Army recruiting

The Army has fallen some 7,000 recruits short of their goals this year. This is the worst recruiting year, both absolutely and as a percentage, since 1979. But consider that in 1979 there was no active military operations ongoing, certainly nothing on the scale of the operation in Iraq. To have such a huge shortfall during wartime is striking. Given the Republican party's unwillingness to show leadership in calling for greater enlistment, this shortfall can hardly be considered surprising. Apparently, the political cost to anyone who would call for greater enlistment and make a national issue of it is considered more important by the Republican party than any harm that would come to the country due to these shortfalls.

This is yet another example of the Servile Society I have referred to before. The military needs some 7,000 more men and women to enlist than have done so, and the brave war supporters continue to avoid recruitment in droves. This segment of society, conservative, well-to-do, Republican will demand protection and aid, but feel that someone else is obligated to provide that aid be it manpower or money.