Army tours in Iraq to be extended, Gates says

[E-Z-B]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON - The Pentagon will lengthen tours of duty for all active-duty Army units in Iraq to 15 months from the current 12 months as the military struggles to supply enough troops for the conflict, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday.

Gates announced the decision Wednesday afternoon, saying the policy was meant “to provide better clarity, predictability and sustainability” of the U.S. military readiness. The secretary said Iraq deployments would be for “not more than 15 months” and that soldiers will return home to home station “for not less than 12 months.”

“This policy is a difficult but necessary interim step" until a return to 12- month deployments, Gates said.

It is the latest move by the Pentagon to cope with the strains of fighting two wars simultaneously and maintaining a higher troop level in Iraq as part of President Bush’s revised strategy for stabilizing Baghdad.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18059112/

[brooklynite]

1. Um, weren't the Soldiers told they'd have a year at home after their tours...

...the first time they were sent to Iraq?

Why should anyone trust DOD now?

[DemoTex]

2. When you break something, by God, break it! Fuck it up bad.

Why do they hate soldiers so? Why do they want to totally break the US Army? The wheels are already off, so why break the remains into ineffective little shards? What the fuck is the point?

[AndyTiedye]

3. because the Regime Wants to Force the Democrats to Enact the Draft

They are deliberately making it so that nobody will want to enlist,
because they want the power to conscript people into their war machine.

[eagler]

4. This should be galvanizing dems to demand immediate impeachment

but why do I feel they'll cave and do very little?

[Heidi]

5. Kick.

:kick:

[Sal316]

6. Gates announces longer tours in Iraq

Source: AP

Beginning immediately, all active-duty Army soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan will serve 15-month tours — three months longer than the usual standard, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Wednesday.

It was the latest move by the Pentagon to cope with the strains of fighting two wars simultaneously and maintaining a higher troop level in Iraq as part of President Bush's revised strategy for stabilizing Baghdad.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070411/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/iraq_us_troops

[Little Wing]

7. Oh, and we can still fight a war against North Korea

riiiiiight! :eyes:

[Monkeyman]

8. And Iran oh ya

[peacebird]

9. Iran will collapse after a series of bombing raids - not to worry! No ground troops needed there.

:sarcasm:

But * needs the distraction of a new shock-n-awe to get his sheeple back in line

[legin]

10. another interesting bit

(snip)

"At a Pentagon news conference, Gates said that it was too early to estimate how long the troop buildup would last but that his new policy would give the Pentagon the capability to maintain the higher force levels until next April."

(snip)

(Now it appears they are looking at the 'surge' lasting until next April)