Study ordered by Pentagon: Army Stretched to Breaking Point

Study: Army Stretched to Breaking Point By ROBERT BURNS, AP Military Writer
28 minutes ago


WASHINGTON - Stretched by frequent troop rotations to Iraq and Afghanistan, the Army has become a "thin green line" that could snap unless relief comes soon, according to a study for the Pentagon.

Andrew Krepinevich, a retired Army officer who wrote the report under a Pentagon contract, concluded that the Army cannot sustain the pace of troop deployments to Iraq long enough to break the back of the insurgency. He also suggested that the Pentagon's decision, announced in December, to begin reducing the force in Iraq this year was driven in part by a realization that the Army was overextended.

As evidence, Krepinevich points to the Army's 2005 recruiting slump — missing its recruiting goal for the first time since 1999 — and its decision to offer much bigger enlistment bonuses and other incentives.

"You really begin to wonder just how much stress and strain there is on the Army, how much longer it can continue," he said in an interview. He added that the Army is still a highly effective fighting force and is implementing a plan that will expand the number of combat brigades available for rotations to Iraq and Afghanistan.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060124/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/army_breaking_point
The 136-page report represents a more sobering picture of the Army's condition than military officials offer in public. While not released publicly, a copy of the report was provided in response to an Associated Press inquiry.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060124/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/army_breaking_point

Murtha is avenged. The R's need to be ashamed of themselves. Too bad the realization of their incompetence may come after they've destroyed this country first.

combined. One wonders.......with whom are we going to invade Iran? :shrug:

could defeat the most-expensive military history has ever seen?

Luckily for us, our impending defeat has been kept very well under wraps. It would be terrible if such a defeat were to become widely known by our enemies. It might embolden them.

A recently released report contracted by the Pentagon confirms that the Army is becoming stretched to the "breaking point". http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060124/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/army_breaking_point Recently,Democratic congressman John Murtha was crucified by Republican politicians,and even readers of this fine paper,for stating the same thing.People have to understand that you can NOT send soldiers into combat two,three,four times without serious psychological and physical effects.I try not to bring my personal experience into this,but when your son-a mechanic-tells you he's been on patrol,and"don't worry,mom-I aim low with the women and children"-it breaks your heart.My friends who are Viet Nam vets relate the same surreal mind games you have to play on yourself to make it OK.Five soldiers in my son's unit have been medically discharged with PTSD.At the same time,the Veterans Administration,buckling under the sheer volume of wounded,disabled soldiers,is reviewing 72,000 cases of PTSD-related disability for possible non-payment.Your yellow ribbon says you support the troops-why do you support an administration that has such low regard for their welfare?