For immediate release –

A soldier and political activist is fighting to avoid being sent to Iraq under an approved federal program designed to supplement the number of active duty troops in Iraq. Carl Webb, 39, is a member of the Texas Army National Guard and a U.S. army veteran. In 2001 following a 7-year break in service, he enlisted in the National Guard expecting to serve for only three years. His term of service ends August 22, however, less than a month shy of the end of his service completion he was informed that his term had been involuntarily extended and he would be sent to Fort Hood for training and deployed to Iraq in November.

Webb is one of many reservists who is being compelled to serve in the war in Iraq under the stop-loss program. This program, which made its first appearance in the Persian Gulf War of the early 1990s, keeps soldiers scheduled for deployment to Iraq or Afghanistan from leaving when their term of service ends. More than 10,000 soldiers are covered under the rules now, according to the Virginian Pilot.

Webb, who served in the U.S. Army for 7 active years, is conscienciously objects to being sent to Iraq for numerous reasons. The reasons that the U.S. government used to justify the imperialist war in Iraq have proven to be unfounded; however, even if they had been, Webb still would oppose the U.S. going to war against the Iraqi people.

“The war is unethical and illegal U.S. aggression,” he said. “It’s all about oil and profits.”

He is also vehemently against the use of the stop-loss program that imposes a lengthened term on reservists and soldiers who have already fulfilled their military service. The program, however, has its limitations. It only applies to individuals who are within 90 days of being deployed to Iraq.

“This policy is practically an unofficial draft,” he said. “It is conscription against a person’s will.”

There is currently a shortage of military personnel in the U.S. Armed Forces; more than 150,000 reservists are augmenting this shortage. Reservists make up about 40 percent of U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Moreover, service people are not informed of the possibility of being forced to fulfill a compulsory extension when they sign up.

In an effort to have the stop-loss program revoked, Webb is in the process of consulting legal counsel to protest his deployment orders and is considering taking legal action that could include filing a class action lawsuit against the United States government.

“In my mind this policy is not only unethical, it is illegal,” Webb said.

For additional information or to set up an interview contact Carl Webb at (865) 936-3849 or carl.k.webb (at) us.army.mil or carlwebb1965 (at) yahoo.com

You can see his website at http://carlwebb.net