War: Pentagon's blind eye to deserters

Not only has the Pentagon missed its recruiting goals for the first time in 6 years, it seems that thousands of U.S. troops are A.W.O.L. and aparently the Pentagon is not pursuing them in order to keep this issue off of the main news and retain morale.



I think many U.S. soldiers are questioning the basic humanity of their mission of occupation. They are the ones who have to look into the eyes of the Iraqi people. They are the ones who have to see the hatred the U.S. occupation is fuelling.

Also I believe with the advent of the Internet, email, and instant communications, soldiers are able to see and talk with an extremely large, diverse, and educated community. I think this also helps them open their eyes as to what they are being asked to do.

I have all the respect in the world for our service men and women. I support them completely. However I am not so sure how I feel about the deserters. I understand their position, but if I was in a foxhole and my buddy went home and never came back I would be a little upset.

It would be interesting to see the breakdown in numbers who in the army is deserting. Is it front line troops? Or rear support troops. I guess in this war though they are all on the front line.

May God bless them and their families


Related News Links:
www.cbsnews.com
news.pacificnews.org
usmilitary.about.com
www.ipsnews.net

Related AboveTopSecret.com Discussion Threads:
SAS soldier quits Army in disgust at 'illegal' American tactics in Iraq
Are U.S. Armed Forces Chickening Out?

[edit on 1-4-2006 by UM_Gazz]

[edit on 5-4-2006 by Riwka]

Lock'em up. They wanted the GI Bill, free dental and medical for simply lounging around a poge base in peace time is all. Now that they actually have to do what soldiers do, they want to go and hide.

They don't represent.

Not anywhere near Nam levels yet and on a downward trend. Hard to imagine desertion level reports are all lies with no miltary personel or recently disharged spilling the beans.

Al-Jazeera playing Tokyo Rose?

I am quite surprised it has taken this long for either the troops to desert, or the information to get out. Perhaps the soldiers are coming to terms with the hatred their occupation is stirring up in the Mid-East.

But deserting is not the answer, I don't believe. All it does is get them in trouble; and there are lines and lines of troops just waiting to come over and replace them.

Ahh, dropped after 9/11. As you'd expect, I suppose.

[edit on 1/4/2006 by watch_the_rocks]

I received a no vote on this news story because my source lacks credibility.

To the person who voted no. Please show your source for your claim.

So what your saying is that professional eastern journalists are not held to the exacting standards of credibility like the journalists in the west who cover celebrity murders, missing blondes, and other completely irrelevant subject matter 24 hours a day?

Your vote smacks of ignorance, and racism.

moldmakertech:

So what your saying is that professional eastern journalists are not held to the exacting standards of credibility like the journalists in the west who cover celebrity murders, missing blondes, and other completely irrelevant subject matter 24 hours a day?

Certainly "professional" and "credibility" are ambiguous, yet somewhat synonymous?

Would Tokyo Rose be considered "professional" and having "credibility"?
You see, Tokyo Rose was a propaganda mouthpiece, you know, much like AlJazeera has proven to be. The source issue is not necessarily with eastern or Arabic journalists, in general, as it is with the notion of propaganda type stories that continually filtrate from the main news outlet: AlJazeera. Back in the days, if AlJazeera had been around, they would have quickly been associated with 'yellow journalism'.

Not seeing any type ignorance or racism, as proclaimed.
Simply someone voting based on the past history of AlJazeera's, whether the english or Arabic version sites, articles and their near-speculative and assertive articles.





seekerof

original news source:
U.S. Military Desertion Rate Drops
At least 8,000 members of the U.S. military have deserted since the Iraq war began in 2003 – but the overall desertion rate has dropped sharply following the 9/11 attacks, Pentagon records show.
Since fall 2003, 4,387 Army soldiers, 3,454 Navy sailors and 82 Air Force personnel have deserted from the all-volunteer military.
Desertions in 2005 represented less than a quarter (.24) of one percent of the 1.4 million American forces. During the Vietnam era, 3.4 percent of Army personnel deserted.
Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

Not anywhere near Nam levels yet and on a downward trend. Hard to imagine desertion level reports are all lies with no miltary personel or recently disharged spilling the beans.

Al-Jazeera playing Tokyo Rose?

Your source came from newsmax.

A whois search shows
NewsMax Media Inc. PO Box 20989 West Palm Beach, FL 33416 US Domain Name: NEWSMAX-MEDIA.COM Administrative Contact: Ryan Hickman [email protected] NewsMax Media Inc. PO Box 20989 West Palm Beach, FL 33416 US Phone: 5616861165 Fax: 5616863350

This is the same person who is producing the grouchymedia website.

“I’m not one to get real sentimental,” Hickman said from his home in West Palm Beach, Fla., during a telephone interview. “You’re not going to find me doing that sort of thing. That’s why I call myself ‘Grouchy.’”
But that’s not to say Hickman’s videos are any less patriotic than Greenwood’s “I’m proud to be an American” anthem. They’re pretty much guaranteed to unleash a tsunami of adrenaline to go with your red-white-and-blue ardor.
On his Web site, Hickman describes his creations as “those pump-you-up-to-kill-the-bad-guys videos.”
“I know I’ve done a good job when a father e-mails me and says, ‘Your video rocks, but I can’t show my kids,’ ” Hickman said.

www.stripes.com...

His website glorifies violence for the sake of violence. I real blind kick everyones ass patriotict facist outlook.

Is it no wonder your source from newsmax, his other site shows underreported or biased levels of desertion.

I say your source lacks credibility.




[edit on 1-4-2006 by moldmakertech]

[edit on 1-4-2006 by moldmakertech]

[edit on 1-4-2006 by moldmakertech]

[edit on 1-4-2006 by moldmakertech]

Seekerof

Certainly "professional" and "credibility" are ambiguous, yet somewhat synonymous?

Would Tokyo Rose be considered "professional" and having "credibility"?
You see, Tokyo Rose was a propaganda mouthpiece, you know, much like AlJazeera has proven to be. The source issue is not necessarily with eastern or Arabic journalists, in general, as it is with the notion of propaganda type stories that continually filtrate from the main news outlet: AlJazeera. Back in the days, if AlJazeera had been around, they would have quickly been associated with 'yellow journalism'.

Not seeing any type ignorance or racism, as proclaimed.
Simply someone voting based on the past history of AlJazeera's, whether the english or Arabic version sites, articles and their near-speculative and assertive articles.

Fox news and Newsmax is all about propaganda. Is there any news sources that are not?

If we can compare Aljazeera to Tokyo Rose can we compare the bush administration and big oil to Nixon’s administration, or Robert McNamara, or the industrial military complex that sent thousands of young Americans do die in a foreign jungle for absolutely nothing?

I ask to show me how AlJazeera lacks credibility.

Is it no wonder your source from newsmax, his other site shows underreported or biased levels of desertion.

I say your source lacks credibility.

You surrender now!
You lose war already!
Everyone is deserting!
Yankee go home!

Newsmax is on the same level of Al-Jazeera propaganda, just wasn't to your liking. It's terrible when you get your own propaganda poo flung back at ya, isn't it


Here pick another source and start using news search tools:

From Muslim viewers

Al Jazeera has been criticized by many of its Muslim viewers for giving air time to Israeli officials. Some have suggested the media outlet is a source of disinformation and a front for Western intelligence agencies. They have mockingly taken to calling it "Al-Khinzeera," which means "The Pig.

In May 2003, the CIA, through the Iraqi National Congress, released documents purportedly showing that Al Jazeera had been infiltrated by Iraqi spies, and was regarded by Iraqi officials as part of their propaganda effort. As reported by the Sunday Times, the alleged spies were described by an Al Jazeera executive as having minor roles with no input on editorial decisions. Wiki

I voted yes btw, or I don't bother posting in the thread.







[edit on 1-4-2006 by Regenmacher]

It's common knowledge that Newsmax isn't really news, just a portal to post stories that support an agenda, but I'm not so sure people know about UPI.



Like the Washington Times (not to be confused with the Washington Post, a legitimate newspaper) UPI is under the grasp of a right-wing cult leader.

So are we going to discuss this topic or argue over sources? :shk:

Curme, they all say the basically the same thing. Desertion rates are on the decline. What do you plan on reading for miltary news since everything is tainted with some form of propaganda whether it be profit driven, racially driven, government driven, or special interest driven?

Despite war, fewer desertions -Honolulu Advertiser, HI
Here's one for Intrepid: Hundreds of U.S. conscripts flee to Canada

You want the war to end, then start writing your congressmen. Promoting desertion hurts the soldier and marks him as a fugative felon, it is a tool of the enemy, and they will hunt deserters for 40 years.

Decades later, Marines hunt Vietnam-era deserters -USAToday
Pentagon Cracks Down On Military Deserters -W*USA 9, DC

AWOL is never the only option , but it's the reactionary witless and cowardly option for those who reneg on their signed committment. Don't enlist or reup unless you made peace with your maker and are prepared to die for your country.

For the record: Al Jazeera has no interest in promoting a pro-US byline for Americans, so take it for what's it's worth as in Baghdad Bob strikes again.





[edit on 2-4-2006 by Regenmacher]

So, the only thing I have been able to learn from your last post, curme, is that unless it is communistic news source source it is an illegitimate news source, right?
I suppose that what you say is true if all your friends see Marxism as a plausible political course.
To deny the legitimacy of the news source does absolutely no good, and when such an extremely biased person endorces a news source such as the Washington
post, it does nothing but REMOVE its credibility.

Congratulations; I am now going to the Washington Times to see what it is that you do not want me to see!

I voted yes on this topic, but wow, the source of this article is very, very biased in their presentation of the story. It kind of reminds me of a dual track meet between the U.S. and Russia back in the 60's when the U.S. won just about every single event. The soviet press reporting on the event said very correctly that Russia had come in second, but that the U.S. had come in next to last.

the industrial military complex that sent thousands of young Americans do die in a foreign jungle for absolutely nothing?

UGH! the nerve of some people!

If whiney people hadnt applied pressure to congress for withdrawl from vietnam those lives would not have been in vain!!

Stop acting like you even care for the "poor troops" people who think this way over the last 60 years have more of their own countrymen's blood on their hands than they will ever know. Instead of supporting those troops, instead of helping them what did they do?

They spit on them and called them "baby killers" and beat them as soon as they returned, and the ONLY reason it wasnt them is because they are members of the elite who had parents that sent them to college so they didnt get drafted!!!


but instead of showing appreciation to these men who many of them died, they turn around and do horrible things to them, surpress the events of vietnam for more than a decade and demonize them!

Some of them *coughs* john kerry *coughs* hanoi jane *coughs* openly commited treason and bask in the freedoms of this country.

There was even an incident when jane fonda got 6 POW's beaten to death!

Oh trust me, these "humanitarians" have done their share to ensure the misery of those that dont make the decisions, but simply carry them out.

UGH!

Lock'em up. They wanted the GI Bill, free dental and medical for simply lounging around a poge base in peace time is all. Now that they actually have to do what soldiers do, they want to go and hide.

They don't represent.

Right on!

I am new to this community. It is a rough crowd. Everytime I post something it gets deleted, moved, or flamed. That’s cool. I'm learning what is expected. I have no problem with that. I tried to post a legitimate news story to contribute to the community. Since it was attacked I just stood up for myself.

I am not a con, lib, dem, or rep. I am an independent. I believe whatever makes common sense. I think they should build a 100-foot wall around the Middle East and fill it with water. Let the Muslims create their own new flood myths. Deserters? Well can’t the military execute them? Is this a nation of laws? Maybe they could hang em around the PX.

I would like the war to end. But the powers that be don’t. Why would they want the war to end? They are making hundreds of billions of dollars. When the war ends their profits end. If they wanted to end the war why did they allow the entire Iraqi army to meld back into society. Why did they only bring 150,000 troops? We brought 500,000 plus half the world to chase a rag tag army out of Kuwait. But only 150,000 to occupy the entire country of Iraq? They should have fire bombed 10 Iraqi cites to the ground, then brought in 2 million troops. They should have banned all weapons. If you’re an Iraqi and you carry a weapon you are shot. They should have banned all vehicles in Iraq. But they didn’t do any of this. They went in there light, they got chaos and civil war, and that’s what they WANTED.

Please dont think my arguments reflect my belief. If I am wrong I will admit it. But since I am new I won’t sit by and let my post be ripped apart with false illogical premises by the old timers.

Desertion in the army? Actually they are cowards. They signed a contract and reneged. But maybe the desertion rates indicate low morale among the troops, which could be the result of extremely poor leadership.

In war a small amount of people get rich, and a large number of people die.

God bless our troops.

Ok I see now why my source was not credible.

Im not a lib, con, rep, or dem. I served in the army as a cavalry scout. My best friend went to desert storm.




[edit on 2-4-2006 by moldmakertech]

Lock'em up. They wanted the GI Bill, free dental and medical for simply lounging around a poge base in peace time is all. Now that they actually have to do what soldiers do, they want to go and hide.

Or maybe they wanted to defend their country instead of making Bush and his buddies even richer than they already are?

You have to be stupid to sign up for the army in the 1st place, at least these guys realised their mistake.

Flyer you know better than that. Military testing before anyone is accepted nowdays absolutely insures that stupid people do not get in. Likewise physical standards preclude the sick, lame and lazy from getting in. The people in the military are selected pretty damn well and represent the best part of America--generally. There are still some deficiencies in psychological testing but even that is slowly improving.

[edit on 2-4-2006 by Astronomer68]

Astronomer, where in the world did you get your information from? Even the MSM is rife with stories about how the Army is accepting older people, out of shape people, ill, etc. The Army is NOT making its numbers, meaning they can't find enough qualified people to join (not surprising, considering the recent news about recruiters raping some of the young girls in their recruting visits to high schools). The Army is paying people to join, our friend who joined made $25,000 when he joined.

We don't even have enough soldiers in Iraq right now.

-Forestlady