Bush Broke Our Army. Who Will Fix It?

Among the most serious of the consequences of the war in Iraq no matter when it ends — and we were reminded this week that it won’t end anytime soon — is a United States Army that George Bush has all but broken.

The president declared during his prime-time speech on Thursday night that there may be a drawdown of some 30,000 soldiers — or roughly five combat brigades — by next summer. That would return in-country troop levels to what they were before the surge.

What Bush didn’t and couldn’t say was that there will have to be a drawdown.

This is because when the 15-month tours of duty for these brigades begin to expire next April, there are no units to replace them, the Army secretary and service chiefs refuse to extend duty tours any further, and for all of his reckless and knuckle-headed actions over the last four-plus years, even the president knows that he cannot not mobilize the Reserves.

Not that the Reserves aren’t a tempting target.

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