Reliability extension

McCain continues to yowl about Democrats demanding what the American public demands: a withdrawal of US troops from Iraq. To McCain and the ever-dwindling numbers of Bush supporters, setting a timeline imperils the troops. Just once, I'd like to see a headline that went something like

White House, McCain continue to defy American public over troop withdrawal

Wishful thinking, I know.

But, guess how the White House really supports the troops? Why, by keeping them over there longer, that's how.

In a hastily-called Pentagon news conference, Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Joint Chiefs Chairman Peter Pace announced today that active-duty US Army force deployments in Iraq will be extended from a maximum of 12 months to a maximum of 15 months, with a guaranteed 12 months at home base between deployments.

Because, the troops love it there. And the "guarantee" is risible. The DoD have been changing their deployment rules, recruiting rules, moral waiver rules, "as necessary," for so long now, no one can remember what the original "guarantees" even were.

In a amazing, ass-backwards justification that no doubt will fail to assuage tumbling morale, Sec Def Gates said that the extended deployment will give soldiers a timetable that is, and I quote, "more predictable" and "reliable," surely to be seen as a plus by soldiers who probably now think they will be resent to Iraq every twelve months for the rest of their lives, however long those might be.