Facts and Sources on the strained military:
"A study commissioned by Donald Rumsfeld" showed that "the U.S. has 'inadequate total numbers' of troops to sustain operations in Iraq at the current pace". (Paul Krugman, "Feeling the Draft", NY Times 10/19/04)
"Since 9/11, the number of active-duty and reservist troops deployed overseas has shot up from 203,000 to 500,000." (Mark Thompson, "Does the U.S. Need a Draft?", Time Magazine, 10/18/04)
"Commanders in Iraq have asked for more troops... but there are no more troops to send. The manpower shortage is so severe that training units ...which specializes in teaching other units the ways of battle are being sent into combat." (Paul Krugman, "Feeling the Draft", NY Times 10/19/04)
"All the Army's combat brigades have been dispatched into war zones over the past two years; some have already gone twice." (Mark Thompson, "Does the U.S. Need a Draft?", Time Magazine, 10/18/04)
"Thousands of reservists and National Guard members are no longer serving voluntarily: they have been kept in the military past their agreed terms of enlistment by 'stop loss' orders." (Paul Krugman, "Feeling the Draft", NY Times 10/19/04)
"The demands of war in Iraq and Afghanistan have forced some units to remain on a constant combat footing, sharply reducing the recuperation and retraining period that military experts say is essential to maintain a first-rate Army." (Mark Thompson, "Does the U.S. Need a Draft?", Time Magazine, 10/18/04)
"Some military experts fear that if a crisis erupted with Iran and North Korea, the U.S. would be unable to credibly threaten the use of force because of current obligations in Iraq and Afghanistan. 'We can't respond to another major crisis right now,' says retired Army General Barry McCaffrey." (Mark Thompson, "Does the U.S. Need a Draft?", Time Magazine, 10/18/04)
