According to the New York Times, the Pentagon is prepared to call a large number of National Guard members and reservists of the U.S. Armed Forces to active duty. These individuals will fill military positions that are deemed important if the U.S. enters a war in Iraq. The Times reports, citing Pentagon officials, that the number of individuals and the timing of their call-up will depend on Iraq's response to the United Nations resolution regarding its disarmament and the progress of UN weapons inspectors in Iraq. According to this report, up to 10,000 reservists may be called up in the coming days, and this is just the first wave of future call-ups. It is said that these individuals will join over 50,000 reservists who have already been mobilized and will primarily be assigned to security and guard units both in the U.S. and abroad. If President Bush ultimately issues an order to attack Iraq, the Iraq operation will require calling up the same number of reservists who participated in the 1991 Gulf War. At that time, 265,000 members of the National Guard and reserve units were called to service.
Reservists of the U.S. Armed Forces Are Being Called to Service - 2002-12-05
The Pentagon is preparing to call up a significant number of U.S. National Guard members and reservists in anticipation of a potential war in Iraq. This move could involve up to 10,000 reservists in the coming days, joining over 50,000 already mobilized, as the U.S. responds to Iraq's actions regarding disarmament. This is significant as it indicates a potential escalation in U.S. military involvement in the region.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
The Pentagon is preparing to mobilize up to 10,000 National Guard members and reservists in anticipation of potential military action against Iraq. This move follows Iraq's response to a UN resolution on disarmament and the ongoing work of UN weapons inspectors.
- Up to 10,000 reservists may be called up soon, joining over 50,000 already mobilized.
- The mobilization is a response to Iraq's actions regarding disarmament and could lead to a significant military operation similar to the Gulf War.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The U.S. had been pressuring Iraq to comply with disarmament following the Gulf War, and tensions were escalating leading up to the 2003 invasion.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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