U.S. to Extend Soldiers' Tours in Iraq

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON -- About 9,400 active-duty U.S. troops in Iraq who are scheduled to finish one-year tours in January will be kept there an extra seven to 10 days, the Pentagon said Friday.

Lawrence Di Rita, spokesman for Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld, said those troops will be held over so that a transition to the units replacing them will not begin during the Iraqi election scheduled for December.

He said Rumsfeld approved the tour extensions Thursday night.

"This is to maintain stability of U.S. forces during the elections," said another Pentagon spokesman, Bryan Whitman.

The Pentagon has made a commitment to all deployed troops in Iraq -- both active-duty and National Guard and Reserve -- that they will serve no more than 12 months there, but in some cases it has exceeded that limit.

http://www.newsday.com/news/politics/wire/sns-ap-iraq-us-military,0,32710.story?coll=sns-ap-politics-headlines

[rodeodance]

1. sad news for those who thought they might get out before this danger-

our time.

[burrowowl]

2. Even during the VN War

soldiers got rotated.
Rummy's rump strinks to high HELL! :mad:

[The_Casual_Observer]

3. "but in some cases it has exceeded that limit"

Why is it that you just know that a line like that is going to there?

Every single thing that happens with bush is a bitter sad mess.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

4. It amounts to a...

...back door draft and it's lousy:

http://www.karlandkinggeorge.com/Back_Door_Draft.html

[lcordero2]

5. I asked a friend who is deployed to Iraq about this

I think that I might have been the first person to say something about this to her.

[annabanana]

7. How did she react?

Had she not heard of multiple tours?

[lcordero2]

8. I asked her if she was getting extended 10 days

she asked me what was I talking about?

[brentspeak]

6. Again?

Our troops have been lied to, used, re-used, and now re-re-used by their own commander-in-chief. They all deserve a special commendation just for having to serve under this idiot.

[Rex]

9. Like the Pentagon would ever tell the truth.

Maybe they can open another 'investigation' of themselves to see why they have to go back on their word. :eyes: