Thousands in Guard units prepare for Iraq

[Spazito]

Even as the U.S. prepares to hand over sovereignty to Iraqis this week, National Guard units across America are leaving their hometowns for assignment to Iraq (news - web sites).


For more than 50 years, Guard troops in rural east Tennessee trained for wars that passed them by. But hundreds of flag-waving folks lined the streets under gray skies here Friday to say an emotional goodbye to the 1st Squadron of the 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment as it headed off to war. It is the regiment's first combat deployment since before the Korean War.


"I guess it's now our turn at last," said Sgt. Maj. John Ridgell, 54, a grandfather, school principal, church deacon and sports coach who bid farewell to his family.


Four regiments, with a total of more than 25,000 soldiers, are in or headed to U.S. training sites, with Iraq their scheduled destination by year's end. They will join three Guard contingents already in Iraq with about 15,000 soldiers.


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http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2027&e=1&u=/chitribts/thousandsinguardunitsprepareforiraq

[tabasco]

1. How many will lose arms, legs, or lives for the war profiteers?

Iraq is not a war for national security. It is a war for the profiteering corporations to rake in billions, and for insane zealots to pursue their new world order. I won't be happy until I see Cheney, Bush and the rest of the corrupt cabal behind bars.