NY Daily: "All-volunteer Army in a death spiral, only Bush can stop it"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

America's military recruiters are working overtime, but the results these days are skimpy. In recent months, they have not come close to meeting their goals, with Army recruitment shortfalls exceeding 40%. Evidence of growing alarm is the decision by the Pentagon on Wednesday to postpone publishing the May recruiting results until 10 days past the customary release date, the first day of the next month.

This death spiral of the all-volunteer Army - a phrase I coined recently - is a trend that now seems irreversible, unless decisive action is taken.

If there's a limit to how long exhausted forces may be deployed in remote corners of the globe, we're close to the edge. Within the next year many Army troops and Marines will face their third involuntary deployment overseas. And the rotation base keeps shrinking, with fewer enlistments.

The delay in releasing last month's results could mean officials need more time to manage the message that the news isn't as bad as it appears. But it might also signal presidential determination to put the all-volunteer force back on track, buying enough time for the White House staff to prepare the President to take his case public. Presidential intervention may be the only thing that can save the all-volunteer Army.

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/index.php?id=2894

[LoZoccolo]

1. I think this is an unfair criticism of Bush*, though.

I don't think anyone could see this coming.

_{NOTE: This post is sarcastic.}

[Al-CIAda]

3. The man/monkey takes a finely crafted sword and beats it on

a rock, leaves it out in the rain, and uses it to open kegs -but it isn't his fault?

No one saw this coming? Advisors have been warning about this for the past year plus.

[gratuitous]

5. Check the fine print

Although you just know you're going to hear some Republican mouthpiece make that argument for real.

[doublethink]

11. I still like AlCIAda's answer though .....

and if I may use it in response to the Republican mouthpiece someday I would be honored. :toast:

[LoZoccolo]

12. I do like the sword analogy as well!

:thumbsup:

[kenny blankenship]

14. Really it's all Clinton's fault

for wasting the Army on nonsense missions like Haiti and Bosnia. If only Clinton hadn't squandered the troop strength and material and hadn't made military service less attractive by his insistence on these ignoble missions which degraded the prestige of the military, we'd be having no problems recruiting enough replacements into the Army. Then if he'd taken care of OBL we'd never have had to invade Iraq in the first place and recruiting shortfalls would never have mattered if for some reason they occurred.

You'll hear it soon.

[rocktivity]

2. Looking as presidential as ever, I see

...Presidential intervention may be the only thing that can save the all-volunteer Army.

...military service isn't "cool" by today's standards, and parents seem to go along with this assessment. The nation's political leadership - starting with the President and including members of Congress - must make it cool again.

Military service was cool back then because recruits and their parents knew that the commander-in-chief wasn't a power-mad self-serving greedy AWOL despot who would use the military as hired muscle in his quest to rule the world. And there's nothing the Bush empire can do to make the occupation of Iraq cool because recruits and their parents know that it ISN'T cool to be sent to Iraq as hired muscle in Bush's power-mad self-serving greedy despotic quest to rule the world! The only solution is to force them into it via a draft.

:eyes:
rocknation

[AndyTiedye]

4. That Was The Plan All Along so They Will "Have To" Start up the DRAFT

They can't shift the Crusade into high gear (Iran and Syria) until they
get the DRAFT!
Once they have it, they can just keep raising the call-up.
Eventually, they will draft everyone except Republican legislators
and corporate management.

[maxsolomon]

6. i, for one, salute our non-volunteering

the public knows when it is pointless for their children to die.

"defending our freedom" is full bull, and apparently, teenagers know it. good for them. push the military into crisis.

[Contrary1]

7. I disagree with this article.

"...Presidential intervention may be the only thing that can save the all-volunteer Army."

I don't believe there is anything that can be done now to save it.

Thanks, Shrub.

[doublethink]

10. What has THIS PRESIDENT ........

ever been successful at? His path even before he stole the Presidency is strewn with failure. To expect him to 'intervene' and save the day is pure fantasy. You are correct, Peace. :)

[Jacobin]

15. Yeah, that struck me, too

WTF do they think MonkeyNuts is going to do? "Intervene"? WTF does that mean. They think he's Superman or something.

Bizarre article.

[cobaindrain]

8. They can either abandon this crusade, or start a draft

yes, the draft is coming, and we need to stop denying it. All the warning signs are out there, from the draft boards being set up to the shrinking enlistments. Bush will institute a draft before he admits failure in Iraq, and everybody here knows it.

[Larkspur]

16. They don't want to start a Draft because they know that it will start

an populist revolt against them. They are more likely to ask for more billions to buy mercenaries from Uganda and Latin America to make up the shortfall of enlistments.

[RaleighNCDUer]

9. When did the all-volunteer army switch its motto from

Be All That You Can Be

to the nonsensical, meaningless

An Army Of One

Am I the only person that doesn't understand what they mean by An Army Of One?

Say I was a 17 year old kid, about to graduate. Would I be more enticed by "Be All That You Can Be" with its call to self improvement and success, or by "An Army Of One", meaning that when the shit goes down I'll be out there on my own?

If they have recruiting problems, just go back to the old slogan. That will do the trick.

[rocktivity]

18. As someone who knows the orignator of "Be All You Can Be"

because I worked at the ad agency who did the advertisting for the Army at the time, I take a bow!


rocknation

[Doctor_J]

13. Waiting on decisive action from *

is like waiting for a snowstorm in Baghdad.

[Larkspur]

17. The Prez who told us our patriotic duty after 9/11/01 was to shop will

never do this:
Our leaders must make the case that this is a cause worth fighting - and dying - for. This calls for a cultural shift - amending the bylaws of Club America.

If Iraq is a cause worth dying for, then Bush would willingly sacrifice his children to the Army. FDR's kids joined the military in WWII, so why doesn't Bush push his kids into the military? Also all those who voted for IWR, Dems and Repukes, should sacrifice their kids to the military too, but they won't because Iraq is a war built on lies and greed, not noble purpose.

[seabeyond]

19. hear me loud, this mama has told boys NO

to any kind of military career ever. the could be police fireman ndian chief, but i didnt give birth and work ass off raising them to be killed in bush war.

any recruiters listening