Pentagon Extends Tours Of 2200 Marines In Afghanistan
By Nicole Belle Thursday Jul 03, 2008 10:00pm
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The U.S. Defense Department has extended the combat tour of 2,200 Marines in Afghanistan after insisting for months the unit would come home on time.
The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which is doing combat operations in the volatile southern region, will stay an extra 30 days and come home in early November rather than October, Marine Col. David Lapan confirmed Thursday.
Military leaders as recently as Wednesday stressed the need for additional troops in Afghanistan. Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has praised the work repeatedly of the 24th MEU in fighting Taliban militants in Helmand Province.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates, however, has said repeatedly he did not intend to extend or replace the U.S. Marines in Afghanistan, calling their deployment there an extraordinary, one-time effort to help tamp down the increasing violence in the south.
Asked about the possibility of an extension in early May, Gates said he would "be loath to do that." He added that "no one has suggested even the possibility of extending that rotation."
Lapan said Thursday that commanders in Afghanistan asked that the Marines stay longer.
Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said the longer tour does not open the door to an extension beyond the 30 days, nor to the possibility of replacing them with other U.S. troops when they come out in November. "This is a slight addition to this tour and nothing more," he said.
He added that commanders in Afghanistan "asked for 30 more days to milk the fighting season to the bitter end and cement the gains they have made in the south."
They hate the marines for their freedom?
Great. The methods in which Dubya and his criminal partners have pimped these troops is criminal. Happy Independence Day....for some of us, I guess.
Great. The methods in which Dubya and his fellow blood/oil drinking partners have pimped these troops is criminal. Happy Independence Day....for some of us, I guess.
Oh, they'll all come home eventually, some just sooner than others. A good many of them will be returned home in wooden boxes, covered by flags, hidden inside the belly of a cargo jet. Nothing to see here, folks. Move along.
He added that commanders in Afghanistan “asked for 30 more days to milk the fighting season to the bitter end
Pentagon? Wups, thought you said "Pandagon".
Nevermind.
hey mccain yah think maybe these soldiers deserve the
new G.I. bill
Trust us, no really!
On the NYTimes homepage they feature a photo of 1200 soldiers re-enlisting in Iraq. And I couldn't help but wonder how straightforward that was? Think about it, they know that if they don't re-enlist, they'll be made to stay in anyway, but by re-enlisting they get some kind of bonus. Fucked up eh?
I am not that much surprised about the extended tour. Remember haw long Bush served in the National Guard or( Daddy in WW2)? Oops I forgot, all were deleted before he became a governor of Texas.
This phony sad president should be tar and feather. They were the worse
The Bushes should promise that they would never force anymore of their offspring to searches for the highest office of this land.
Greg @ 5:
He added that commanders in Afghanistan “asked for 30 more days to milk the fighting season to the bitter end
i believe it means until election day, or possibly a day or two before - for a victory parade, you know.
If there was a smarter commander-in-chief, either Democrat or Republican, they would have known to have enough troops to go into Afghanistan in 2001 to go after and either capture or kill OBL, then there would be no "war on terror" - centralized in Iraq! Ford, Reagan, Bush Sr., and Clinton knew when it was time to bring the troops home!
Well why not? It worked so shittingly well in Iraq! Right, war-tards?
Do you take American Tourister luggage to tours of Afghanistan or Iraq?
the bastards in the pentagon could
solve this dilemma very easy. instead of
extending the length of the troops
that are due home in Afghanistan, just
transfer some of the troops in iraq
that already have tours that are longer
than oct. but we all know the right and
easy way is not what bush/cheney will
do.
in all respects, sent bush and cheney and
all the f#cking gop chicken-hawks over to
Afghanistan and let them serve a tour of
duty they all got deferred from or used
privileged connections to avoid.
Yesterday - right after Our WarLord President announced "It's time for a SURGE in Afghanistan" - someone on the Joint Chiefs of Staff (I think) announced there simply aren't enough troops for a "surge" in Afghanistan.
So *obviously* everyone's tour of duty is extended until further notice ..
The Marines wont like it but they will do it. They could have wrapped up the Taliban years ago if they did'nt have to go to Iraq first.
What a wonderful way for the right wing to show our troops how much they "support" them.
Wonder what they have planned for Veterans Day - invading Iran perhaps?
When was this announced? On the Fourth of July?
What? Is that supposed to create patriotic fervor?
Good God! This president is morally challanged... and TONE DEAF too.
Ok, I live in Vegas so I've got 15-1 odds that the Marines come home on time as promised.
Can your military be sued if anything happend to one of those marines during that extra month or is it just another broken promise with no repercussions?
Filthy Harry @ 9:
Bingo. Might as well get some cash, because your ass is in Iraq for another 2-3 tours anyway.
tell them to hold on, obamas going to reinforce them, and keep on reinforceing them might even throw in a box of ammo!
tell it to the army tell it to the navy and tell it to the marines! over there over there send the word send the word over there that the yanks are comeing the yanks are comeing and we wont be back till its over over there!
"This is a slight addition to this tour and nothing more," he said. ...and nothing more. ...and nothing more? How many MORE DEAD is that going to mean? What planet is this guy from?
calgarylady @ 4:
Everytime a transport loaded with dead American soldiers lands successfully, Bush and Cheney congratulate each other, because they "brought them home safely". It's like that Brady Bunch episode about 'exact words'.
IN A RELATED STORY...... rumor has it that NO SOLDIERS should be seen in public before the election in NOVEMBER
wounded soldiers will receive special treatment at military hospitals as long as they promise not to litter the local mini-mart parking lot with their wheelchairs BEFORE THE ELECTION..... it would contridict the claims that things are going well in IRAQ
Normally I would be dead set against this. However, the way things are right now, our forces in Afghanistan are insufficient to do the job they are being forced to do. As such, for their safety, having additional troops is better for them, and only them. I think it long past the time we have a serious look at our need to even be there, and whether we have a sound strategy in-place. Everything about Iraq is immoral and illegal. There was no justifiable reason for attacking Iraq. Afghanistan is a totally different situation. There we are mainly fighting against the Islamic Jihad, who were responsible for 9/11.
If we went to Afghanistan purely for revenge, then we should have stayed home. If we were truly trying to eradicate AQ, then we should have sent sufficient troops and equipment, to get in, accomplish our goals, and get back out. We did neither of these things. So, we are engaged in a 6 year war, with little chance for victory. Our forces are in peril, because the necessary men and equipment are in Iraq, protecting oil. The WH and Pentagon have screwed this whole region up. From the lack of a coherent battle plan, to the failed execution of what little plan they do have.
If we are not going to commit sufficient resources to achieving victory, and just leaving this on life-support, while going through the motions, it is time to go home. As for Iraq, it is time to fold the tent period!
But I thought both occupations were over, the media's not covering them anymore so they must be right?
Frank Burns: Off to the front with you!
The wars are going well. Ask any arms dealer.
A long time ago, when I was in the US Air Force, I realized that anyone whose place in the food chain was higher than mine could ultimately mess with me in any way he chose. It was this epiphany, moreso than any other, that led me to decide, while still in Basic Training, after about two days in the Air Force, to get out as soon as I could.
I was a model airman, and even made E-5 with minimum time in grade. Upon my return from Southeast Asia, I took a voluntary early separation from active duty, an "early-out," as was the policy at that time. I diligently kept track of the days until my entire six-year obligation was ended, because I had read the "fine print," and understood I could be reactivated at somebody's whim until I had actually completed my contractual obligation. When I finally received my separation orders and honorable discharge papers I was truly a happy person!
Megan McCains blog,
Finally. The weekend and my own pillow. Our Asian tour was really educational. In South East Asia we found out all about how our own Agent Orange played a key role in a lot of nation building. After that were invited to view a movie about Deplane…at least I thought it was, it just turned out to be a movie about fire.
On to jolly old England on the flight home where the wisdom of Dr Kissastranger was shared. He even mentioned my earlier post joking about his Palestinean baby skin shoes. He showed us his new pair. How about dad and his friends springing that poor lady from the banana guys. There was a big fruit basket from them waiting for us when we got home.
Those bananas make me giggle.
How long until there's an armed revolt?
John Hoffman @ 31:
lesson #1 never let these people know anything about you! sooner or later they use it against you!
Filthy Harry has it right: "Think about it, they know that if they don’t re-enlist, they’ll be made to stay in anyway, but by re-enlisting they get some kind of bonus.." The re-enlistees must have been offered pay equal to or more than the generals make. Our government is playing a game of chicken with our military - how much more money are you willing to bet against your life? What an inane disaster this whole mess is.
Cheney says: "So?"
Bush will keep our soldiers in the Military until they die, as they are only in Iraq to protect the oil fields. Now many Americans and Law Makers support the illegal actions of Bush/Cheney but if the Draft was opened the so called War would end. Look those who cheer for keeping this invasion going wouldn't join the Military nor allow their kids to join. The Bush policy is let others die based our White House lies as the GOP steals as much as possible from the US Treasury. The Pentagon Propaganda Department worked very well as American follow blindly. We have a US Debt of 10 Trillion dollars. The World Leaders have moved on and left the US out. Now the World knows the United States Government is run by crooks and liars as the American people stick their heads in the sand. We will soon have a new Independence Day as we have come full circle from King George to Dictator George. God can't bless America while Satan is in charge of the USA.
Filthy Harry @ 9:
Actually, they don't always get re-enlistment bonuses, not even when they are deployed and re-enlisting... and the ones that re-enlist while overseas, they aren't even allowed to deploy if they are within a certain time frame from the end of their current enlistment, in the event that it is extended to begin with. If it's extended excessively and it does put them deployed past their time to get out, I believe, though not positive, they are sent home. I think I've known at least one person that this happened to.
So, yeah. I'm going to need you to come in on Saturday. If you could do that, that'd be just great.
Oh, oh, and I almost forgot. Ahh, I'm also gonna need you to go ahead and come in on Sunday, too... and for the next 4 weeks after that. Yeah.