ABC News: Army proposing extending duty for EVERYONE in Iraq

[kpete]

ABC News: Army proposing extending duty for everyone in Iraq
RAW STORY
Published: Tuesday April 10, 2007


The following report from ABC News' Senior National Security Correspondent Jonathan Karl aired this evening on "World News with Charles Gibson."

#
Introduction: NEXT, WE TURN TO IRAQ AND THE AMERICAN SOLDIERS WHO ARE SERVING THERE.ABC NEWS HAS LEARNED THAT THE ARMY HAS PUT ON THE DEFENSE SECRETARY'S DESK A PROPOSAL TO EXTEND THE TOUR OF DUTY FOR EVERY ACTIVE DUTY SOLDIER IN IRAQ BY THREE MONTHS. ROBERT GATES COULD HAVE A DECISION ON THAT PROPOSAL LATER THIS WEEK OR EARLY NEXT. HERE'S OUR NATIONAL SECURITY CORRESPONDENT, JONATHAN KARL, AT THE PENTAGON. JON?

Karl: THIS IS A PROPOSAL THAT WOULD AFFECT EVERY ACTIVE-DUTY SOLDIER IN IRAQ. THEY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO STAY LONGER, IN LARGE PART, BECAUSE THE SURGE OF FORCES THE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED IN JANUARY IS ALMOST CERTAIN TO BE EXTENDED. UNDER THE PROPOSAL, ALL ACTIVE DUTY ARMY UNITS IN IRAQ WOULD HAVE THEIR TOURS OF DUTY EXTENDED FROM THE CURRENT 12 MONTHS TO 15 MONTHS.

more at:
http://rawstory.com/news/2007/ABC_News_Army_proposing_extending_duty_0410.html

[Kagemusha]

1. And it's all the Dems' fault, isn't it? According to Bush anyway.

I'm just keeping that fresh in all your minds so it ticks you off more, because you will hear this mantra from the right wingers soon enough even though it's nonsense. This is an executive branch decision under the Commander in Chief.

[leftchick]

10. and who is funding this executive branch decision?

just a guess but could it be the democratic congress?

[Kagemusha]

15. Why would it? No President has signed a funding bill by this Congress.

There's last year's Republican congress' bill, that was signed, but this one's hasn't been signed at all, so where do you get off saying this Congress funded the decision? Seriously, speaking as someone who has criticized this Congress before.

[NNN0LHI]

2. We will be sending The Boy Scouts and theater ushers next n/t

[Bonhomme Richard]

8. Don't forget civil war reenactors. n/t

[rodeodance]

3. how many shoes are dropping!

[Nickster]

4. Jesus H. Cripes! When are people going to get it? This is never going to end, not at least

until someone else takes the White House over and even then,God help us if it's a rePuke.

[Solly Mack]

5. The telling portion:

"THEY WOULD BE REQUIRED TO STAY LONGER, IN LARGE PART, BECAUSE THE SURGE OF FORCES THE PRESIDENT ANNOUNCED IN JANUARY IS ALMOST CERTAIN TO BE EXTENDED.

Bush ALWAYS planned to extend those troops from the minute he announced his surge.

Last week when Bush made claims of "draconian measures" taking place because of Congressional Democrats "not funding the troops", he was, of course, lying...

They were already going to extend tours because they already knew the surge would be open-ended

Course, the "surge" itself is a lie.

Bush claimed he was sending 21,500 but the number will be closer to 50k. He said it would be short term but it's open ended...and the reason it's open ended is because they are going to try and use the "surge is working but needs more time" talking point for as long as they can

[MikeNearMcChord]

6. I would not like to be an Platoon Leader or Company

Commander. I wonder if there is stat on a number of "fragging" incidents in this war? If Bush wants to extended he may be forced into a draft. Oh BTW major props to Governor Ted Strickland for sticking for his guardsmen.

[Monkeyman]

7. No Shit

[BearSquirrel2]

9. Democrats ... HELP THESE GUYS !!!

The Democrats cannot end the mission as of now. But they could insert language that forces the president to draft a man every time he overdeploys someone in Iraq. Far too few individuals are bearing the brunt of this war. It's time to draft some yellow ribbon wearers.

[leftchick]

12. not going to happen

at least until after the next election.

[no_hypocrisy]

11. Might as well tell them that they have to stay in Iraq until they're killed.

[Hissyspit]

13. Insane. Absolutely insane. This would be acceptable if

the U.S. had been invaded, but for this debacle, it's just a crime.

[BayCityProgressive]

14. Hey

if we don't guard all that oil who will?

[dogday]

16. This sucks beyond reason

How much can you ask from these guys... Bad enough they are not waiting a year to redeploy them, now they want them to stay longer too..

This administration sucks!!!

[Supersedeas]

20. unless you are a rightwing partisan chickenhawk then extensions make the world safe for shopping

[paparush]

17. THIS is why we're not having a draft....THIS is Bush's idea of Recycling

Only by running these same troops through the gauntlet over and over has Bush** and the Neocons avoided the poison pill of instituting the Draft.

Its so fucking disgusting!!

Volunteer Army my Ass!!

[Jonathan50]

18. Average time of service overseas was 16.2 months in WWII

http://www.amazon.com/World-War-II-Strange-Fascinating/dp/0517422867


Of American troops, there were 292,000 military personnel killed in action and an additional 671,000 wounded in action. There were fifty-nine thousand American aircraft lost; military vessels lost were one hundred fifty-seven, while 866 merchant ships were destroyed by the enemy. At peak strength, these countries had in service: British Empire & Commonwealth, 8.7 million; China, 5 million; Germany, 11 million; Japan, 7.1 million; USA, 12.2 million; and USSR, 12.5 million.

Of the U.S. military, 61.2 percent had been drafted, while 38.8 were volunteers. Seventy-three percent of the 16 million troops total, from 1941-45, served overseas; the average time being 16.2 months abroad. There were 350,000 women in military service. About 10,000 dogs were trained for the Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard throughout the war. Scout and messenger man-dog teams were attached to units with reconnaissance, combat and security patrols and for communication purposes.

The GI average age was twenty-six years. The youngest U.S. serviceman was twelve years old and given a Dishonorable Discharge for lying about his age, after he was wounded in combat. The average length of service of the U.S. military was thirty-three months, half of that spent overseas. Enlisted men were paid $72 per month, while officers earned $204 each month.

[americanstranger]

19. The silence about this on the blogs is deafening.

Outside of my own blog, I haven't seen a mention of it anywhere. Weird.

Are we so resigned to the troops getting fucked over that a plan like this garners practically zero reaction?

- as

[Jonathan50]

21. Tommy is a Britishism for GI.

Rudyard Kipling

Tommy

I went into a public-'ouse to get a pint o'beer,
The publican 'e up an' sez, "We serve no red-coats here."
The girls be'ind the bar they laughed an' giggled fit to die,
I outs into the street again an' to myself sez I:

O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's ``Thank you, Mister Atkins,'' when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's ``Thank you, Mr. Atkins,'' when the band begins to play.

I went into a theatre as sober as could be,
They gave a drunk civilian room, but 'adn't none for me;
They sent me to the gallery or round the music-'alls,
But when it comes to fightin', Lord! they'll shove me in the stalls!

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, wait outside";
But it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide,
The troopship's on the tide, my boys, the troopship's on the tide,
O it's "Special train for Atkins" when the trooper's on the tide.

Yes, makin' mock o' uniforms that guard you while you sleep
Is cheaper than them uniforms, an' they're starvation cheap;
An' hustlin' drunken soldiers when they're goin' large a bit
Is five times better business than paradin' in full kit.

Then it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy how's yer soul?"
But it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll,
The drums begin to roll, my boys, the drums begin to roll,
O it's "Thin red line of 'eroes" when the drums begin to roll.

We aren't no thin red 'eroes, nor we aren't no blackguards too,
But single men in barricks, most remarkable like you;
An' if sometimes our conduck isn't all your fancy paints:
Why, single men in barricks don't grow into plaster saints;

While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, fall be'ind,"
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys, there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir," when there's trouble in the wind.

You talk o' better food for us, an' schools, an' fires an' all:
We'll wait for extry rations if you treat us rational.
Don't mess about the cook-room slops, but prove it to our face
The Widow's Uniform is not the soldier-man's disgrace.

For it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Chuck him out, the brute!"
But it's "Saviour of 'is country," when the guns begin to shoot;
An' it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' anything you please;
But Tommy ain't a bloomin' fool - you bet that Tommy sees!