Stop-Loss: A Look at the US Military Policy »
Posted By jovial 3 months ago in NewsWith about 175,000 troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the US military has been forced to rely on a controversial policy known as "stop-loss" to force soldiers to continue serving after their voluntary stints had ended.
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jovial
Grew up In Brooklyn. Joined the Navy in 1976 stayed in 10 years. Aircraft Electronics tech. Worked for Major Govt. contractor then settled in California ...
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jovial3 months ago
It's not an issue of pay. It's an issue of rights. If these soldiers want to go home they should have that right.
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rightfromwrong3 months ago
true...it was an illegal war. there were no WMD and no Saddam affiliation with Al Qaeda and the US Administration was at the least complicit in the attack of 9/11.
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Teech3 months ago
Not having read the fine print in their enlistment contracts, I can't comment on the legality of "stop loss".
As a draftee in 1967, one and only one thing was assured. That was my ETS date EXACTLY two years later!
I can't imagine the chaos, fraggings, or riots that would have been caused had the Army tried to f*uck with that.
We were called. We served. And we were vilified, spat upon, and rejected by an ungrateful nation.
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MRCOFFEECAKE3 months ago
Wait until you get the parade of apologists claiming that there are inaccuracies in THIS reality.
Or, as often is the case, they will just slink away until they can find a way to blame Clinton for another side effect of the
inept Bush legacy...
Where's the idiot who calls him "the greatest president ever"??
My guess is they finally found a room for him in the loony bin.
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Codi69343 months ago
What you fail to understand is, once you raise your right hand. The rights that you protect for others do not apply to you. The military is not a forture 500 company. It exist to protect this nation. Which that is what it is doing. Feel lucky that no one has talked about re-enstating the draft. Oh wait, some Democrats have said that already! Let's wait and see how they package this to the American public!
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hyperbola3 months ago
Actually an excellent case can be made that every soldier who has fought in bushies illegal war has failed in his oath to protect the American constituion and is a war criminal. Here is the kind of soldier we should be supporting.
Lt. Ehren Watada's Speech: "Soldiers Can Choose to Stop Fighting"
Veterans for Peace Convention
On Saturday night, I was lucky enough to be at the Veterans for Peace National Convention. For that night, Lt. Ehren Watada was able to give the following speech, which I've just received permission to post here. The speech was met with a powerful, standing ovation from the vets who've been there.
Lt. Ehren Watada, for those who don't already know, became the first commissioned officer to publicly refuse deployment to the unlawful war and occupation in Iraq. While doing this on June 22, 2006, Watada said, "As the order to take part in an illegal act is ultimately unlawful as well, I must refuse that order."
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MRCOFFEECAKE3 months ago
Yeah, we're real "protected" while illegals pour in from Mexico while we protect Iraq's borders..Are you serious??
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MRCOFFEECAKE3 months ago
I told you a few of the heartless idiots would apopear with their hit and run negatives. Don't you know that Bush is the "perfect" President. That is why they believe that "Mission was accomplished" through "shock and awe" when we dared them to "Bring it on" when in FACT our troops are still dying.
That is because "Iraqui oil will pay for their stabilizaion"
when in reality it costs US taxpayers $3ilion/week.
But there are some good things, right?
He has stabilized the dollar (to ALL time record LOWS).
"No Child has been left behind" while our education system is suffering its worst fate in history.
Need more?? Can we talk about our jobs, environment, FEMA,
US Attorney corruption, the "stimulus package that only a 5 year old would believe, or border protection??
What good has this man done for those who believed in the American Dream??
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bubba23 months ago
FTA --
SPC. CASEY PORTER: Well, I was filling out paperwork to get ready for this deployment, and I put on there, "I would tell you about my knee injury and I would tell you about my PTSD, but no one here cares." So a civilian rep said, "No, I actually do care," and was very respectful and kind to me.
So I went and saw a military doctor, and Iâ;;Major Carsus [phon.] at Fort Hood, Texas, and he was aware of my comments. And he said that, you know, I've insulted everybody in the room and was very hostile towards me. And he said, "You know how you deal with your PTSD? You go to Iraq, and you kill those savages." Those were his words verbatim. And then, of course, I felt very claustrophobic, very closed in.
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bubba23 months ago
This is horrifying!
If the 'doctor' Sgt. Porter saw is indicative of the other military 'doctors' - and from other stories I have posted regarding the VA medical people (like the encouragement to NOT diagnose PTSD) - then the government is guilty of malpractice and of politicizing EVERY aspect of military 'support'.
Disgusting ...
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MRCOFFEECAKE3 months ago
There are more of them (VA doctors) than there are Federal prosecutors, but they've been rooting them out one by one if they don't toe the Bush line..
If they can remove 17 US Attorney's in the middle of the night they can certainly bully 500 or 600 VA psychologists since we've invaded and occupied Iraq in 2003..
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Spadecaller3 months ago
Bush has turned military personnel into indentured servants. That is why McCain did not support the recent Veterans benefit legislation; he wants to keep the soldiers ignorant and poor so they have no other place to go. This is their idea of "supporting the troops."
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hefaa13 months ago
We have a captive military. It's like the scene from the Godfather' "Just when I'm going to get out, they pull me back in."
Military=Mafia
Draft beer, not students
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ghengisghan3 months ago
When you enlist you take on a 6 year commitment. The active duty portion can be anywhere from 3 years to the full 6 depending on what you sign up for. If its the minimum of 3 the military has the option of extending or recalling you to active duty for up to the full six years depending on the militarys needs not yours. It is fair because you sign your contract agreeing to it and if you didnt read your contract shame on you.In addition if you are retired military pulling a pension you can be recalled and if you refuse you can lose your pension ( or it can be reduced).
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jordan113 months ago
if you didnt read your contract shame on you>>>>
A Vietnam combat vet served a one year tour. Little did these men and women in Iraq realize that they wouldn't be treated the same. Little did they realize that their country would be sending them back over & over again because those who voted the war President into power wouldn't be 'volunteering' to give them a break. Little did they realize that their families would lose their homes because they couldn't go back to their jobs. Little did they realize that when it didn't turn out to be an easy win LIKE THEY WERE TOLD, the coward Congress wouldn't protect them and institute a draft. Little did they realize their country wouldn't give a damn about them, and use them as fodder. Yeah, "shame" is the right word all right.
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ghengisghan3 months ago
Most Vietnam vets were also drafted, These young soldiers volenteered (my son is serving his second tour).No one that is active duty in at this time can say they didnt know the deal when they signed up.I know a great many soldiers that have requested to be deployed. No not everyone is happy bout it especially the spouses but its also not a surprise.YOu are right about one thing though, shame on the people and our govt for not giving them much more support.No one has ever said this would be easy.I was telling people after 911 that we would be involved fighting terrorist for decades.This is but one battle in the war.
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hyperbola3 months ago
Actually Genghis, they should read much more than their "contract". They should also know when they must refuse orders or become war crimnals.
On Loyalty
An Open Letter to US Troops in Afghanistan and Iraq
I was a soldier for most of the time between 1970 and 1996. I signed out on my retirement from 3rd Special Forces in Ft. Bragg. I had also served in 7th Special Forces, on three Ranger assignments, with Delta for almost four years, as a Cavalry Scout for a while, and in the 82nd Airborne Division as an infantryman. I started my career in Vietnam with the 173rd Airborne Brigade....
... A young friend of mine, who is now a member of an organization called Iraq Veterans Against the War, recently told me, "My platoon sergeant tried to get us to violate the Geneva Convention, and when we resisted, he threatened us with punishment. He told us that'the Geneva Convention doesn't exist in Iraq, and that is in writing at the Brigade level.'"
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hyperbola3 months ago
... there wasa memorandum that came down that suggested the Geneva Conventions were void in Iraq. It didn't come from the Brigade level, though; it came from ****** George W. Bush's office. And it's a lie. That's why they sat there in front of Congress before they made the author of that memo into the Attorney General of the United States  get your head around that and denied that they meant it.
But it is a lie.
You do not have to follow illegal orders EVER, under any circumstances, and you ARE bound by International Law. You should also be bound by what you know is right, by your sense of plain common decency.
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