80-year-old called up to fight Iraq

LONDON, England (Reuters) -- An 80-year-old British pensioner has been called up by the Ministry of Defence for possible action in Iraq, the Sun newspaper reported on Thursday.

I'm used to rifles and machine guns, not missiles. -- Joe Steer

If he went, it would be the first time Joe Steer had seen active service since the famous World War Two battle of El Alamein in Egypt in 1942, the paper said.

The call-up papers came in an official government envelope and ordered Steer to report to a training camp.

"I'm a bit past my prime," the Sun quoted him as saying. "It's too high-tech today. I'm used to rifles and machine guns, not missiles."

A ministry spokesman told the paper the call-up was due to an administrative error.

Story Tools		Subscribe to Time for $1.99

Iran poll to go to run-off • U.N.: Truck bomb killed Hariri • EU 'crisis' after summit failure • U.S. House votes to keep U.N. dues

CNN/Money: Security alert issued for 40 million credit cards • Bin Laden deputy sends message • U.S. House votes to keep U.N. dues • Iran poll to go to run-off