As Chris in Paris predicted, 6,500 soldiers in Iraq got their tours extended late yesterday. This is the second extension announced this month. In January, some of them will be replaced (maybe) with the 42nd Infantry of the New York National Guard:
The 42nd Infantry will be the first division-level National Guard deployment
into combat since World War II, reflecting the extraordinarily heavy reliance
the Army is placing on part-time soldiers to provide troops for the Iraq
mission. More than 40 percent of the U.S. force in Iraq is Guard or Reserve.
In three days, this will be beyond politics. But Iraq will still be fubar, and we'll still be short of soldiers. Until, well, you know....
