"It's an insult"

10,000 troops who were ready to go home now have to stay until March.
And the administration, whose support for the troops is all lip-service, told the press before they told the troops.

"Still, the way the announcement of the extension was handled has left some soldiers here a bit annoyed. Before they were notified, a news release was sent to the Hawaii media."

"I had a son in October. I haven't met him yet. I was mostly wanting to get home for him." - Sgt Eric Wing, 24.

"It's an insult." - anonymous soldier.

"Because the bulk of their replacements will be in Iraq within weeks, there will be a shortage of living space. As a result, the soldiers of the 2nd Brigade are to be kicked out of the comfortable two-person trailers where they have been living and sent to cots in crowded tents, just as the cold, wet winter settles into this region of Iraq."

"Support the troops" apparently means "Use them up until there's nothing left of them."