Of Call-Up and Trackback...
WWL-TV brought news cameras to the ceremony in Belle Chasse honoring six Louisiana guardsmen killed in the line of duty, making news themselves. It is generally against Pentagon policy to allow flag draped coffins to be shown but, in this case, the families' insistence prevailed.
Public attention to, and questioning of, how heavily the U.S. military has begun to rely on national guardsmen is intensifying. Senator David Vitter says Louisiana probably has the highest number of guardsmen and reservists in Iraq per capita. Further, he said that reservists and guardsmen make up 42% of the 135,000 American soldiers now serving in Iraq, and that number could increase to 50% by the spring.
As a former "citizen soldier" myself, I understand that guardsmen and reservists knew the possibility of call-up when they signed on, but at the same time disagree with the Pentagon's "promoting" them to a significant proportion of frontline troops. I was called up, for about three weeks as I remember, during the Cuban missile crisis, and helped scramble fighter jets out of Belle Chasse on reconnaisance missions.
Let me know what you think of the direction of U.S. activities in Iraq.
On a business note, the Jefferson Parish Council unanimously passed a resolution opposing the relocation of a riverboat casino from Lake Charles to Elmwood, near the Huey P. Long bridge. The Isle of Capri is now unlikely to proceed with their application pending with the Louisiana Gaming Control Board. Jefferson Parish can hardly be considered anti-gambling; perhaps the Isle's plan put them a little too close to our friends at the Treasure Chest.
Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog. The comment feature makes it a little easier, I think, for you to weigh in on an article. I don't quite understand trackback yet, but will fill you in when I do.
Public attention to, and questioning of, how heavily the U.S. military has begun to rely on national guardsmen is intensifying. Senator David Vitter says Louisiana probably has the highest number of guardsmen and reservists in Iraq per capita. Further, he said that reservists and guardsmen make up 42% of the 135,000 American soldiers now serving in Iraq, and that number could increase to 50% by the spring.
As a former "citizen soldier" myself, I understand that guardsmen and reservists knew the possibility of call-up when they signed on, but at the same time disagree with the Pentagon's "promoting" them to a significant proportion of frontline troops. I was called up, for about three weeks as I remember, during the Cuban missile crisis, and helped scramble fighter jets out of Belle Chasse on reconnaisance missions.
Let me know what you think of the direction of U.S. activities in Iraq.
On a business note, the Jefferson Parish Council unanimously passed a resolution opposing the relocation of a riverboat casino from Lake Charles to Elmwood, near the Huey P. Long bridge. The Isle of Capri is now unlikely to proceed with their application pending with the Louisiana Gaming Control Board. Jefferson Parish can hardly be considered anti-gambling; perhaps the Isle's plan put them a little too close to our friends at the Treasure Chest.
Haloscan commenting and trackback have been added to this blog. The comment feature makes it a little easier, I think, for you to weigh in on an article. I don't quite understand trackback yet, but will fill you in when I do.
posted by John V at 4:00 PM
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