Soldiers can be used indefinitely under Bush power grab enacted after 9-11

[bigtree]

GIs can be tapped again and again under Bush order

By Marie Szaniszlo
Friday, September 8, 2006 - Updated: 12:09 AM EST

Critics call it “backdoor draft.” But war is war, according to the Bush administration, and when duty calls, a soldier must answer, if need be, again and again.

An executive order President Bush signed three days after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks authorized the military to mobilize soldiers who’ve returned to civilian life, and set no limit on the number of tours of duty they could be required to serve.

The “stop-loss’‘ policy also authorized officials to extend soldiers’ enlistment beyond their expected time of service during war or national emergencies.

“There’s no policy against deploying more than once,” said Lt. Col. Bryan Hilferty, an Army spokesman. “We want to give members of the active Army at least two years back at home and members of the reserves as least five years before they’re redeployed. But it depends on your unit, speciality and rank.”

http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=156457

[Kagemusha]

1. This is a criminally details-lite article.

What is a soldier's obligation? The "back-door draft" we keep hearing about is bringing soldiers back to serve until the end of an 8-year contract, though releases to civilian life occur after what, 4 is it? But the obligation on paper is for 8 years, and you're simply relieved of the rest after 4 if you so desire, but can be recalled.

If we're talking about recalling soldiers AFTER the 8 years, AFTER they've fully exited the military (not, say, being called back a week before year 9 begins, which has happened, and which has been the subject of, I believe, failed lawsuits), then that's a different level of it.

But what someone's "obligation" is matters and this article refuses to get into the matter.