| Us forces extended tours duty Original Source Link: (May no longer be active) http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/08/13/baghdadmorale030813http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2003/08/13/baghdadmorale030813
U.S. forces can expect extended tours of duty Last Updated Wed, 13 Aug 2003 19:55:13
BAGHDAD - American soldiers serving in Iraq can expect to be there for at least one year, said the commander of the U.S. forces from Baghdad.
Lt. General Ricardo Sanchez said that all soldiers were briefed on the terms of deployment, but some of the 150,000 American soldiers in Iraq said they didn't know how long they would have to remain. Many of the soldiers' families have started to speak out against a long-term occupation.
The mother of a Massachusetts National Guardsman and an organizer of the Bring Them Home Now campaign told a news conference the war is illegal and unjustified.
Suffering from sinking morale, U.S. troops said one of the few positives to come their way lately is access to better food and luxuries such as air conditioning, television and the Internet.
Sanchez said there's talk of incorporating "rest camps" into the soldiers' routine and a possible mid-tour break that would allow soldiers to see their families sometime between the fifth and 10th month of their deployment in Baghdad.
But soldiers' families balk at the idea of camps, saying they want the soldiers sent home for good.
Written by CBC News Online staff
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