Experts warn Army may face decline in quality

[sabra]

http://www.sierratimes.com/rss/newswire.php?article=/news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/usatoday/expertswarnarmymayfacedeclineinquality&time=1124708651&feed=us

Experts warn Army may face decline in quality - Yahoo! News

If the Army maintains the size of its force in Iraq over the next several years, it could risk a decline in the quality of the force and other severe problems, a Republican senator, defense analysts and retired military officers say.

On Saturday, the service's top general said that the Army has contingency plans for maintaining troop levels of 100,000 soldiers in Iraq over the next four years. Gen. Peter Schoomaker, the Army chief of staff, said the plan is a worst-case scenario if the United States is unable to reduce its force in the face of a stubborn insurgency.

....

On Fox News Sunday, Sen. Lindsey Graham (news, bio, voting record), a South Carolina Republican, counseled people to be patient. "The worst-case scenario is not staying four years; the worst-case scenario is leaving a dysfunctional, repressive government behind that becomes part of the problem in the war on terror and not the solution."

....

Some fear a decline in the quality of the force. Retired major general Bob Scales, former commandant of the Army War College, says without a reduction in U.S. ground forces in Iraq, soldiers are facing "third and fourth" tours of duty in Iraq. "You'll see the quality of the Army atrophy," Scales said.

[indepat]

1. No effing shit

[wtmusic]

2. If you're an "expert" who saw this coming, raise your hand

"Expert". WTF?

[Zenlitened]

6. *raises hand*

Isn't amazing? Just about everything we warned against has come to pass. Everything.

And they called us "Saddam-lovers." To this very day, they're calling us "unpatriotic."

When in fact, we -- the liberals, the progressives -- WE are the ones who know what's best for America. We are the ones who have America's best interests at heart. We are the ones fighting to save our nation from the radicals in the right wing, who are dismantling our country brick-by-brick.

Seriously, there is an enemy within our borders, within the very halls of our government, and we need to use every means available to stop them.

:grr:

[Divernan]

7. Radicals dismantling USA buck by buck, not brick by brick.

nt

[PATRICK]

9. Hey, can you get paid for this?

or only for telling Shrub what he wants to hear and then trying to restore credibility by feigning surprise at the obvious?

Sometimes it takes an expert. Usually a logiocal brain will suffice nicely.

[KamaAina]

15. Oh oh oh! Oh oh oh oh ooooooooooohhh!

</horshack>

[acmejack]

3. And it takes an "Expert" to know this?

Unpopular war, high casualties, stop loss, poor recruiting numbers despite increased incentivization, poor retention of junior officer and enlisted personnel along with lowered recruit acceptance standards. Why should these data fortell an impending qualitative decline?

[HereSince1628]

4. Hmmm, like older soldiers haven't already reduced the physical

and psychological quality of the force.

I don't think there is much need to support the reality that older soldiers aren't as atheletic as younger soldiers.

What really has gone under the radar is that unlike younger soldiers, older soldiers realize the risks of war, to themselves, their families, and to their opposition. The current reserve/NG units appear to be suffering psychological injuries at rates that significantly erode their quality.

We are going to pay for their misuse for decades.

[VegasWolf]

5. Hey, I'm an "Expert" !!! Where the hell is my money?? nt

[AndyTiedye]

8. It Sure Is Getting DRAFTY Around Here!

[jokerman93]

10. Calling Doctor Howard, Doctor Fine, Doctor Rumsfeld...

So much for Grampa Rummy's lighter, faster, high tech lightning-strike forces. This would be hilarious if it wasn't so devastating to so many human lives, and to the integrity of our nation.

Yeah, I'd love to see the old bastard get his smug, blood-sucking face rubbed in this, publicly.

By the way, has anyone seen our Sec. of Defense lately? Has he got any new revolutionary ideas for our imperial shock troops?

:sarcasm:

[Orsino]

11. Yeah. Fritter away your troops' lives, patience and availabilty...

...for actually defending the nation, and you will, indeed, be left with a shadow force not capable of the missions you might really need accomplished.

[Cult]

12. I said this years ago, was I labelled an 'Expert'?

Naw! Traitor, they said! Bah.

[tives12]

13. as a student entering my junior year in high school...

i am becoming more and more weary about the possibility of a draft. hopefully i'll be alright if i file as a CO. if not, i may have to become paranoid enough for them to refuse me. i'd rather serve several years in prison than serve 2 days in iraq.

[TankLV]

16. How do you look in a dress? I hear the army doesn't like pink very much!

[tives12]

19. monty python

I'll get some of my friends together and we can film a copy of that Monty Python sketch where the soldiers are all in pink tutus. They'd love that.

[Pretty_in_CodePink]

17. Better get your photos at some peace demonstrations

To start documenting your opposition to war. Don't know if it will work. My friend tells me I should be photographing my 6 year old at our peace vigils so I can start her CO file. Perhaps it would help for you too. Best of luck!!

[tives12]

18. I have some.

Would letters from organizations that I'm a part of work as well? I could get letters from the administration at my school because I do some counter-recruitment events. That would have to count for something. Right?

[Pretty_in_CodePink]

20. I think you should collect as much documentation as possible.

And I think it would be easier and more credible if you kept an ongoing file/journal than if you had to reconstruct in the future.

[tives12]

22. Thank you

Thank you very much. I'll definitely begin to assemble one in the very near future.

[TankLV]

14. What do they mean "may"? Guess they haven't been to any of the prisons

or "detainment centers" lately.

OR haven't seen any good pics, either.

"just a few bad apples" my aunt fanny - and I don't have an aunt fanny.

[Javaman]

21. This is what happens when you have a long shelf life...

aka many tours.