Hey Joe:
This past week the Marine Corps announced the recall of up to 2,500 members of the Individual Ready Reserve. These are men and women who have already served their active duty and most have served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. The reason given by the Marine Corps is that they have not been able to meet recruiting goals. Of course they are not able to meet recruiting goals; not that many people willing to get themselves killed or maimed in Iraq for a questionable cause.
Calling up those who have already served is a back door draft and the most unfair draft of all because these people have already served and there are millions of young Americans who have not served a single day.
The President keeps insisting that if we don't fight the bad guys in Iraq they will come get us here. If he truly believes this then why hasn't he used what's left of his political capital and moral authority to issue a call for volunteers to serve in the military. His only request of the American people, so far, in the global war on terrorism is to keep on shopping and traveling and to pay lower taxes.
He is probably afraid of the backlash he would get from his rich friends if he suggested that some of their sons and daughters might join in the fight against terrorism.
Vice President Cheney had "other priorities" during the Vietnam war so he chose not to serve. The President went way to the head of the line to get a flying slot in the Texas Air National Guard and was assigned to a unit that had zero chance of going to Vietnam -- then he arranged an early out. Perhaps he believes that only suckers will take a chance on getting killed or wounded in combat.
Many years ago Lyndon Johnson used the same argument that "if we don't fight them there we will have to fight them here" as one of the reasons for the Vietnam War. I am a veteran of that war and I am getting pretty damn old; I am still waiting for the Viet Cong to land in California.
Back to my original point: I think the recall of these prior service Marines is despicable.
Thanks,
Jack
Lt. Col. USMC (ret.)
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Jack:
As you may or may not know, my day job is senior editor of the nation's largest military history magazine. In the eight years I have performed this job, I have talked to many, many ex-CIA analysts and former officers who contribute to the magazine. Of course when one is still serving, he or she seldom comments on such things to a magazine editor. But nearly every retired officer and analyst (and we must assume that their long experience gives them perspective) hates what is going on. Sees it as a waste of blood and treasure and a guarantee for future disaster on a huge scale. I never thought I'd see the day when a burned out old hippie lefty and CIA agents would agree on anything.
And most officers, especially Lt. Cols, and officers who actually lead and command men are both outraged and broken hearted for the men and the families of those who serve, and serve, and serve, in what they consider a cynical, ill-informed, disastrous campaign with no end in sight.
As you remember, during Nam the president had to hand out the sop of college deferment to keep down middle class dissent. Now, even that is not necessary, since there is no honest open draft. So our president gets away with this back-door, double dealing crap.
Many young soldiers I know (yes, I know Marines are Marines, not soldiers!) enlist simply because they need to support their families, ordinary jobs having been shipped abroad. Which constitutes an economic draft, if ever there was one. Meanwhile, good men and women who enlist out of sheer willingness to serve their country (and you and I know that most young Marines actually do it for that reason) are even more exploited for their willingness. Personally, I believe the middle class Americans who turn a blind eye to the fate of these young men and their families are as much to blame as the rich chickenhawks who drive these wars. Sometimes I think we were better off when we had the draft and no deferments. At least a war affected nearly everyone back then, (even if not the very rich and well-connected), forcing the middle class to acknowledge its consequences and assess its worthiness or unworthiness.
I dunno much, my friend. But I do know that old birds like you and me can still raise hell with whatever resources are available to us.
In friendship,
Joe
(a former Aviation Boatswains's Mate, Carrier Vessel Assault 66)
