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Iraq Tours to Cut by 3 Months This Summer

Posted Feb 20, 08 10:34 AM CST in US 

(Newser) – American soldiers deployed to Iraq this summer will likely serve shorter tours, the AP reports. Soldiers at war today are serving 15 months and coming home for a year before going back to Iraq for another tour. War tours are expected to be shortened to 12 months for units leaving in early August, said the Army's top general.

The number of US combat brigades in Iraq is dropping—20 were deployed in the country for most of last year, but only 15 will likely be left by July. The general said he is “fairly comfortable” that 12-month tours will be possible even if troop reductions continue as planned. He hopes to eventually shorten tours to nine months.

Source Associated Press

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Army Chief of Staff Gen. George Casey discusses the state of the Army while testifying on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 15, 2007, before the Senate Armed Services Committee, in this file...   (Associated Press)
Melissa Weston, 7, of Kearney, Neb., clings to her father, Sgt. Jason Weston at Haymarket Park in Lincoln, Neb., Sunday, June 24, 2007, in this file photo. Nebraska Army National Guard soldiers were welcomed...   (Associated Press)
Spc. Adelaide Martinez weeps after seeing her family for the first time since her deployment during a homecoming ceremony from Iraq on Sunday Jan. 13, 2008 at Fort Hood, Texas. (AP Photo/Killeen Daily...   (Associated Press)
Capt. Roy Horikawa, right, practices radio communication with an Apache helicopter and directs it to a target during a training session at Fort Campbell, Ky., Aug. 29, 2007. Troops at Fort Campbell are...   (Associated Press)
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Iraq  • Iraq war  • troop withdrawal  • troop surge  • American troops  • US Marine Corps  • Army  • deployment  • Gen. George Casey


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