Levin Statement on Administration Announcement to Extend Soldiers’ Tours in Iraq

WASHINGTON – Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, made the following statement today regarding the Bush administration’s announcement that it plans to extend the tours for all active-duty soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan:

“Secretary Gates’ announcement today is the foreseeable consequence of four years of a flawed strategy. The Army has attempted in vain to stabilize a rotational scheme for an unstable and open-ended strategy. Once again the failures of this administration are being underwritten by our troops; the cost of this will fall on the backs of the brave men and women already serving in harm’s way, and their families.”