(UK)600 more reserves called up for Iraq

[maddezmom]

Richard Norton-Taylor
Friday June 24, 2005
The Guardian

A further 600 reservists are to be called up to support British military operations for Iraq, the government announced yesterday.
The call-up means that more than 10,000 part-time service personnel will have been deployed in Iraq since the invasion in March 2003.

Adam Ingram, the armed forces minister, said the soldiers would be replacing existing reservists on activities including medical support. Forces in Iraq have also had to rely on reserves for communications and intelligence specialists, and engineers.

Mr Ingram said deployment would begin in October and most of those called out could expect a 10-month period of mobilisation. He added in a written statement to MPs that not all of those called up would necessarily serve in Iraq and said the move was "routine management" of troops.

However, the Liberal Democrats said it was further evidence of strains in the armed forces. Michael Moore, their defence spokesman, said: "This further highlights the degree of overstretch in the British armed forces."

more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1513480,00.html

[UpInArms]

1. from yesterday: Britain to withdraw troops from Irap soon

http://www.abc.net.au/ra/news/stories/s1398522.htm

Britain's foreign secretary, Jack Straw, says the UK hopes to withdraw its troops from Iraq as soon as possible, but only when it is sure that Iraqi forces can cope with the security threat.

Mr Straw was speaking at a conference on Iraq being held in Brussels.

He also reiterated that Britain was "ashamed" of prisoner abuses carried out by US and British forces, but maintained his call for Iraqi human rights standards to improve.

...more...

Seems like they can't get their story lines straight :shrug:

[Barrett808]

2. Additional 600 British reserves called up for Iraq

LONDON, June 24 (KUNA) -- A further 600 reservists are to be called up to support British military operations in Iraq, the British Government said Friday.

The call-up means that more than 10,000 part-time service personnel will have been deployed in Iraq since the invasion in March 2003, the Ministry of Defence said.

Britain's Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram said in a written parliamentary statement that the soldiers would be replacing existing reservists in activities including medical support.

UK forces in Iraq have also had to rely on reserves for communications and intelligence specialists, and engineers.

(more)

http://www.kuna.net.kw/Home/Story.aspx?Language=en&DSNO=745710

[unhappycamper]

3. Bet that's gonna help Tony.

NOT!