Bush calls up army reserves

For the first time in more than a decade, the US army is forcing thousands of former soldiers back into uniform, a reflection of the strain on the service of long campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Army officials said that about 5,600 former soldiers – mostly people who recently left the service and have up-to-date skills in military policing, engineering, logistics, medicine or transportation – will be assigned to National Guard and Reserve units starting in July.