The Command Post - Iraq - Pentagon delays soldiers' return from Iraq

July 14, 2003

Pentagon delays soldiers' return from Iraq

WASHINGTON -- Thousands of U.S. Army troops initially scheduled to come home from Iraq during the next two months are being told they will have to stay for an unknown length of time, U.S. Army officials said Monday.

The delay affects 9,000 men in the Army's battle-weary 3rd Infantry Division, which has been in Iraq since the start of the war. A soldier in that division was killed Monday in Baghdad when his convoy was attacked with multiple rocket-propelled grenades.

With security in Iraq still a concern, Army officials said that U.S. troops are still needed in the country.

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Posted By Venomous Kate at July 14, 2003 08:42 PM | TrackBack

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In case any of you guys are reading this post, I most surely give a damn!

Hurry Home!

I'll be waiting and looking for your return.

Posted by: devils chewtoy at July 15, 2003 12:23 AM

This is not good news.

I am sure it is difficult to find US soldiers who like being in Iraq.

Burdened by the equipment and armour in the
45 deg C heat, and against cunning fighters we know we are not welcome.

Add to this the burgeoninig $4bn /month expendeture (which the pentagon says it does not have) to keep the boys there.

Add to this that no tough 17,000 (at their expense) Indian soldiers are coming to help

Now is the time to look stright into Rumsfiled's tiny eyes and ask him on the quagmire that we are in, the poor after planning. This makes very grim reading.

Rumsfiled "get us out of there", they can keep the heat.

Posted by: grim at July 15, 2003 08:32 AM

Grim - 'get YOU out of here'. Anybody know what we've got for 'normal' incountry rotation these days? Curious.

Posted by: Dave Dubé at July 15, 2003 11:15 AM

Damn Quagmire, we can never seem to get out of them.
So Grim, what should we do now, cut and run?

Posted by: commander at July 15, 2003 11:37 AM

Believe it was 13 months for Vietnam wasn't it? It got a little hot over there,too, didn't it? Shame this bunch of idiots in Washington can't seem to make up their minds about a lot of stuff.

Posted by: Mary at July 15, 2003 02:38 PM

Believe it was 13 months for Vietnam wasn't it? It got a little hot over there, too, didn't it? Shame this bunch of idiots in Washington can't seem to make up their minds about a lot of stuff.

Posted by: Mary at July 15, 2003 02:39 PM

Mary - 365 days. I used a deck of cards. Sent home one a week.

Posted by: Dave Dubé at July 15, 2003 03:03 PM