Left waiting in Iraq (Letter from Mother-In-Law of NatGuardsman)

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/letters/chi-0310050502oct05,1,3719435.story?coll=chi-newsopinionvoice-hed

Blue Springs, Mo. -- My son-in-law is a member of the Missouri National Guard, currently stationed in Baghdad. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld recently visited Iraq. A few days before Rumsfeld's visit, my son-in-law's unit had received the news it had been awaiting eagerly: Its departure date from Iraq would be Dec. 3. This was the first time the men had been given an actual date after many months of wondering and questioning.

My son-in-law was among a small group of men who had lunch with Rumsfeld. Rumsfeld was queried about the Dec. 3 departure date, and he assured the men that it was correct.

Three days later the media reported that the Defense Department was extending the tours of reservists and national guardsmen well past the one-year deployment. (Some of the men actually received this new from their families over the phone.) My son-in-law's unit now has a departure date of April 22.

Morale among my son-in-law's unit, already low, has plummeted even further. When he was first deployed, he was apprehensive but willing, as he said, "to serve my country."

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These men feel that they are viewed by the Bush administration as expendable bodies.

"Bring 'em on," says our president. Lie to them, mislead them--no big deal. One or two killed each day--no big deal.