AP U.S. Army extends Iraq duty for 4,000

[rodeodance]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060925/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_iraq;_ylt=AnMfwZmXM3Q_Srd1wvcRQT.s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3OTB1amhuBHNlYwNtdHM-
U.S. Army extends Iraq duty for 4,000

By ROBERT BURNS, AP Military Writer 8 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - In a new sign of mounting strain from the war in
Iraq, the Army has extended the combat tours of about 4,000 soldiers who would otherwise be returning home, a defense official said Monday.


The 1st Brigade of 1st Armored Division, which is operating in the vicinity of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, will be kept in place for several weeks beyond their scheduled departure, the official said. The official spoke only on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been announced by the
Pentagon.

The brigade's home base is in Germany. The soldiers' families were notified of the extension Monday, the official said.

The brigade has about 4,000 soldiers in Iraq.

In late July the Army extended the Iraq tour of the Alaska-based 172nd Stryker Brigade. About 300 soldiers from that unit had already returned home and were required to go back to Iraq. The brigade is now operating in Baghdad.

[rodeodance]

1. this is in addition to July extension

[sabra]

2. it's just getting worse...

[rodeodance]

11. i wish KO would do a good segment on this.

[habitual]

3. sometimes when it is cold out and the apartment isn't very warm

i'll try to find a source of the draft. Even if I can't find it, i know it's there.

[Bluzmann57]

4. Some friends of mine have a son who is there

again. Fourth tour in Iraq. Kim, the young man's mother is absolutely livid about it because according to her and the young man's wife, he was told that after his third tour, that was it. No more Iraq tours. They lied. What makes this even more ironic is that Kim raised $18,000 in a local fundraiser for his unit so they could buy proper equipment and maybe have decent food and some American tunes. She contacted a few well known musicians and other celebs to donate items for auction and they had a benefit Blues show from a well known local Bluesman who happened to be best man at their wedding. Now the young man, whose wife is pregnant, has to go back for a fourth tour. It's bullshit. Bring 'em home now.

[rodeodance]

6. i do not know how we can go on like this (and those families).

[tabasco]

5. Republicans say: "They volunteered - fuck 'em!"

I have several active duty Army friends and they tell me things are totally fucked up. Morale sucks.

They are now letting druggies and derelicts sign up. Rummy's idea of improving the military.

I just got my final honorable discharge this year. I'm glad I got out.

[rodeodance]

7. i have heard that comment (from people that I did not expect to hear it

from)----it always takes me aback.

[Bluzmann57]

8. Welcome home.

Glad you made it back to the USA safe and sound. Thank you for your service and keep up the good fight against the madness that has taken over our country.

[ninkasi]

10. I'm glad you got out, too

I remember reading about your military service, and hoping that you would be safe. I wish that for all of the service members in Iraq and Afghanistan. You have all been abused by this corrupt government, made to endure lack of equipment, multiple deployments, the works. Compare that to the deluge of gold the CEOs of Halliburton and other favored companies are swimming in. Thank you for your service, now stay safe.

We need you now for another battle, the one to wrest control of our country back from the greedy, the corrupt, and the soulless neocons who have hijacked it.

[Zech Marquis]

17. same with the Air Force

My best friend, who's a Captain in the air Force Reserve, told me that EVERYONE is looking for a way OUT. Including herself...and she's flying on the medivac flights etween Iraq and Germany so you know she has seen EVERYTHING. When I finally see ehr again next month, I
m going to give her a really big hug and not let go for at least five minutes :-)

[AnneD]

18. They can still grab you..

even if you think you are out. And if they do have a draft, they can do a 'skills' draft-those that have a special skill (like Doc, Nurse, etc ) get drafted.

[bluestateguy]

9. I was right. Dead right.

Remember the prognosticators who said there would be a big pre-election drawdown of troops? A declaration of "victory" in Iraq, parades in American city streets and certain doom for Democrats because they would have lost the Iraq issue? Some of those prognosticators were on this board too.

I knew it would never happen. I knew that the war would either escalate or bumble along at about the same level that is has for the least 3 years.

Well today I am saying that I was right. I knew it would never happen, and now I am taking my curtain call. I was right.

[Roon]

12. U.S. Army extends 4,000 tours of duty in Iraq

WASHINGTON - In a new sign of mounting strain from the war in Iraq, the Army has extended the combat tours of about 4,000 soldiers who would otherwise be returning home, a defense official said Monday.

The 1st Brigade of 1st Armored Division, which is operating in the vicinity of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, will be kept in place for several weeks beyond their scheduled departure, the official said. The official spoke only on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been announced by the Pentagon.

The brigade’s home base is in Germany. The soldiers’ families were notified of the extension Monday, the official said.

http://msnbc.msn.com/id/14999341/

[MadMaddie]

13. Say goodbye to the volunteer military...

The soldiars are being betrayed daily.....by this administration..

[thereismore]

14. "The involuntary army" nt

[AnneD]

19. Exactly,

this is the last nail in the coffin of the 'voluntary military' experiment.

[JPZenger]

15. 20,000 US troop increase in Iraq in last 3 months

The AP reported last week that the US has quietly increased the number of service-persons by 20,000 in Iraq since June.

[MessiahRp]

16. Since the US Military is commiting war crimes these days anyway

Why not just let small time felon offenders accused of anything less than murder or rape have the option of joining the military for a four year tour or finishing their sentences (which in many cases might be way more than 4 years, some might be life in three strikes law states)?

How could they be any worse than what we are doing to Iraqis currently? Bush has because declared his intent to torture based on race alone since he himself has declared Osama irrelevant (what information are we torturing for anyways?) and insisted his right to kill and torture innocent people regardless of what they might know.

Rp

[Marie26]

20. Homecoming delayed for 4,000 U.S. troops in Iraq

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Army has extended the combat tours of about 4,000 soldiers who would otherwise be returning home, a defense official said Monday.

The 1st Brigade of 1st Armored Division, which is operating in the vicinity of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province, will be kept in place for several weeks beyond their scheduled departure, the official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision has not been announced by the Pentagon.

The brigade's home base is in Germany. The soldiers' families were notified of the extension Monday, the official said.

The brigade has about 4,000 soldiers in Iraq. They were scheduled to be there a maximum of 12 months, but they are not the first to be extended.

http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/meast/09/25/iraq.troops.ap/index.html

[The_Casual_Observer]

21. Anybody ask tony snow about this today?

[xultar]

22. Er...ah...DRAFT?

[BigDDem]

23. OK College rethuglicans...

here's your chance! "Step up to the plate"

[Joe for Clark]

24. They moved guys supposed to cover Mosul south too.

You know, last week it was pretty clear to me at least, that those people running the "Stupid War" knew they were screwed. The pathetic pleas for Iraqi soldiers to reinforce the Baghdad offensive being the direct result of the fact they were NOT getting any American soldiers to do the same. Looks like we ran out of soldiers.

I didn't know, dumb catholic that I am, that Ramadan could start at different times for different groups. It started today for Iraq.

I do think (this is IMO) they were scrambling, extending, extorting units to get down south for this "holiday" - Because I think they believe and I believe - fanatics can use religious holidays for fanatic goals. Tactical and strategic.

I thnk maybe the country needs to look hard at just how the Tet holidays were used against us in 1968 - They must believe, I believe - this can be used against us now. True or not (religious discrimination) doesn't really matter. Perception is probably more powerful.

This was really never a religious war - but that doesn't mean religion can't be used as a weapon.

Bet it is now.

You know some of our countries own contractors fired at our own soldiers cause they are so nervous right now- killed some Ft Lewis soldiers over the weekend.

This is a tipping point, I do believe.

Joe

Joe

[Ilsa]

25. Remember the National Guardsman (or Army?) they literally de-planed

a couple of years ago and he was killed the next day?

I bet alot of these 4,000 think about that too.

It's like Tabasco said that Rethuglicans were saying, "They volunteered -- fuck them!" And this is to volunteers who were either very patriotic or needed money for college or both. The GOP takes a crap all over these wonderful folks.

[Ilsa]

26. Oh yeah. It's time to draft the Bush Twins. And the rest of that

dynasty, unless they are in rehab or prison. Oh heck, send them too.

[bobthedrummer]

27. The Rumsfeld DoD has got to be relieved of command.

And prosecuted.