WASHINGTON POST: WHAT BUSH DIDN'T TELL AMERICANS ABOUT IRAQ TROOP DEPLOYMENTS

President Bush stepped into the Rose Garden this morning to make what was called a major announcement about Iraq.

What it boiled down to is deployment of troops to Iraq will have their tours cut from 15 months to 12 months.

WHAT BUSH DIDN'T SAY IS THAT THE 160,000 TROOPS NOW IN IRAQ WILL STILL HAVE TO SERVE 15 MONTHS.

Bush Says Stability in Iraq Allows for Shorter Deployments

By Dan EggenWashington Post Staff WriterThursday, July 31, 2008; 10:24 AM
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/31/AR2008073100609.html

President Bush declared today that the gains in Iraq had reached "a degree of durability" allowing shortened military deployments and possibly leading to further U.S. reductions this fall.

"We are now in our third consecutive month with reduced violence levels holding steady," Bush said in a statement delivered outside the Oval Office, moments before he flew to West Virginia to give a speech on energy.

Bush also noted that the Pentagon today is beginning a new policy that will shorten Iraq troop deployments from 15 to 12 months "to relieve the burden on our forces and it will make life easier for our wonderful military families."

The shortened deployment schedule does not apply to troops already in Iraq, but only those who are headed there, officials said.