*IF* this surge is "temporary"

[Horse with no Name]

I wonder if anyone could tell me why my sister-in-law (who is in the Navy) will be deploying to the Persian Gulf in 6 months FOR approximately 6 months?

[nashville_brook]

1. time to start calling it ESCALATION

that is what it is. "surge" is such crappy bush-speak.

[Monkeyman]

3. Can you say Vietnam again

[TwilightZone]

2. A year is temporary in the eyes of the administration

On the other hand, we always have troops somewhere in the Persian Gulf region, so her deployment may not be surge-related.

[Warren Stupidity]

4. Escalation.

The escalation will be temporary only in the sense that we will eventually get tired of messing with Iraq and leave.

[stillcool]

5. because of stories like this:

Third time's the harm
After two tours of duty in Afghanistan, Steven Henderson says his latest callup 'not to exceed 545 days' in Iraq is asking too much.
December 28, 2006
BY DAVE NEWBART Staff Reporter
Steven Henderson served his country during two tours of duty as an Army sergeant in Afghanistan -- repeatedly coming under enemy fire and seeing fellow soldiers maimed and U.S. helicopters gunned down.

The Chicago native is back home now after being honorably discharged 20 months ago. He's married and working toward a college degree -- but the Army has called upon him again.
A letter he received two weeks before Christmas orders him to report to Fort Benning, Ga., by Jan. 14. Under the order, he is required to fight in Iraq for a period "not to exceed 545 days."
But this time, Henderson says he will not serve his country.

But it's allowed under the contract all enlistees sign. Soldiers can be called into active duty anytime within eight years of signing up, said Bryan Hilferty, an Army personnel spokesman at the Pentagon.

Since the involuntary mobilizations started in the summer of 2004, about 11,000 soldiers have been called back into duty, more than in any previous war, Hilferty said. But 4,600 have been granted delays or hardship exemptions, and only 6,000 have been deployed to Iraq or Afghanistan.

Hilferty said only 200 veterans haven't reported. Although penalties can include jail time, typically soldiers lose their honorable discharge status, which could threaten their Army benefits and have implications for future employment.

[email protected]
http://www.suntimes.com/news/metro/189171,CST-NWS-SOLDIER28.article

[Skidmore]

6. Remember the war was going to be temporary too.

[bananas]

7. By "temporary" they mean two years or longer - see this pdf

"At least 30K Army and Marines per year for the next two years"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=2932890&mesg_id=2937457

[applegrove]

8. That takes us to 2008. Let us pray/hope/emit vibes that this will be

the pullout and not just an escalation or perhaps a new war with some neighbour.

[nadinbrzezinski]

9. that actually IS a normal navy rotation