Kin React to Reservists Staying in Iraq

September 10, 2003, 3:13 AM EDT


PHILADELPHIA -- Since Army reservist Alan Cornell left in January for duty in Iraq, his 5-year-old daughter Tyler has had trouble sleeping and cries when she's dropped off at school.

When Tyler heard a voicemail message from her grandfather Tuesday that her father might have to stay even longer, her mother dreaded having to confirm the news.

"She said, 'So Daddy's going to stay for a month longer?' and I said, 'Yeah,'" said Hallie Cornell, of Erie, Pa. "I didn't want to tell her it could be another six months."

more...............

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/sns-ap-reserves-extension-family,0,6692002.story?coll=sns-ap-nation-headlines

<Bradley Byrne, a Republican Alabama state senator, whose brother, Dale Byrne, is serving in the National Guard in Kuwait City, said an extension will "have a very direct negative impact on Alabama" on businesses and families. >

impact on BUSINESS...the impact on families is secondary to how it affects commerce.

...the negative impact this war has had on the economy since long before the invasion was even carried out. The imediate effects on military families, the interupted lives, the effects of long term separation, the casualties, and the survivors are minimized and romanticized in the media.

The real impact on business of war, business planning during a time of war, the hemorrhage of hundreds of billions of dollars for non productive military endeavors is constantly evaded in the media and erroneously referred to sometimes as an economic stimulus. The huge negative economic impact of this foolish adventure can't be overestimated and will be felt for years to come.

And just who is going to replace these WEEK-END WARRIORS????

Not the children of privileged who will have some type of deferred status restored to them---

No it will be the children of the poor and minorities that's who, will die for Exxon-Mobil , Haliburton and Brown and Root.

Group.

Alabama, I believe, has sent more Guard and Reserve units per capita than any other state. When a small business in a small town loses a couple of critical employees for a year or more it can hurt badly. The employee can't be replaced permanently, of course, and there frequently isn't anybody avaiable to take over temporarily. The problem is really acute in smaller police and fire departments which often have a high percentage of their employees serving in the Guard or Reserves. When a unit is called up, they can lose a quarter of the force.

about? Goody, goody, we get to murder more third-worlders...I guess we are just supposed to murder quickly and get home in time for dinner.

Your statement isn't fair if it is directed at the grunts and their families. These people are regular, everyday joes and janes who have to take it on faith that their superiors are acting according to the better angels of their natures. It's their job to believe that. To hold members of the services and their families in such disdain makes me wonder if you really want to be a democrat that badly. We are, after all, supposed to be the party of the common man and woman.

I hope I am badly misreading you. And If I am, I am sorry.