The Course™…

…keeps getting longer.

WASHINGTON -- In the latest sign of pressure on troop strength from violence in Iraq, the Pentagon said Monday that it has extended the combat tour of 4,000 U.S. soldiers, the second time in as many months that an Army brigade has seen its yearlong deployment lengthened.

The 1st Brigade of the 1st Armored Division, which is assigned to Ramadi, the capital of volatile Anbar province, will remain in Iraq 46 more days, defense officials said.

If things are no worse than average (and they are worse than that lately), there will be 105 American troops killed during those 46 days. There are no good days to die, but the days in the weeks of an extended tour may be the worst.

I hate what they're doing to my Army.