The Current State of the Military

Current activity in Iraq seems destined to disrupt U.S. military readiness within a year, if remedial action is not taken with the return of the Congress. One-third of the 950,000 force has or will be going to Iraq a second tour of duty within the new year. National Guard and Reservists are slightly more likely for such a second tour. U.S. Policy, if left unaltered, will greet all of this Personnel with a third tour the year after.

The United States continues to spend military appropiations never seen in the World Wars, Vietnam, or ever before. All the Funds, though, go to expensive Weapons development whose Weapons are not for domestic pacification, Counterterrorism, or countering guerilla movements. Military supply of basic Troop field equipment to Iraq is abysmal. The Military are sending Troops off to their second tour in Iraq not fully equiped for the hazards involved, or for proper hazard reaction.

Rumsfeld states the problem remains inability of American industry to provide the equipment in a speedy and timely fashion. Bullcrap! The GAO states the Defense Dept. will not coordinate proper Supply acquirement and deployment with proper management controls. Real truth states military funds are going to high-tech companies for unusable Weapon systems, simply because these Companies supported the Bush political aspirations from the start. The Defense Dept. simply does not provide sufficient funding for the basic necessities needed by the troops in Iraq.

A Rand Corporation study for the Military suggested the National Guard should take over much of the Counterterrorism activity domestically. They suggest more National Guard and Reservists be pulled away for 'full-time' duty in performance of these duties. This Personnel are Week-end Warriors, who chose this form of duty, rather than the regular military, to avoid horrid interruptions in their family and work life. The current Administration treats them like they were regular, main-force troop complements.

The American people do not need a new 'Star Wars' weapon system for their protection, they need five more activated regular motorized Infantry divisions. These divisions, along with the other active Divisions, need to be fully-equipped. We need to do this, before We have to start asking for a fourth, or fifth tour in Iraq out of Our Regular and Week-end Warriors. lgl