BBC NEWS | Americas | US army battles to keep soldiers

"Ted Carpenter, a defence analyst with the Cato Institute think tank, said the stop loss decision went against the concept of volunteer military service.

'Clearly, if large numbers of personnel have their terms extended against their will, that violates the principle of volunteerism,' he said.

'It also suggests just how strained the military is in trying to provide for the Iraqi occupation plus all the other US obligations around the world.' "

Signs of strain is a very mild way to put it. No mention of the long-term effects this will have on the US "volunteer" army.