US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has sent President George W. Bush a draft mobilization order, recommending calling up 50,000 military reservists, The New York Times reported Friday.
The proposed call-up, the largest number since the 1991 Gulf War, would initially help support air patrols over New York, Washington and elsewhere in the United States, according to the paper, which quoted unnamed defense officials.
A Pentagon spokesman refused to confirm or deny the report.
By law, the president can authorize the activation of up to one million reservists or National Guard members for not more than 24 months at a time, The Times reported.
The reserve call-up is largely to fulfill the need to keep fighter pilots at 26 bases around the country on 15-minute alert in case they are needed to protect the air space over other cities, the report said, quoting an unidentified military official.
The plan also calls for mobilization of military engineers and military police, which could begin within days of Bush's approval, according to The Times – WASHINGTON (AFP)
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