Struggling to recruit

War supporters often cite enlistment/reenlistment rates to bolster their viewpoint. Funny thing, they almost always leave out the circumstances which make those numbers occur.

Under a new proposal, men and women who enlist could pick from a "buffet" of incentives, including up to $45,000 tax-free....

An Associated Press review of the increasingly aggressive recruiting offerings found the Army is not only dangling more sign-up rewards — it's loosening rules on age and weight limits, education and drug and criminal records.....

As part of a push to make its 2007 goals, the Army is boosting the size of its 8,000-member recruiting force with 1,000 to 2,000 assistants — including some former recruiters.

We're not talking insignificant numbers in the loosening rules,

Increasing to more than 15 percent the number of Army and Army Reserve troops given waivers for medical and moral reasons or for positive drug and alcohol screen tests.

(And, how can you write a huge article on declining interest and recruitment without even mentioning that Iraq war disapproval among the youth target group is now over 70%.

Ya think that might have something to do with it? Maybe? Maybe?