PETRAEUS IS COMING! PETRAEUS IS COMING! PETRAEUS IS COMING! CNN AND AP REPORT COMBAT TOURS WILL BE SHORTENED

How convenient!. Just before the arrival of General David Petraeus in Washington on Tuesday, the Pentagon says they will cut combat tours from 15 monts to 12 months. Petraeus is expected to tell President Bush and members of the Senate Armed Forces committee that conditions in Iraq are improving, but they will need more time to make sure the Iraqi Army is up to handling the job of security. Judging by the fact the New York Times reported on Friday that 1,000 Iraqi Army soldiers "cut and ran" rather than fight in Basra last week waiting for the Iraqi Army to get up to snuff may be an eternity.

Editorial comment by BILL CORCORAN, editor of CORKSPHERE

AP: Soldiers' deployments to go back to 1 year

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/04/05/combat.tours.ap/index.html

Story Highlights
Deployments extended to 15 months last year for Bush-ordered military buildup
Top military officials worried about Iraq war's growing strain on troops and families
AP: Restoration to one-year combat tours to begin in summer
Senior official says soldiers to deploy for 12 months, get 12 months rest at home

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Bush administration plans to announce next week that U.S. soldiers' combat tours will be reduced from 15 months to 12 months in Iraq and Afghanistan beginning later this summer, The Associated Press has learned.

The decision, expected to get final, formal approval in the days ahead, comes as Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. commander in Iraq, prepares to deliver a progress report to Congress next week on the improved security situation there. He is also expected to make recommendations for future troop levels.

A senior administration official said Friday that plans are to deploy soldiers for 12 months, then give them 12 months rest time at home. Exactly which units would be affected is not yet clear. The official spoke on condition of anonymity ahead of the announcement.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates made the decision to extend deployments from 12 to 15 months last year, because that was the only way the Army could provide enough troops for the Bush-ordered military buildup aimed at quelling the violence in Baghdad.

Ever since, Gates; Gen. George Casey, Army chief of staff; and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, have said they wanted to go back to 12 month tours as soon as possible.