland_090708w/.

3rd Infantry’s 1st BCT trains for a new dwell-time mission. Helping ‘people at home’ may become a permanent part of the active Army
The 3rd Infantry Division’s 1st Brigade Combat Team has spent 35 of the last 60 months in Iraq patrolling in full battle rattle... Now they’re training for the same mission — with a twist — at home.

Beginning Oct. 1 for 12 months, the 1st BCT will be under the day-to-day control of U.S. Army North, the Army service component of Northern Command, as an on-call federal response force for natural or manmade emergencies and disasters, including terrorist

They may be called upon to help with civil unrest and crowd control or to deal with potentially horrific scenarios such as massive poisoning and chaos in response to a chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear or high-yield explosive, or CBRNE, attack.

The 1st BCT’s soldiers also will learn how to use “the first ever nonlethal package that the Army has fielded,” 1st BCT commander Col. Roger Cloutier said, referring to crowd and traffic control equipment and nonlethal weapons designed to subdue unruly or dangerous individuals without killing them.

“It’s a new modular package of nonlethal capabilities that they’re fielding. They’ve been using pieces of it in Iraq, but this is the first time that these modules were consolidated and this package fielded, and because of this mission we’re undertaking we were the first to get it.”

~~~~
sorry - this has been posted already many times but needs to be seen by all

[edwardian]

29. A nice, non-lethal package

for all Americans. I suggest insurrection if the US Army is used against its own people. This is the most worrisome domestic policy development that I have read of in the last 7.5 years. I pray for your nation, but I don't think "God" cares anymore...


edited for spelling.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

33. I want out of here but my passport expired 6 months ago

and now I have to start from scratch. Thinking of paying the $60 for expedited service - to feel trapped is the worst feeling... I hope "God" cares but if not, may "Good" prevail... thank you for your prayers

[Ganja Ninja]

13. I'm sure it's just a temporary shortage.

Once the election is over all the college Republicans will be lining up to volunteer for the war.:shrug:

[shadowknows69]

14. Shouldn't someone ask Bush why he's bringing a brigade home for domestic duties then?

[krkaufman]

15. The destruction of our country under Republican rule is almost overwhelming.

Here's hoping that we start a new direction in November.

[mmonk]

17. Why don't we call off wars until further notice.

[DustyJoe]

19. Need lots of numbers

In the 60's (8) support personnel was needed to support (1) field 'combat' soldier. Don't know what the ratio is now, but to place 1,000 combat soldiers on the ground you need 9,000 on the ground. No wonder the shortage.

[Thothmes]

32. We have always had a very significant tooth to tail ratio.

[damntexdem]

20. Runs short? They've long been short. Runs completely out, rather.

The Bushistas have successfully destroyed one thing -- the U.S. military.

[Bragi]

22. Good. Can't afford them anyway. /nt

[Zhade]

26. Not enough soldiers suckered to enforce your bullshit wars? Boo fucking hoo.

NT!

[AwakeAtLast]

27. When was the last enlistment report?

Anyone want to wager what the numbers were for the past few months? :shrug:

[Judi Lynn]

30. It's heartbreaking when the chickenhawk party bankrupts its supply of soldiers. n/t