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To: Scripts who wrote (22282)	1/16/2005 8:31:47 AM
From: sea_urchin	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 80915

Ed > I can't see a return of the draft because we all remember the mess the last time they fought an unpopular war with draftees. So maybe some air action but I think the days of US invasions are coming to an end for the foreseeable future. Your assessment may be correct but it is nevertheless at variance with the stated facts. chron.com >>...it appeared likely that the Army will ask Congress to permanently increase the statutory size of the Army by 30,000 soldiers, to 512,000. He said that decision would be made next year. The Army estimates that a permanent increase of 30,000 soldiers will cost it about $3 billion a year. The Pentagon is sending retired Army Gen. Gary E. Luck to Iraq next week to conduct an "open-ended review" of the military operations there, including troop levels, The New York Times reported on its Web site Thursday night. One reason that the National Guard and Reserve have been used so heavily during the past three years is that the active-duty Army is too small to meet the demands of war — particularly in Iraq, where troop levels have far exceeded original predictions — while also maintaining a presence in traditional areas of influence such as Europe and the Korean peninsula. The Army has about 660,000 troops on active duty, of which about 160,000 are members of the Guard and Reserve. The Army wants them to be eligible for an unlimited number of call-ups, so long as no single mobilization lasts more than 24 months, the official said.<<

To: Scripts who wrote (22282)	1/16/2005 8:54:47 AM
From: sea_urchin	Respond to of 80915

Ed > they are running short of soldiers and the real shortage starts this year This assessment indicates that the shortage may be far worse than official figures indicate. iraq2005.blogspot.com >>...total of 48,000 casualties.Using a rough guide of 1 soldier killed for every 8 wounded gives a figure of 6,000 killed. In my opinion the true casualty figures of Iraq is around 6,000 servicemen killed and 48,000 wounded. Totaling 54,000. If my figures are accurate then the pentagon is only reporting, making public 20% of the casualties.<< Which makes sense.

To: Scripts who wrote (22282)	1/16/2005 9:45:17 AM
From: philv	Respond to of 80915

From what I have read, the US has some 4 permanent airforce bases in Iraq, off-limits to Iraqis themselves. As long as this "insurgency" and Sunni/Shiite conflict simmers, the US dares not go anywhere. Not as long as GWB and gang are in control in my opinion. US/Israeli ties are as close as can be imagined, and Israel will do whatever it can (get away with) to make sure the US will not abandon the area. Who knows what "event" might "necessitate" continued US military occupation and presence there. But all that is of course mere speculation, because of the possibility that love will break instead. <g>