Old Soldiers to Be Called to Action

[mrbowler]

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WASHINGTON — As many as 7,500 retired and discharged soldiers who are not members of the National Guard or Reserve will be involuntarily recalled to active duty for possible service in Iraq or Afghanistan, Army sources told FOX News Tuesday.

In a new sign of the strain the insurgency in Iraq has put on the U.S. military, Army officials said the call-ups will begin in July and run through December.

It will be the first time the Army has relied on the Individual Ready Reserve (search), as this category of reservists is known, in substantial numbers since the 1991 Gulf War.

The Pentagon (search) had hoped to reduce its troop levels in Iraq to about 105,000 this spring, but because of increasingly effective and deadly resistance the level has risen to about 140,000.

Military officials have said they may need to stay at that level for at least another year or two, a commitment of troops that could not be maintained by the active force alone.

The projected number called upon may be whittled down after the physical abilities and other factors and capabilities are considered.

"This was inevitable when it became clear that we would have to maintain significant combat forces in Iraq for a period of years," said Dan Goure, a military analyst at the Lexington Institute (search), a think tank.

[luvmetender]

all I can say is UGH