[af_vet_rr]

Thank you for your service but 4 extra months in a counterinsurgency war is a huge deal. Soldiers and marines are patrolling on foot and vehicle down streets where they can be blown up in an instant - and they know that - it is a huge deal both psychologically stressful and to overall morale. It’s a shame that we don’t have a bigger military, which would alleviate this situation. Our troops will drive on but it is a big deal.

I disagree. If we were losing 20 or 30 or 50 day, yes, I could see it being a big deal. But we are not - considering the fact that we have 150,000 or so troops in a country of 25 million - if the Iraqis wanted us out, we'd be losing 100+ a day easily. They don't, and because they want us there, we are losing very few troops every day - we can sustain the rate for years to come.

You do make a very important point - one that I agree upon - we need a bigger military.

[rbmillerjr]

You’re talking in macro terms. I’m talking about the individual soldier or marine walking down the street not knowing whether the next car or bump in the road is an IED or not.

To these guys patrolling, this is no small deal.