Stop loss set for Army units preparing to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.estripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=18775

For the second time this year, the Army is imposing a stop-loss/stop-movement order on all active-duty units preparing to deploy into Iraq and Afghanistan — this time, to serve in the second major rotations of operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, service officials said Monday.

The unit stop loss affects the active units that Pentagon officials said Nov. 7 have been alerted for deployment to OEF 2 and OIF 2.

In Europe, those include the 2nd and 3rd brigades of the Würzburg, Germany-based 1st Infantry Division (the 2nd Brigade is headquartered in Schweinfurt, while the 3rd Brigade is headquartered at Rose Barracks, Vilseck), and elements of the 1st ID’s 4th Brigade, headquartered in Katterbach. All of those units are bound for Iraq.

In Afghanistan, the 10th Mountain Division is to be replaced by the U.S.-based 25th Infantry Division with some Marines from the 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment from the 2nd Marine Division.

Stop-loss restrictions prevent servicemembers from retiring or leaving the service at their scheduled time, while stop movements prevent permanent changes of station (PCS) moves.

[AndyTiedye]

1. "For the Duration" of this Perpetual War

My condolences to those who are being sent over there.
Most of them joined when our government was still led by honorable men.
They didn't sign up for a Crusade, or to be Halliburton's mercenaries.

[Agathias]

2. Nonsense.

Since they couldn't sign up for anti-aircraft missile batteries to guard the World Trade Center before 9/11, where and what else would they be doing?

And regarding the Stop Loss - my understanding was that it's been generally in effect since shortly after 9/11, and that is enforced on an individual basis as needed - individuals in critical fields or specialties are in for the long haul. Those who are easily substituted for are allowed to leave at the completion of their contract / after rotation.

[grasswire]

4. are you implying...

...that 9-11 is related to the occupation of Iraq?

[leftchick]

7. you are talking apples and oranges....

9/11 and Iraq's only relationship is the false one put forward by chimpass* and perpetuated in his abtract "war on Terra". Now what ever happened to those 9/11 hearings and the release of the PDBs to find out just what happened. OOps....chimpass* would rather we did not know.....

[Patriot_Spear]

9. Iraq and 911? Not according to Rummy, Rice and Dumya...

Homeland Security means guarding the Homeland; not chasing sand-rabbits in Iraq.

Bush http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/afp/20030917/pl_afp/us_iraq_whouse&cid=1521&ncid=1473

WASHINGTON - President Bush (news - web sites) said Wednesday there was no evidence that Saddam Hussein (news - web sites) was involved in the terrorist attacks of Sept.

Rumsfeld http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20030916/ap_on_re_mi_ea/rumsfeld_iraq&cid=540&ncid=1480

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said Tuesday he had no reason to believe that Iraq 's Saddam Hussein had a hand in the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the United States.

Rice http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/20030917/pl_nm/iraq_usa_rice_dc&cid=615&ncid=1480

WASHINGTON - U.S. national security adviser Condoleezza Rice said on Tuesday the Bush administration had never accused Saddam Hussein of directing the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States.

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. You would think that these guys would believe

Everything their president tells them, be patriotic, and "stay the course" without having these strict rules imposed on them!

[teryang]

5. stop loss is anything but equitable

...it changes the enlistment contract to a status of involuntary servitude. Those who have already completed their assignments and tours of active duty are kept against their will. It is arbitrary and unfair, particularly in the case of elective war.

It's real purpose in the case of the Iraq war is to keep the political costs of the war low by shifting the burden inequitably to those who have already completed their service obligation. Thus the illusion of a war that is conducted as if we aren't at war is maintained for consumers who won't have their lives disturbed because some poor soldier is being kept on beyond his obligation to serve in a war zone. It is a short term fix to a longer term problem for the fraud regime.

[Voltaire99]

6. Excellent comment. (n/t)

[soup]

8. Well said, teryang.

stop loss = stopgap measure - as a prelude to the draft? What other alternative is there for waging this endless war?