Marines have month added to Afghanistan tour of duty

WASHINGTON — The Pentagon has extended the tours of 2,200 Marines in Afghanistan, after insisting for months the unit would come home on time.

The 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, which is doing combat operations in the volatile south, will stay an extra 30 days and come home in early November rather than October, Marine Col. David Lapan confirmed Thursday.

Military leaders Wednesday stressed the need for additional troops in Afghanistan.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates, however, has repeatedly said he did not intend to extend or replace the U.S. Marines in Afghanistan, calling their deployment there a one-time effort to help tamp down the increasing violence in the south.

Pentagon press secretary Geoff Morrell said the longer tour does not open the door to an extension beyond the 30 days.

Commanders faced with increasing violence have said they need at least 7,500 more troops in Afghanistan. And President Bush and defense officials have said they hope to identify additional units by the end of the year that could go to Afghanistan early next year.

The Pentagon has said that more U.S. forces cannot be sent to the Afghan fight until decisions are made to further reduce troop levels in Iraq.