Reserve and National Guard forces comprise 39 percent of U.S. forces in Iraq...number will grow

Ok folks, this is getting very worrysome.

ap.tbo.com...

What happens if there is a major natural disaster or domestic terrorist attack? Where will states and municipalities get the people to provide support and keep order?

Regardless of whether you are for the war or not, can you really say that we are doing this right?

[edit on 23-7-2004 by loam]

The only alternative is a draft, at this point. We simply don't have the manpower to do what we're trying to do.

Army National Guard Recruiting Falling Short

news.yahoo.com.../nm/20040726/ts_nm/iraq_usa_guard_dc_3

Some governors have complained that with National Guard troops used in such large numbers overseas, they are facing manpower shortages in their own states for such tasks as fighting wildfires and preparing for natural disasters.

Sounds like trouble to me.....How could we have spread our resources so thinly? Where are our military strategists? Unbelievable....

Just thank the weasle for doing that. The national guard is to defend our nation, the coast guard is to defend our coast.

Originally posted by RockerDom
The only alternative is a draft, at this point. We simply don't have the manpower to do what we're trying to do.

I got a better idea, lets pull our...
50,000 troops out of Germany,
43,000 out of Japan,
6,800 out of Panama,
14,000 out of Bosnia,
12,000 out of Italy,
12,000 out of the U.K.,
35,000 out of Korea,
and 5,000 out of Saudi Arabia,
I could go on, but don't forget
Iraq as well!

Having been on active duty during Desert Shield/Storm, and my ensuing years as a member of the National Guard, I might be able to refresh your memories on this matter.

Look back to the end of the Cold War, after the fall of the Berlin wall and the subsequent demise of the USSR, the military was a major target in budget reductions. To work this out and to show the public that they (Congress, and administrations, both Rep & Dem), accomplished this without seriously damaging our fighting force, our government actually shifted significant responsibilities of our national defense to the Nat'l Guard & reserve forces. Most notably were combat service & support units(ie, maintenance, transportation), military police, and medical units. This accomplished both reducing the cost of defense and ensuring the ability to respond to threats.

For those who are or were in the military during this restructure, you understand my points, the government used the fact that headlines in the newspapers or on TV said "Military Cutback", and "Base Closings", would appease those who at the time thought the Defense budget was too costly.
They heard what they wanted to hear and at the time it was good, but the results of these reductions are what the military has to deal with now and times have changed so in reaction to these changes another chapter in what we need military-wise has been opened up. I am sure it will be discussed and debated and eventually turn out to be what is needed at this time, but it shows how decisions made now will impact the future and IMO our nations defenders deserve every dime it takes to make sure your son or daughter can sleep in peace tonight. We cannot play politics with our security.

I think that if our National Guard members are so thinly stretched out that the local response teams to any natural disasters, etc will be your local EMS system.

The EMS system I work for has planned for almost ANY event you can imagine (with the exception of a mass UFO landing - LOL). And the itemized responses do not include any form of military assistance.

It ought to be interesting to see what unfolds...

Originally posted by loam
Army National Guard Recruiting Falling Short

news.yahoo.com.../nm/20040726/ts_nm/iraq_usa_guard_dc_3

Unbelievable....

Let me quote Badnarik on this one; "Imagine, people aren't willing to die in foreign countries like they use to."