Largest # of Minnesota NG since WWII are being sent to "southwest Asia"

[lebkuchen]

tripling the number of MN guard units already there. What gives? And why can't we know to which country these 2,600 Minnesotaans are headed?

[izzie]

1. Does the states have any rights with the guards?

I am sure we will hear where they are going. Some one will tell. I bet it is so regular army can go to Iraq. They are moving these into the police style work. Me thinks the fighting part of the army is getting low. Seems to me they used to say the same with ships of the line. One ship or man and 9 to back them up. If we have about 800,000 in uniform and 135,000 in Iraq and another 20,000 in Afghan fighting you can see why the national guard is needed. I may be way off on my figures as it is just being pulled from what I think I have read. I may some time re- looking it up on this thing.

[lebkuchen]

2. local news says it can't be more specific than southwest asia

If they were going to Iraq, I think they would just say so. Why the mystery? Any thoughts?

Is this record-breaking guard deployment happening in any other state at this moment?

[Xithras]

5. SOP

Nothing new here. The military typically doesn't publish deployment information for soldiers until they're already deployed.

When you hear "xx National Guard are going to Iraq next month" on the TV news, it's typically because the military has issued generic deployment orders, and one of the soldiers (or their families) told the press where they're going.

BTW, we've been increasing troop strength in Afghanistan again too, so these guys could really be going to either place.

[lebkuchen]

6. The media said these 2600 MN Guard members were going for 18 months

to somewhere in SW Asia.

Not twelve months with a possibility of 14 or more, as the 1AD had been told. That division ended up gone for 18 months, and they were not happy about it, especially with the Pentagon promise that they would be back on a specific date, with many already having been sent back to Germany, only to return despite promises that those already returned wouldn't be turned around and sent back ASAP. That was a bald-faced lie I heard one of the generals tell the public w/Rummy standing next to him.

The 1AD leaves again in November for another tour. I haven't heard if they are being told 12 or 18 months.

I wonder if record numbers of other states' guard units are being sent enmasse to somewhere in SW Asia for 18 months.

[jsamuel]

3. SW Asia == near Iran

[bananas]

4. near or in ?

I just googled "southwest asia"
the first hits were maps centered on Iran.

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=southwest+asia

[wtmusic]

7. "SW Asia" = Middle East = Iraq

soooo transparent.

[lebkuchen]

9. Then why not say Iraq?

and why are a record number of MN guard members going for 18 months when the Bushies have said the insurgents are in their last throes and that we plan to withdraw troops?

[wtmusic]

10. simple: bad PR

NG troops are being told more and more they're going to SW Asia only to end up in Iraq.

It's the "back door draft" (and btw, * has contradicted other admin sources about the withdrawal of troops)

[lebkuchen]

11. SW Asia is supposed to soften the blow of an 18 month deployment

to hell?

I can see Bush using that tactic.

Here is the story, btw. I had been following it on TV.

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=105021

About 2,600 Minnesota National Guard troops will leave the state sometime in October for training and an eventual deployment to southwest Asia.

The mobilization of the 34th Infantry Division's First Brigade Combat Team will be Minnesota's largest overseas Guard deployment since World War II.

Adjutant General Larry Shellito said Tuesday the official notification came on Monday. The specific country where the soldiers will end up was not known, but they are being mobilized in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

[Javaman]

8. I know why....

See moron* went into Iraq because daddy, according to him*, didn't finish the job.

Well now, mr. chimpy monkey pants* feels he has a giant woodie and want to spend some more of that "capital" he "earned", cough...cough...bullshit...cough, by righting the many wrongs of this nation, so next on his ticket would be...iran? noooooo, n. korea? nooooooo, syria? nooooooo, but Vietnam!!!

Yes, folks, the moron* is out to restart the war he never attended because he had better republicans to help. Soooo, cmdr kuckoo bananas is out to rewrite history! remember you heard it hear first!!!

All kidding aside, I wouldn't put a damn thing past this fucking idoit*

colossal failure*

[lebkuchen]

12. bump (read the article in Post #11)

thanks