Getting Desperate

Marie wrote:

Gee, 3 years after “Mission Accomplished”: Inactive US marines face call-up

There have been numerous missions.  That “particular” banner referred to So-Damn Insane having been removed from power.  Therefore the banner was correct.
The BBC in typical fashion are wrong in how they reported this issue.  My Dad had “hip-pocket” orders when he retired from flying for the US Army as a Major in 1981. He kept his IRR orders in a glass frame in his civilian office with a sticker on it saying “In Case of War Break Glass”.
The BBC writes “Now inactive reservists obliged only to report one day a year may be recalled – against their will if necessary.”
To say it is an “in-voluntary” recall to duty is even more dishonest than your harping on the Mission Accomplished banner by referring to everything up to an including establishing a new government in Iraq.
For your continuing education the IRR is a voluntary status that members leaving the service can choose (isn’t choice a wonderful thing?) to be part of whereby they can continue to fulfill their service obligation they voluntary entered into at the start of their service.
As the BBC story clearly states:
“Under a general contract, a marine serves four years on active duty, and then a further four years in the reserve forces. For this final four years, they can either elect to join the regular reserves – where they are paid and train regularly – or choose to join the IRR.”
Note that the IRR stands for Individual Ready Reserve.  Note that “Individual” means the Soldier/Sailor/Airmen/Marine as a person the word “Ready” means that you are able and the word “Reserve” means you are standing by if needed.
I don’t see calling up the IRR as desperate but rather as a sign that the third string team can carry some of the support load while the first (active duty) and second string (regular reserves) concentrate on the primary mission.  Note that most of the soldiers and marines recalled from the IRR is a pretty small number and the jobs they will be doing are in more of a support role rather than a combat role.

Maybe if Clinton had not reduced the size of the US Military by 1 million men while putting them in additional hotspots around the world (notice that we are STILL in Bosnia!  Guess that mission still needs to be accomplished too) we might not have to recall these Volunteers to complete their obligation.
Facts hurt.
Also note that in the face of insurgent activity the Iragis have held numerous elections and the vast majority of Iraq itself is peaceful in those three short years.  Whereas in New York City they are coming up on the fifth year of the attacks on the WTC and they still have not been able to reach agreement on what the WTC memorial will even look like let alone start building it.  Last I looked there was no insurgent activity causing delays in that process.
Maybe that will help you understand perspective.

 Story from BBC NEWS:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/5276938.stm
Inactive US marines face call-up
The US Marine Corps says it has been authorised by President Bush to recall thousands of inactive reservists to serve in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Up to 2,500 of a pool of nearly 60,000 marines who have left active duty could be recalled to serve at any one time.
Thousands of marine reserves have already served in Iraq, but they were active reservists who train regularly.
Now inactive reservists obliged only to report one day a year may be recalled – against their will if necessary.
The Marine Corps describes the move as prudent planning, but critics will seize on the announcement as evidence the US military is overstretched in Iraq, reports the BBC’s James Westhead in Washington.
The call-up, authorised by President George W Bush, will affect members of the Individual Ready Reserve (IRR).
Under a general contract, a marine serves four years on active duty, and then a further four years in the reserve forces. For this final four years, they can either elect to join the regular reserves – where they are paid and train regularly – or choose to join the IRR.
Col Guy Stratton, head of the Corps’ manpower mobilisation section, told the news agency Reuters that in recent times fewer marines had been choosing to volunteer for the active reserves.
No expiry date
The Marine Corps have now been given permission to recall up to 2,500 marines for duty at a time.
But the authorisation is open-ended and will only expire once the so-called “Global War on Terror” (GWOT) – a war whose parameters are largely undefined – has ended, so many thousands could eventually end up serving.
Reservists could be required to serve up to 24 months, but will more likely serve between 12 and 18 months, said Col Stratton.
Our correspondent says the US army has already recalled around 10,000 inactive reserve soldiers.
But he says the smaller marine force plays a key role in Iraq, shouldering a significant portion of the fighting. They also serve in some of the most dangerous parts of the country.