The Meat of the Matter

News from People Who Know

This blog has seen its share of lively debate. One element of that debate has been to call into question the accuracy of my opinion since I'm not "over there" or actively involved in the Iraq Conflict. Well this tidbit of news, which I got via The Daily Kos, will be reposted here without comment: ________________________________ Fewer than two-thirds of the former soldiers being reactivated for duty in Iraq and elsewhere have reported on time, prompting the Army to threaten some with punishment for desertion. The former soldiers, part of what is known as the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR), are being recalled to fill shortages in skills needed for the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Of the 1,662 ready reservists ordered to report to Fort Jackson, S.C., by Sept. 22, only 1,038 had done so, the Army said Monday. About 500 of those who failed to report have requested exemptions on health or personal grounds. "The numbers did not look good," said Lt. Col. Burton Masters, a spokesman for the Army's Human Resources Command. "We are tightening the system, reaching the people and bringing them in." Masters said most of the requests for exemptions are likely to be denied: "To get an exemption, it has to be a very compelling case, such as a severe medical condition." The figures are the first on the IRR call-up. They reflect the challenges the Pentagon faces in trying to find enough troops for ongoing operations and show resistance among some servicemembers who returned to civilian life. ______________________________________________________ This, to me, does not show a vast upswelling of support for the War in Iraq by those who are intimately aware of what is going on there. The floor is now open for comments.