When a bonus isn’t a bonus, Murray fires (screwing the troops again)

[BR_Parkway]

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/5258954p-4774126c.html

WASHINGTON – The Pentagon has reneged on its offer to pay a $15,000 bonus to members of the National Guard and Army Reserve who agree to extend their enlistments by six years, according to Sen. Patty Murray (D-Seattle).

The bonuses were offered in January to Active Guard and Reserve and military technician soldiers who were serving overseas. In April, the Office of the Secretary of Defense for Reserve Affairs ordered the bonuses stopped, Murray said.

“This is outrageous,” the senator said in a telephone interview. “It makes me angry that this administration has broken another promise to our troops.”

<snip>

Krenke said some soldiers had been paid the re-enlistment bonuses, but she was unsure how many or whether the money would have to be repaid. Murray’s office said that as far as it knew, no active Guard or Reserve members had received the bonuses.

[texpatriot2004]

1. "We support the troops" with our yellow ribbons and nothing else

They use the troops, use them up.

[Demeter]

10. Yellow Ribbons and Red Tape

And over it all waves the Red, White and Blue.

[bahrbearian]

2. I'm a little tired of these Dinos trying to get some press.

Ya voted for the War, ya voted for Brown (Stating in a letter to the constituents )" I cast my vote with the "HOPE" that Judge Roberts will be an individual who will combine common sense and decency with a real respect for how the law affects each American "
Well Patty I "WISH" you would would represent your Voters, you've done much to enable the Emperor and now you want some press , when the tide has turned.

[bornskeptic]

5. Senator Murray certainly did not vote for the war.

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=107&session=2&vote=00237

[mondo joe]

7. You might get a littlle tired of calling Democrats DINO'S.

Patty Murray has a great track record as a dem.

That is what makes the Brown vote a stand out.

But you may recall that even on DU there were a number of very progressive posters who felt based on the hearings there was little to no legitimate basis for a down vote.

And if every Dem who ever voted for Roberts OR for the war (whic PM didn't do) is only a DINO then there are virtually no Dems left so you might as well close up shop.

[ninkasi]

3. Wouldn't that cancel the whole thing?

If the soldiers reenlisted because of the bonus, wouldn't canceling the bonus also cancel the whole reenlistment? I guess a unilateral breaking of the terms of a contract only applies the us little guys, huh? If the bonus was illegal, they should have known before they offered it. I'll bet there are some pretty unhappy National Guard and Army Reserve members right now.

[salin]

4. It is almost like they want to completely break the military

which makes no sense - unless they relish the idea of a larger and larger role for privatized military (and huge $$$s for their crony owners of said private military contractor companies.)

[Nickster]

8. You got it. That's exactly what they want. A fully privatized military.

They want all government services to be privatized.

[zbdent]

6. The bill must have come in for the Halliburton-brand

package of 30 tic-tacs . . .

[maxrandb]

9. Ah Yes! Supporting the Troops the Republican Way

This Administration makes me physically ill.

[indepat]

11. Supporting the troops, Repuke-style

[sybylla]

12. I know a family of one of these soldiers in Iraq

His platoon was sequestered with higher-up who shamed them if they were unwilling and threatened them with riskier assignments for the remainder of their term if they didn't sign extensions.

And now the bonus, which was the only saving grace in agreeing to another two years of life in Iraq has been taken away.

How. Fucking. Shameful.