Kerry Says Pentagon 15-Month Troop Extension Hurts Families and Won't Solve Iraq's Civil War

Mass

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-11-07 07:59 PM
Original message

Kerry Says Pentagon 15-Month Troop Extension Hurts Families and Won't Solve Iraq's Civil War

Kerry Says Pentagon 15-Month Troop Extension Hurts Families and Won't Solve Iraq's Civil War

WASHINGTON D.C. - Senator John Kerry issued the following statement today after the Pentagon announced that it will lengthen tours of duty for all active-duty Army units in Iraq from 12 months to 15 months.

"This Administration keeps asking our troops for more - do more without the right equipment, spend more time on deployment even as our generals say there is no military solution to the war in Iraq. Now the President is asking families to wait 15 months to see their loved ones instead of 12 months. This is the latest sign that the Bush Administration continues to overextend our military to the breaking point. Extending the tour of duty of our National Guard will not solve Iraq's deadly civil war, it only exposes our volunteer Army to more danger. To top it all off, the President has the nerve to suggest that the Congress is putting our brave troops in jeopardy by demanding a better policy, when it's this Administration that sends them back into a civil war with no end in sight."

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

wisteria

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Wed Apr-11-07 11:25 PM
Response to Original message

1. Well, he is right and he makes a lot of sense.

Another deplorable act Bush has thrusted upon are soldiers in order to save face.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

MH1

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Apr-15-07 09:14 PM
Response to Original message

2. BushCo insults America again

I am glad Kerry is paying attention to this and speaking out.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

TayTay

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Apr-15-07 09:29 PM
Response to Reply #2

3. This is heartbreaking

Did you see where the Pentagon has gone from a 4 week training session for troops going to Iraq to 10 days! OMG, 10 days to get ready for combat duty in Iraq. That is horrible.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

MH1

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Sun Apr-15-07 09:33 PM
Response to Reply #3

4. It's awful, and of course more than an "insult"

He is insulting rationality in every sense of the word.

But this is doing real harm to families. Many, many families. That's even when the soldier comes home alive and presumably physically unharmed.

How do you replace the time lost with a growing baby? Or all those months at any age?

For such a foreign policy disaster as this. The troops will do their best and deserve honor for that, but the leadership is bankrupt. It's beyond despicable.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

karynnj

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Apr-16-07 08:04 AM
Response to Reply #3

5. 10 days - wasn't it months in the Vietnam era?

Just considering how complicated the situation they will face is - this is just negligent.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

MH1

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Apr-16-07 09:31 AM
Response to Reply #5

6. I don't know, but having been in the military, I find 10 days just unconscionable.

There's no way they're getting the training they need in that time. No way.

I'm assuming this is on top of the Basic Training that all soldiers get, but that is down from the 9 weeks it was when I was in. I don't remember what it is, but it's less. ((4 or 6 weeks now, I think)

The Vietnam number probably did include Basic.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

TayTay

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Apr-16-07 09:35 AM
Response to Reply #6

7. Vietnam was a year I think

I am not sure of this though. I thought it was a year and out. Unless there were special circumstances.

This action by the Bush Admin is just awful. We need more training for people going in-country, not less. The Bush legacy, such as it is, is going to include a terrible, terrible disregard for the military and for military families. This is just heart-breaking. I can't even imagine what it must be like for family of those being deployed under these conditions. It's just awful and a breach of trust between the Commander in Chief and the troops he is supposed to be leading.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

MH1

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Apr-16-07 10:25 AM
Response to Reply #7

8. I think karynnj was talking about training pre-deployment

Edited on Mon Apr-16-07 10:26 AM by MH1

But during Vietnam, standard tours were 12 months, I think, though many came home sooner for a variety of reasons. (Reasons other than being killed or incapacitated, of course, though as we know there were many of those.)

Edit to add: I don't think pre-deployment training during the Vietnam War was a year - that would be unlikely.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

karynnj

(1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore

Mon Apr-16-07 10:34 AM
Response to Reply #8

9. You are right - I was speaking of the pre-deployment training

I didn't have anyone close go to Vietnam so I could be wrong - but I do think boot camp was longer.

Printer Friendly | Permalink | | Top

DU AdBot (1000+ posts)

Fri May 03rd 2024, 09:52 PM
Response to Original message

Advertisements [?]

Top

Powered by DCForum+ Version 1.1 Copyright 1997-2002 DCScripts.com
Software has been extensively modified by the DU administrators

Important Notices: By participating on this discussion board, visitors agree to abide by the rules outlined on our Rules page. Messages posted on the Democratic Underground Discussion Forums are the opinions of the individuals who post them, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Democratic Underground, LLC.