Gates: No extension of 1/6 in Afghanistan
Marines in Afghanistan, due to rotate home this fall, will not be extended, Defense Secretary Gates indicated this afternoon.
"There is no plan to extend the Marine deployment beyond this winter, November," Gates said Friday at a Pentagon news briefing.
"We are still going to be looking at what the options are in terms of augmenting our presence" in Afghanistan beyond 2008, Gates added. "As this point at least, as far as I know there is no specific planning going on along those lines.''
The 2,500 Marines of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which includes the 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment, were diverted from a planned deployment in Iraq to Afghanistan, where they arrived ini March.
The Marines have been engaged in combat operations against insurgents in southern Afghanistan around the town of Garmsir during the past 10 days.
Senior U.S. officers, including Gen. Dan McNeill, the senior American commander in Afghanistan, have said additional troops are needed and that deployments of up to 15 months are critical.
Asked Friday if he would categorically rule out an extension of the Marines' deployment, Gates added, "I always hate to make categorical statements, but no one has suggested even the possibility of extending that rotation (and) I'd be loathe to do that.''
The chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen, also weighed in to empahsize: no extension.
"This deployment of Marines is seven months and they are going to come out at the end of the year," Mullen said, apparently referring to the October-November time frame.
Somebody can tell 1st Sgt. Hammerschmidt he can take down the Christmas decorations.
Comments
Thanks for all you do and for the info about the rumors of extending their deployment. I had read about it last week. Then again, we all know that at a moment notice, this too could change. Keep up the good work.
Posted by: marine wife | May 8, 2008 3:26 PM
YAY! That is such good good great wonderful news! Thank you for the report!
Posted by: Marinewife | May 8, 2008 10:42 PM
Where did this article come from? I forwarded this to my husband, who asked to see the whole article, but I can't find it anywhere.
Posted by: A | May 9, 2008 12:10 AM
Thank you so much for that artical. I had actually just heard the rumor today and know not to turn one way or the other when it comes to things like that because you never know, but It was good to see that. I'll still expect an extension though lol We had one in Ramadi so why not do it again. Us wives say Semper Gumbi! I also heard today after not hearing from my husband for 2weeks he is supposedly going to be out for another 4-6 weeks. I am upset but I will have my fingers crossed!!!! thanks for all you do.
Posted by: L. | May 9, 2008 12:49 AM
The Thunder Run has linked to this post in the blog post From the Front: 05/09/2008 News and Personal dispatches from the front lines.
Posted by: David M | May 9, 2008 1:56 PM
http://www.defenselink.mil/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=49825
This is the article from the DefenseLink News
Posted by: S | May 9, 2008 2:09 PM
This article made me cry. I couldn't want my husband home more, I hope and pray that they come home safe, and in EARLY November. I need my family to be together. Thanks for the good news, I hope you didn't get my hopes up for nothing, but really I just have this feeling. Their gonna be home one time. Thanks David, have a great day
Posted by: Sarah B | May 9, 2008 11:40 PM
Not that I am being ungrateful. But my husband has been gone since the end of February, Oct. Nov. would be 8 or 9 months. But I guess it's better then after Christmas. 2 bad they had to be there 2 months early to do nothing. Maybe next deployment for anyone that has to go to that area will be better utilized.
Posted by: Sarah B | May 10, 2008 9:02 AM